the name game
What's in a name? Well it depends on what name is given to something. I got to thinking about the word "nurse" based on something in Scuba's Blog http://scubadiva.tblog.com" title="http://scubadiva.tblog.com" target="_blank"http://scubadiva.tblog.com. Naturally, as a nurse I am very aware of what is and what is not a “nurse”
So here, briefly, is Nurse Nancy’s glossary of Nurse related terms and definitions!!
A registered nurse is a nurse with a Bachelor’s or Associate’s degree or diploma in nursing. S/he is trained and educated to think critically and make nursing diagnoses for patients in collaboration with or under the guidance of a MD.
A Nurse Practitioner is a RN with advanced education and experience who can diagnose and prescribe.
Clinical Nurse Specialists are registered nurses who have advanced education (usually a master’s degree) in a clinical specialty. (This is what Nurse Nancy has)
LPNs or LVNs are Licensed Practical Nurses, or Licensed Vocational Nurses. Generally have education in nursing and provide bedside nursing, medications, dressings etc. Their course is shorter and is not a degree program. Critical thinking and decision making are important aspects of any nurse's job but at the LPN level not required as much. (Hopefully I am not alienating all the excellent LPNs out there without whom I would be lost!!)
Care Aides, CNAs, etc. are minimally trained individuals trained to provide personal care to patients. They don't generally give medications, or if they do it is usually under supervision of a LPN or RN. They are NOT nurses.
The asshole rude person who is behind the desk in the clinic and is wearing a uniform is not a 'nurse", although they may think they are. Unless s/he is wearing a name tag with the letters RN, LPN, BN, BSN etc.. They are not nurses. Neither is the nice lady in the white uniform that comes in to clean the hospital room every day and empties the garbage can. She works in the environmental services department and is just as freaked out by blood and guts as you are......
Some jurisdictions have laws that prevent people from calling themselves "nurses" unless they are a licensed RN or LPN. The nursing profession is working very hard to remove the designation of "nurse" from such job titles as "nurse’s aid" or "nurse’s assistant" because these people are NOT nurses.
Wannabes maybe, but not nurses.
Unless graduated from a recognized nurse’s education program, these folks aren't nurses. They might think they are nurses, they might say they are nurses, but they aren’t nurses!!
And, by the way, nurses don't always know how to spell unless there is a spell check, which Tblog doesn't have!
posted by: Butch (reply)
post date: 09.15.05 (10:02 am)
1. A GBA Nurse (grab Butches Ass)
is one of my favorite nurses....
2. A SSOB Nurse, (slap shit outta butch) is not one of my favorite nurseys.
3. A "G11thACR TF"... Nurse (give 11th ACR The Finger) nurse, is one that shows great intelligence and some promise.
4. A HAHJ Nurse (Head and Hand JOB) is a nurse that shows even more intelligence and promise...
5. A NW Nurse (Nursey Worsey) is a nurse not to be toyed with....so....she isn't allowed to read this, cause havin' yo hemeroids rearranged aint an afternoon in tha park....
Butch
posted by: NurseNancy (reply)
post date: 09.15.05 (10:21 am)
for you butch, I am the HHHHH
( Five- H'er) nurse. That's nursespeak for enemas.
"High, Hot, a Hell of a lot, Held 'til it Hurts!!
Now take a deeeeeeep breath and bend over!!
posted by: CrazyBeautiful3 (reply)
post date: 09.15.05 (12:38 pm)
my aunt is a nurse, i think good people are nureses it takes someone who really carees a lot to be a nurse. there are those ones that you would love to hit, but most of them are really nice. and from reading your post i would say you are one of those caring nures
posted by: lynne (reply)
post date: 09.15.05 (3:07 pm)
While all those folks without the education arent nurses, I think it is still important to recognize that their jobs are important and they make a valuable contribution to health care.
I wonder if there are titles without the word "nurse" in them for such folks that can convey their importance? Probably not.
posted by: NurseNancy (reply)
post date: 09.16.05 (2:02 pm)
Reply to: lynne
I didn't mean for a minute that people doing a good job aren't to be valued. everyone in health care is a team member and each has an important role to play. I was commenting that someone else had blogged that they had a negative experience at the doctors office, and I doubted the at the desk was a nurse.No other profession has to put up with non members being called by their title. Can you imagine the outrage if PAs or paramedics started calling themselves 'doctors". It's a thing that I have.
posted by: lynne (reply)
post date: 09.17.05 (1:08 am)
Reply to: NurseNancy
Well, a Paramedic with a Phd could call themselves "Doctor" I suppose. I guess my thing is that people often get very hung up on titles. And often people (not that I mean you) do this because they dont value the people who dont have the title. I noticed this a lot with social workers actually which is kind of funny because "social worker" isnt exactly the kind of title I would think of as carrying a lot of prestige. (haw, I think I might need that google spell check kurtmaddox suggests too)
posted by: NurseNancy (reply)
post date: 09.17.05 (5:19 am)
Reply to: lynne
well a PhD would be a 'doctor', but I digress. No other profession gets non members called by that title more than nurses. the person who draws the blood is a medical laboratory tecnologist, MLT, the xray tech is a registered radiology technition, RT, yet a lot of people refer to them as "nurses" Wearing a uniform and working in a health related setting does not make someone a nurse. It's just a thing I have and I worked hard in my previous area to educate the public on the role of the registerd nurse. The college of nurses here, where I now live, has a very active campaign on tv and newspapers to educate the public.
posted by: NurseNancy (reply)
post date: 09.17.05 (5:21 am)
Reply to: kurtmaddox
Thanks I'll give it a try. Maybe I,too, will be able to check my spelling "seamlessly"
(* tongue in cheek*)
posted by: suzoates (reply)
post date: 09.17.05 (5:50 am)
Hail to all nurses :) My mom is a nurse now she teaches it. I wish I had the strength to be one :)
posted by: suzoates (reply)
post date: 09.17.05 (5:55 am)
Reply to: NurseNancy
And you should be very proud of what you have ;-)
posted by: NurseNancy (reply)
post date: 09.18.05 (7:19 am)
Reply to: suzoates
well, there is a great need for nurses in all areas of the health care continuum. There are also areas of health care that need many good people. Home support workers, Care Aides in Long Term Care etc. It's not too late!! I always said, if you've been a mom, you can be a nurse! or work in other health care areas!
posted by: butch (reply)
post date: 09.21.05 (4:14 am)
Reply to: NurseNancy
I could be a nurse.....specializin' in insertions.....
butch
posted by: NurseNancy (reply)
post date: 09.21.05 (10:58 pm)
Reply to: butch
inserting? as in foot in to mouth?