To ask if you knew that in the UK anyone can call themselves a nurse?

[BoreOfWhabylon]

Anyone can use the title to offer professional advice and services even if they have no professional qualification, experience or have been struck off a professional register.
To protect the public, the title should be restricted to those who are registered with professional regulators such as Registered Nurses and Dental Nurses. This would be the same as titles such as paramedic, physiotherapist and hearing aid dispenser which are limited to those on the professional registers.

If you think, as I do, that this is wrong, please pop over to the Petitions Board, where @Arbella2 has a thread with more information and links to the petition.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/petitions_noticeboard/a4368136-protect-the-title-nurse-in-uk-law-petition-the-title-nurse-can-be-used-by-anyone-in-the-uk-petition-created-by-professor-alison-leary-rn?msgid=111544580#111544580

I did not know that, I thought it was regulated.

It should be Frida! I knew because I'm a nurse.

Thanks BoreOfWhabylon

I assume that's because it is used even outside medical settings such as nursery nurse.

Bump!

However to be a Registered Nurse (General, Childrens, Learning Disability or Mental Health) you DO have to be on the Nursing register , have CPD revalidated every 3 years (and pay to remain registered) so their are safeguards... I guess it's up to employers to check that their nurses are actual nurses!

There is more than one kind of nurse though:
Vetinary nurse
Nursery nurse

Veterinary Nurses have to be registered and keep CPD up to date too.

Worth reading. Royal College of Nursing press release

https://www.rcn.org.uk/news-and-events/press-releases/nursing-workforce-crisis-leads-to-risky-recruitment-practice

There are different types of nurses, not just medical ones.

Vet nurse, nursery nurse, dental nurse, auxiliary nurse.

I thought 'registered nurse' was a protected title, but 'nurse' is not.

It is a protected title. If you are ok the nmc register you are q registered nurse. If you aren't you are another type of nurse. Possibly still registered with a governing body. There is no drama.

If you are on not OK sorry (typo)

@BoreOfWhabylon

It should be Frida! I knew because I'm a nurse.

What type of "nurse" though 👀😉

Had no idea - this is weird - I wonder how many there are out there giving "advice" - I can't imagine that many.

Good thread though OP - I'll take a look at the petition and spread it about SM.

Yes. There was a news report on BBC a while ago - they were interviewing a representative from the RCN who are concerned that recruitment for registered nursing posts are formally being opened up to non-registered nurses and also to healthcare staff with different backgrounds such as physiotherapists and occupational therapists. It’s not down to employers not checking that the applicants are registered - they are openly and knowingly recruiting non registered nurses into these posts. I seem to remember that these practices were implicated in inadequately trained and qualified nurses working in maternity units, with consequences for patient care.

This is a very quick read by petition creator Professor Alison Leary explaining the situation.

https;//richmondgroupofcharities.org.uk/news

My local MP claimed to be a nurse as part of his election campaign and he wasn't, it was just a way to suck people in to the "I care about the NHS because I'm a hardworking nurse" sob story (he has then voted against measures to protect the NHS).

Sorry that last link may not be working. I'll try again. Otherwise you can find it on petitions thread.

https://richmondgroupofcharites.org.uk/news

Anyone can call themselves a doctor, too.

As long as it's not intended to defraud, you can use most titles in the UK including Doctor and Lord. I regret to tell you that Doctor Fox did not have a PhD in top 40 hits.

@BrendaBubbles

As long as it's not intended to defraud, you can use most titles in the UK including Doctor and Lord. I regret to tell you that Doctor Fox did not have a PhD in top 40 hits.

I know. It's great. Sometimes I call myself Dr Bridges. As long as I don't use it for fraudulent purposes or practise medicine, it's perfectly legal. Is that very bad? 🤔

@Rosscameasdoody

Yes. There was a news report on BBC a while ago - they were interviewing a representative from the RCN who are concerned that recruitment for registered nursing posts are formally being opened up to non-registered nurses and also to healthcare staff with different backgrounds such as physiotherapists and occupational therapists. It’s not down to employers not checking that the applicants are registered - they are openly and knowingly recruiting non registered nurses into these posts. I seem to remember that these practices were implicated in inadequately trained and qualified nurses working in maternity units, with consequences for patient care.

Physiotherapists and occupational therapist are protected terms under the HCPC.

29,290 signatures presently.
Closing date 14/12/21
Target 100,000

@XenoBitch

I thought 'registered nurse' was a protected title, but 'nurse' is not.

You are correct!

How would protecting the name actually change recruitment practices, though?

And if they are so terribly understaffed, is another willing pair of hands such a bad thing? People used to learn nursing on the job. My posh grandmother was suddenly a nurse in WWI, etc etc.