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

[Arbella2]

The title nurse can be used by anyone in the UK. They can use this term 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.
Anyone can sign the petition as long as they are a British citizen or UK resident.
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/587939

You may like to read a short article by Professor Leary published in September 2021 explaining the present situation and risks.
https://richmondgroupofcharities.org.uk/news

Also the Royal College of Nursing press release June 2021 re the growing practice of employing those without registered nurse qualifications into registered nursing roles.
https://www.rcn.org.uk/news-and-events/press-releases/nursing-workforce-crisis-leads-to-risky-recruitment-practice

The petition presently has 29,100 signatures. At 100,000 it can be considered for debate in Parliament. This would add considerable weight and bring it to the fore.

Signed

Thank you for your support TheShadoutCrepes

Now at 29,124 signatures.
Could you help it to reach 30,000 ?
Patient safety at risk
https//petition.parliament.uk/petitions/587939

Signed

Thank you BoreOfWhabylon
Please share if possible.

Signed.

Thanks SaskiaRembrandt. Please share if you can.

Now at 29,166
Thanks everyone. Please keep spreading the word.

Nurse is a title we trust, but only the false use of 'registered nurse' is an offence. This is a risk for the public, especially as we cannot assume that everyone will know or even have the capacity to understand the difference. As the law stands, the risk is entirely on the public, with no risk to the individual claiming to be a nurse.

In healthcare settings there are a vast array of titles with the term Nurse in them. The title is being used for both Registered Nurses and for staff who have undergone different training. The public have a right to clarity about who is treating them.
See OP link richmond charity for Professor Leary's short article for more information.

There is a worrying growth of employing those without registered nurse qualification into registered nursing roles. For instance, Staff Nurse and District Nurse would usually mean a registered nurse, but for some employers, hard pressed to fill registered nursing posts, this is no longer the case.
For more information see OP link to RCN press release re risky recruitment practice.

Would be good to hear your views, whether or not you work in the Healthcare sector. Good to have opinions from both staff and the public.

I am an RVN - registered veterinary nurse. We are facing the same issues, that anyone can call themselves a veterinary nurse. We also have to deal with insulting levels of pay and grey areas of what is legal and what isn't. It undermines the hard work taken to achieve and maintain professional registration and means that employers can continue to dupe the public, charging professional fees and paying non professional wages.

I can't help but wonder if this has something to do with these roles being, at least historically, predominantly female

I'm sure it has, ThesecondLEM

Petition now has 29,264 signatures. Patient safety at risk.

Closing date for petition is 14th December 2021.
Please consider signing.

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/587939

Signed. I will share on my FB feed.

@Arbella2 Have you considered posting in AIBU or chat and pointing out the issue and directing them to the petitions section if they'd like to sign?

Thanks MissyB1

Thanks BoreOfWhabylon.
Grateful for your help. Very new to this. I'm one of the very few who have never been on social media before, but feel so strongly about this issue (I was a registered nurse but now retired ) The creators of the petition have publicised it extensively on Twitter and nursing sites. I feel it needs to reach more of the general public , hence Mumsnet. I have posted it on chat in general health but under the heading Waiting for the Nurse with all explanation etc. There has been quiet a lively debate but I still feel a lot of people are still unaware. Have also put it on Gransnet. Not a very high amount of posting on either but of course some may sign but not post. AIBU looks very lively but I wasn't sure if this subject was suitable,if people might feel it wasn't the right forum ,although I could certainly slant the narrative I think.
Also, is there a limit to how many areas, I'm allowed to post in? Very grateful for your advice.

I'm also a retired Registered Nurse. We aren't supposed to post links to petitions anywhere except this bit, but no harm reminding people that it's here. Also we're not supposed to spam the boards but MNHQ would make a judgement call I think.

I'm going to start a thread about it in AIBU

Thanks so much.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4372435-To-ask-if-you-knew-that-in-the-UK-anyone-can-call-themselves-a-nurse

I used your wording in the OP

Many thanks