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Cat
New Member
Posts:7
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| 04/23/2010 2:31 PM |
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I mean technically they are Nurse assistants. But when I am wearing my scrubs on my way to or from work, lots of people ask me if I'm a nurse...but I know they have RN or LVN in mind. So, I usually say "NO" I'm a nurse assistant. But, is this dishonoring to all the hard working CNA's out there?
What would be a better way to answer? |
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BluEyes
Experienced Member
Posts:137
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| 04/23/2010 5:02 PM |
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| I am a nursing assistant. You can't claim to be what you are not. |
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BluEyes
Experienced Member
Posts:137
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| 04/23/2010 5:03 PM |
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| Meant, "I am a nursing assistant", in the previous post. We can not edit posts on this site. |
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Jen
New Member
Posts:2
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| 04/25/2010 6:59 PM |
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You are answering appropriately. I am an RN and earned that title by going to school and getting my degree. I am offended at work when a CNA allows my patient to call them their nurse, and pretends to be a nurse. They are not taking on the same responsibility that I am, and they are not the one making the tough decisions about that patients care; they are not the one who answers to the doctors. It is unfair to claim to be something that you are not qualified to be. It would the same as if I claimed to be a doctor. I haven't gone to medical school and studied medicine for years. I haven't earned that title. I would never dream of pretending to be something that I am not. It's called scope of practice.
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Jen
New Member
Posts:2
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| 04/25/2010 7:03 PM |
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[quote]Posted By Jen on 04/25/2010 6:59 PM
You are answering appropriately. I am an RN and earned that title by going to school and getting my degree. I am offended at work when a CNA allows my patient to call them their nurse, and pretends to be a nurse. They are not taking on the same responsibility that I am, and they are not the one making the tough decisions about that patients care; they are not the one who answers to the doctors. It is unfair to claim to be something that you are not qualified to be. It would the same as if I claimed to be a doctor. I haven't gone to medical school and studied medicine for years. I haven't earned that title. I would never dream of pretending to be something that I am not. It's called scope of practice.
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CNAs are hard working, and should be proud of what they do. I know as well as the next one, since I did that before I was a nurse. But, that doesn't give them the right to claim a title they haven't earned.
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S Jo
New Member
Posts:2
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| 04/27/2010 2:47 PM |
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Granted and respectfully, I will offer my opinion. Just like belly-buttons, every body has an opinion. RE: CNA's = Nurses?
First, recognize, that CNA's don't have a 'license. However, I have been a CNA for five years. I have worked in acute care and usually in critical care. Therefore, solely for patient/family are WE, the CNA's, called nurses. All this allows us is the quick recognition for patients and family, is attend to them with VERY basic needs. I have on many, many occasions make it perfectly clear, that I AM not a nurse. I have no difficulty in stating the obvious. It is usual for patients and families alike to recognize US, the CNA's as Nursing Staff, if for no other reason, than to be able to Alert the NURSE, and, pardon here... Fetch the Nurse, when the Patient has requested. I understand that a NURSE, is unable to attend to their patient, as rapidly and repeatedly as I am. And with that understanding, I am able to Convey to the Nurse, that X patient is asking for them. I am also able to discern, whether a patient has a real need, or is merely being difficult. We are tools, as all staff within an acute environment is. I find this topic repetitive, when in the end, We are all working together for the greatest good of the patient.
Although, when F. Nightingale began her vocation, she did not have a formal education. She was there to help. Does anyone minimize all that she had accomplished, just because RN/LPN was not attached to her signature?
The word NURSE is a broad termed noun. Not to mention, when it is a verb, it usually is performed by those of us that are 'hands-on'. I do not refute that we are Not Nurses in the noun sense of the word. However, when we are on that floor, calling a CODE, I AM NURSING, because I am performing with education and technical skill, Life Saving acts. With that mentioned, No, I am not a nurse, yet... However, I will be. And if the nurses are so bothered by my 'nursing', than I am more than happy to go and assist with my fellow female skilled workers, in a fashion that I am trained to perform.
Respectfully, jo |
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peaceful
New Member
Posts:2
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| 04/27/2010 7:27 PM |
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CNA's should not be considered nurses. They do not have the educational background. Claim who you are. It is nothing wrong with being a CNA. I was an psychiatric Assistant and Assistant Clinician,before I returned to college. I believe, when you have that experience it helps you when you decide to pursue your career in nursing. Being an assistant sparked my interest in nursing. Before I obtained my degree I had always admired nurses.They were and still are my heroes.
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BluEyes
Experienced Member
Posts:137
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| 04/29/2010 2:54 AM |
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| In some states the use of the title Nurse as in licensed practical or registered is a legally protected term. It would be wise not to encourage the incorrect usage by patients or to incorrectly use the term oneself. Either one is a certified nursing assistant or they are a licensed practical nurse or registered nurse. Only in some rare instances can one be both or for that matter all three. And for that to occur, one must have a certificate and two licenses in good standing. |
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bandaid
New Member
Posts:1
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| 04/30/2010 3:13 PM |
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| I happen to teach CNAs and tell them from the get-go that they are nursing assistants, no nurses....yet....as I hope they will continue on into their nursing careers from here. |
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Pauline
New Member
Posts:1
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| 04/30/2010 10:49 PM |
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| CNA's are not nurses as their title states "Certified Nursing Assistant". I am now a LPN going for my RN. My health career started as a CNA. CNA's are a valuable asset to all nurses and should be treated with respect for what they are able to do, but at no time should they allow the patients to believe they are a nurse as this becomes confusing and disrupting and sometimes embaressing to the patient when they say "My other nurse told me I could......" I work at a hospital that has the staff color coded so there is no confusion on whos who. My hat is still off tho for the hard work and dedication of all good CNA's |
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universalRN
Active Member
Posts:97
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| 05/01/2010 11:54 AM |
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| I agree. CNA's are as valuable in a proper work environment as a RN. Everyone has a role to do to bring client satisfaction |
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amlpn
New Member
Posts:3
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| 05/09/2010 9:59 PM |
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| Certified Nursing Assistants are indeed valuable, and do a heep of the workload where patients are, but they should not be referred to as nurses - ever. If a patient makes that mistake, they should be corrected. I worked as a CNA, and am now a LPN. I know the hard work it takes to be a CNA. In Arizona it is a Class 6 felony to call oneself a nurse if you are not registered or licensed. There was a confusion with a Medical Assistant that I worked with on this same subject. The Practice Manager was introducing the MA as a nurse, which caused confusion, and only encouraged the MA to call herself a nurse as well. Patients would call and ask to speak with the nurse, and the patient was sent to the MA's extension if I was not available. Patients would tell the Doctor that the nurse told them what-not... This was wrong. When I explained that there is a chain of command, educational background, ethics, and legalities involved, all it seemed to do was make the MA and Practice Manager bitter. I believe that education on this subject needs to be strengthened in the schools. We live in a structured world and need to respect each other and the structured world in which we live. |
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Liebling
New Member
Posts:1
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| 05/15/2010 5:13 PM |
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| Of course they are, they absolutely who take care,see and knows patients better than RN or LVN. They are the hard working nursing staff that need to acknowledge and need get pay better. RN or LVN knows patients "just in charts". I have respect for those Nursing Assistant. The proper answear will be" Yes Iam a Nurse Technician. |
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Lottie
New Member
Posts:1
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| 05/21/2010 9:05 AM |
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| Yes they are considered as nurse's assistants and their value are sometimes underrated. Let's be clear, they are not professional nurses, they must go to nursing school and get a license if they want that status. They deserve mutual respect and without them it would be difficult for the nurse. |
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Sara Jo
New Member
Posts:1
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| 05/23/2010 12:38 PM |
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| Jen is absolutely correct. In Florida it is ILLEGAL to identify yourself as a "nurse" unless you are an LPN or RN. The word "nurse" is a legal term. You are duty bound to correct the error just as I would not allow myself to be mistaken for a PA or MD. You should be proud of your current status, as CNA's are invaluable to nurses, however, I am always in support of anyone that would like to further their career and become a nurse. |
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LPNPA91ABC
New Member
Posts:3
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| 05/24/2010 2:29 AM |
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| If your proud of what you are than acknowledge that your a CNA or a Nursing Assistant. I have been in medicine for 30 yrs since 1971 when I graduated ambulance driver/corpsman/medic/91A - US ARMY. i was assigned to the Paratroopers in Germany where I had the opportunity to suture, cast, assist with deliveries eval and treat patients. My fellow medics and I became 91B's which I validated with a MOS testing (TYPE OF BOARD). 1973, I left the Army, rejoined 1974 because best jobs to get was hospital orderly and Infirmary tech N.Mexico State Prison. Orderly paid a $1.25/hr, Prison paid $600/month but high potential for danger. By 1976 I had returned to the paratroopers as a 91B. In addition to medicall and nursing assistant duties I was taught evacuation, triage of sick and wounded. Also learned EMT, clerk typist, set up of tentage, mental health triage, drug urine collection, Medical records custodial and medical supply clerk. 1976 I volunteer for 91C - Military LPN equivalent. 1980 chosen for PA, Retired Army 1992, Worked as PA-C as rehab/primary care/work comp health care provider. Not allowed by state law to call myself Doctor, yet I did duties as a DR, patient call me DR and I have to remind patients and staff I am a Physician Assistant and required to wear name plate indicating same. Sure I want to be a DR, but that club requires clot, contact, and money. Unfortunately some proffesionals feel they reserve the right to their names and instead of encouragement they voice resentment. This is all behind me now. I am on a journey to recovery to at least live a full life. Last year while waiting for traffic on the way to a CME/Conference I was struck by a Car. I sustained severe head injury, neck and spinal cord injuries. I WAS A gLASCOE COMA 3 AND SUSTAINED 2 TBI's. They were considered severe TBIs. Most die in 6 months. I am 12 months post injury, havelong term recall of lifesevents, medical training but had to learn to walk, write with left hand, My right is partially paralyzed. My medical training is instrumental to my recovery. I wish I could do CNA occupation. I recommend any one with the desire to seek higher professional training and Go for it. |
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Nick Vigil
Physician Assistant PAC
DAC YH-02 NSPS
CW3/ PAC/ LPN
Retired US ARMY |
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LPNPA91ABC
New Member
Posts:3
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| 05/24/2010 2:45 AM |
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| Sorry I took soooo long in my reply that I left a bit of info. My family members are also in medical. My wife is LPN, and when she goes on the floor she encourages hr CNAs to do there duties effectively and lends them a hand to accomplish thenursing job. My grand daughter graduated highschool last week and looking for hr first job, a CNA. Her goal and dream isneonatel RN. Our Daughter in law is a PCP, and she assists with my wife for my daily meds and nursing assistance issue. I am proud to have started as a Nursing Assistant, So much so inbetween PA positions, 2001 i RETURN TO taining for LPN, took the boards and now state license LPN. Be proud, I was blessed and fortunate to not only have great CNA's help me thru my recvery but blessed that they hadchosen such an honorable profession. |
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Nick Vigil
Physician Assistant PAC
DAC YH-02 NSPS
CW3/ PAC/ LPN
Retired US ARMY |
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*KimmieRN*
Junior Member
Posts:15
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| 05/24/2010 2:58 AM |
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I agree with Jen - I don't think that I could have said it better myself. Nursing assistants - whether "certified" or not - are Unlicensed Assistant Personnel. A certification is nice, but it is not the same as a license. As a matter of fact you do not need to be certified to work as a Nursing Assistant in all facilities. Many hospitals will hire anyone with a high school diploma and train them on the job. Nursing Assistants are very valuable to the nursing team - but their role is to ASSIST the nurse, not BE the nurse. Their job is to perform the tasks that do not require in depth nursing knowledge or complex skills. Nurses are paid to be the critical thinkers and decision makers. There is a process to nursing that nurses are specifically trained in. Nursing assistants do not assess, diagnose, plan, implement or evaluate nor do they have the autonomy to make decisions about care without first asking the nurse. The Nursing Assistant is overseen by the nurse. Those are 2 very different roles. However, being a Nursing Assistant is a wonderful job! I think that you should have enough pride in your job that when people ask if you are a nurse you say: "Actually I am a Nursing Assistant." I think it is sad that some Nursing Assistants feel ashamed of telling people about their job and feel more pride in pretending to be nurses when they are not. Anyone who does not hold a current license to practice as a RN or LPN in their state should never identify themselves as a nurse. It is simply lying. In Ohio it is actually illegal, as I think it is in many other states as I learned from reading the previous posts. I was a nurses assistant for 3 years before I became a RN and I know first hand how hard the job is. But I also know that I admired the nurses I worked with and could not wait to be one. I understood and accepted that I was not a nurse and never would have identified myself as one. I am a RN and I worked hard to obtain that status and I am offended when someone who is not a medical professional tries to lead people to believe that they are. It also angers me when student nurses tell patients that they are the nurse and they leave the "student" part out. Being a student nurse does not make you a nurse!!!! It makes you a future nurse in training!!! I would never tell people that I am a doctor unless I really was, so why would anyone treat nurses with such disrespect?
In short, if you do not have the formal education and a license to back it up to call yourself a REGISTERED NURSE or LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSE then you are NOT a nurse. |
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LPNPA91ABC
New Member
Posts:3
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| 05/24/2010 3:40 AM |
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| I can only comment on what i know and at best as an observer. Kimmie RN states some valid points. I don't interprete the subject matter as some ome asking to be called something they are not. Rather I see it as asking for advise on how to answer when they are identified as a certain professional. Here in this state I have seen examples of different representation's. From thePA being ID'd as a DR. and only having to correcting that on the initial salutation to the patient instead of what problem ails you. Than there was the surprise when my daughter was checked in her hospital room and intake done by a CNA. The Dr Welby scenerio of the Office RN is replaced by the MA. LPN's are being replaced by RN IN ER'S, on the floors. Physician's replaced by Hospitalis PA. In the military treatment where I receive my care I am seen by a PA PRIMARY HCP, a NP Disease Management, no MD involved. I trust them and their decision, but it has me wondering is management looking for short cuts at they expense of well intenders, because MD is too costly and mid levels are willing to feel in the gaps. Are CNA's willing to feel in the shortages. I encourage CNA training and recommend state licensure after a period and ojt experince that would provide recocnition andvalidation, and the preparation may provide encouragement or desire to train for further educational goals. |
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Nick Vigil
Physician Assistant PAC
DAC YH-02 NSPS
CW3/ PAC/ LPN
Retired US ARMY |
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S Jo
New Member
Posts:2
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| 05/24/2010 1:42 PM |
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In reply to Jen... Never did I intend for the poor assumption to be made, that we CNA's, present ourselves as a Nurse. My intention was to expose the verb of Nursing. Never have I presented myself, or practiced As If I were... Caring and monitoring a patient, CNA's are able to do, eg: poor urine output, etc. Using common sense, again, we CNA's can do. Hopefully, the RN and CNA are able to share common observations, again, for the greater care of the patient.
While working towards a license, I would never assume that role, until earned. I have been working too hard to attain the privilege. However, it can be said, that a CNA does provide part of the Nursing Service, to the patient. That must be recognized. This term, Nursing, is a broad verb. It is NOT a noun, in my comments.
Nick... Thank you for your comments. I appreciate your kindness and candor. God Bless you, whilst on your journey through recovery. I pray you only reach the Highest of All, with your recovery. Have you thought about teaching, when you are through? Sounds like you would be great with new students.
jo |
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