Wanna Be "RN"

1 There's a LPN at my job that wears her name badge backwards at all times and even tells her patients she's an RN? She's been an LPN for over 25 years and Im not sure why she does this? We all laugh at her because she lies about going back to school for her BSN, when every semester she claims to be taking classes but always has an excuse of why she never completes the courses. Im an LPN going back to school and i just cant believe she acts this way? Has anybody ever meet nurses like this O and supervisors and managers know her badge is always backwards lol!
I read lots of posts about LPNs giving themselves an upgrade. If she did that in front of a patient I would just tell the patient, in front of her, that's she's not an RN but an LPN.

Crazy, she should simply be proud of what she has. Is it legal to state and pretend that you a certain professional when you aren't? That would be my main question and concern, if she is stating she is an RN, then is she preforming RN duties without the qualifications?

No, it's not legal to use a credential you didn't earn. And it's unprofessional. Being the person that I am, I'd have to confront her, although not in front of a patient. I would state that her behavior had been noted numerous times, by many staff, and that if she wants to be RN, she should suck it up and go back to school. Otherwise, turn her badge around and tell the truth. Maybe if she has to face it often enough, she'll put up or shut up.

it is illegal to call yourself an rn when you are not. when i was an lpn, patient would assume i was an rn but i always corrected them saying i was an lpn. then i get that oh..... look.

I really dont think most patients really know the difference, they think a nurse is a nurse or that even a nurses aide is a nurse. The question is why she felt she had to lie. Really makes on think about her intergrity as a person. Does she lie about other things on the job as well? I sure hope that the LVN gets to someday achieve her dream of becoming a registered nurse. It isn't always easy for people to finish up what they hoped to start.

Those outside the health care field may not even understand the difference between LPN and RN. Still, in most states I've worked there are various laws dealing with misrepresenting ones credentials. Seems like she should realize that an anonymous call or two to the board of nursing could cost her her license. Wonder what she'll tell people then?

I'm not sure about it being illegal to call herself an RN, but it would definitely be illegal if she faked her resume in order to apply for a job as an RN. And of course, if she tried to perform any tasks within an RN's scope of practice.She sounds like a complete oddball, though. Maybe the backward badge is a clue....Perhaps she escaped to our world through a looking-glass....

You can count on it being wrong to call herself a RN. In some states it's dealt with through the nurse practice act, others a seperate law that you can't misrepresent yourself, and one state, I forget which one, they made it clear that patients were allowed to file suit, I believe they called it a civil action (although I doubt there'd be anything civil about it).

Quote from dthfytrYou can count on it being wrong to call herself a RN. In some states it's dealt with through the nurse practice act, others a seperate law that you can't misrepresent yourself, and one state, I forget which one, they made it clear that patients were allowed to file suit, I believe they called it a civil action (although I doubt there'd be anything civil about it).

Hello. Thanks for sharing your situation. The closest experience to your situation I have had was working with a long term L.P.N. who frequently said things such as "I can do the same things as R.N.'s and employers should treat us the same way....". At first, her comments really grated on my nerves because I had sacrificed big time to work hard to earn my college nursing degree. Then, as another writer mentioned, I slowly realized that her dream may have been to become an R.N.---so I kindly gave her written info from the local university about admission requirements and curriculums for associate degree and bachelor degree in nursing. After that, she never went back to school, however she toned down her comments about R.N.'s . Best wishes!

I think we have the same co-worker.. lol. My co-worker has been "in school" since I have worked with her for the last 6+ years. Now she has some imaginary school that she is attending for her BSN. Seriously, she will not tell you the name of her school...

From the state of New Jersey (in part), found on this page: New Jersey Statutes- NJ Board of Nursing Board of NursingIt shall be unlawful for any person (including any corporation, partnership, association or individual): a. After September 1, 1956, to practice or offer to practice professional nursing as defined by this act, unless such person holds an effective, unsuspended license as a registered nurse under this act; or b. After September 1, 1959, to practice or offer to practice practical nursing or to represent that such person is a practical nurse unless such person holds an effective, unsuspended license as a practical nurse under this act; or c. To represent in any way that such person is a registered nurse or to use after his or her name the abbreviation "R.N." unless such person holds an effective, unsuspended license as a professional nurse under this act; or d. To represent in any way that such person is licensed as a practical nurse or to use the title "Licensed Practical Nurse" or to use after his or her name the abbreviation "L.P.N." unless such person holds an effective, unsuspended license as a practical nurse under this act; or e. To conduct or to represent in any way that such person conducts a school for professional nursing, unless such person holds an affective, unsuspended certificate of accreditation under this act; or f. After January 1, 1950, to conduct or to represent in any way that such person conducts a school for practical nursing unless such person holds the subsisting, unsuspended approval of the board; or g. To obtain or attempt to obtain by fraud a license or renewal thereof or a certificate of accreditation or a renewal thereof under this act; or h. To represent in any way that such person is authorized to issue a license for the practice of professional nursing or practical nursing or a certificate of accreditation for a school of professional nursing; or i. To transfer, offer to transfer, or permit the use by another of any license issued under this act; or j. Without the approval of the board, to transfer, offer to transfer, or permit the use by another of a certificate of accreditation issued under this act; or k. Otherwise to violate any provision of this act; or l. To aid or abet any person to violate any provision of this act. Every person violating any of the foregoing provisions of this section shall be subject to a penalty of $200.00 for each violation, and if after conviction as hereinafter provided such person shall again violate any provision of this act, such person shall be subject to a penalty of $500.00 for each subsequent offense. A voluntary payment of a penalty for a violation of any provision of this act shall be deemed to be a conviction rendering such person liable for the greater penalty for subsequent violations, and the continuation of an offense after conviction shall be deemed to be a subsequent offense.