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| No. 60 | 
Feb 18, 2006, 03:48 PM
 Re: MA's being used as "nurses" Originally Posted by Christine996 Why shouldn't we be hired for nursing positions we have put our time and money into going to school to become a medical assistant.
Because they are NOT the same thing. I have received my degree in Medical Assisting just the same as all you other nurses have received a degree.
That doesn't mean that an MA with an MA degree is qualified for a nursing position.
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Feb 18, 2006, 11:21 PM
Re: MA's being used as "nurses"
Honestly I have great respect for Medical assistants and CNA's, but they are very different. You absolutely can't have Medical assistants doing RN work. It would be like saying a doctor could be a veternarian. Both jobs have training, but they are trained on different things. In my office I trust the medical assistant more than myself to set up procedures and many other things.When I first started on the floor as a new nurse I trusted some of the technicians manual blood pressures more than my own. I don't think anyone is disrespected medical assistants...nurses are well aware of the training. I do know however I had a medical assistant that had been doing it for several years in my nursing class. She graduated with me, but struggled greatly all the way through....it just shows we are trained for different reasons.
| | No. 62 |
Feb 21, 2006, 09:23 AM
Re: MA's being used as "nurses"
Many of our residents constantly refer to the CNAs and Qs as nurses. When corrected they turn around and say the same thing. They don't care. They just want somebody to take care of them. There was a time when you could spot a nurse from a mile away.
Originally Posted by lgnurse20 I honestly don't mind MA's being called nurses. A lot of patients don't know what a medical assistant is just like they don't understand what a CNA is in the hospital. What gets me is when MA's are practicing outside of their scope. | | No. 63 |
Feb 21, 2006, 02:52 PM
Re: MA's being used as "nurses"
I have mixed feelings about this thread, because I originally started in the MA program (2 year program). After doing my phlebotomy rotation I decided I wanted to do nursing though. The reason I went with MA first was because I didn't think I could get in to the nursing program because I had trashed my GPA when I first went to college 10 years ago. The MA program didn't have any prereqs to it, or any qualifications for entering the program. Honestly, the classes I took for it were pretty laughable. There was a 65 year old women in the class who couldn't use a computer, even after we spent several hours with her - couldn't even turn it on (no joke!) In my classes though, we were told that under no circumstances were we to pass ourselves off as a nurse - we were told it was actually illegal.
I think there are a lot of jobs in physicians offices that are great for MA's, which is bad for me because that's where I want to end up as an LPN. But MA's are not allowed in hospitals because they do not have the same training. Our MA program didn't teach IV's and catheters, so I am surprised to hear about the MA's that do that kind of stuff.
As for me, I've worked hard to get my GPA back up and take all the necessary classes and will be starting my LPN in May and then eventually do BSN. Like others said, I didn't want to go to school for a 2 year program that would only end up making me $8-9/hour. But for some people, it's a better option. There were some students in my class who would never be able to make it through even the required science classes for nursing.
| | No. 64 |
Feb 25, 2006, 08:22 AM
Re: MA's being used as "nurses"
I'm in a community college program to get my A.S. in Medical Assisting. I already have a bachelor's in another field. This degree is to get my foot in the medical door, so to speak. Why would I go to Medical Assisting school instead of LPN school, when its about the same time frame? Easy answer for me.... I want to work only in doctor's offices.. no hospitals, no long night shifts, no nursing homes..... and I realize I will get paid MUCH less for that fact, but I'm okay with that.
Being a medical assistant is just one step for me towards becoming a PA (physician assistant)... I want to skip the whole nursing area and just go straight to PA. I have a few more additional classes to take and about 3000-4000 hours of medical experience to get in before I can apply to PA school. Being a back office MA qualifies as that experience.
So, for me, THOSE are the reasons I chose to become an MA instead of a nurse. In the meantime, I'm taking medical terminology, A&P, etc... right along with some future EMTs, paramedics, other MAs, nurses, etc.
| | No. 65 |
Feb 25, 2006, 10:18 AM
Re: MA's being used as "nurses"
Sounds like a good plan to me. It's always nice to have a choice.  Originally Posted by fyrelight74 I'm in a community college program to get my A.S. in Medical Assisting. I already have a bachelor's in another field. This degree is to get my foot in the medical door, so to speak. Why would I go to Medical Assisting school instead of LPN school, when its about the same time frame? Easy answer for me.... I want to work only in doctor's offices.. no hospitals, no long night shifts, no nursing homes..... and I realize I will get paid MUCH less for that fact, but I'm okay with that.
Being a medical assistant is just one step for me towards becoming a PA (physician assistant)... I want to skip the whole nursing area and just go straight to PA. I have a few more additional classes to take and about 3000-4000 hours of medical experience to get in before I can apply to PA school. Being a back office MA qualifies as that experience.
So, for me, THOSE are the reasons I chose to become an MA instead of a nurse. In the meantime, I'm taking medical terminology, A&P, etc... right along with some future EMTs, paramedics, other MAs, nurses, etc. | | No. 66 |
Feb 27, 2006, 03:30 PM
Re: MA's being used as "nurses"
Thats so funny! I too, like the idea of just working in a Dr. office, and also want to end up as a PA. The more I read I don't think I really want to work in LTC. Although I had thoughts of becoming an LPN. Nope I'm almost done with my MA and I love it. So I think I'll leave the nurse stuff to the nurses and try to learn as much as I can!
| | No. 67 |
Feb 27, 2006, 07:37 PM
Re: MA's being used as "nurses" Originally Posted by redridnghud M.A.'s are not Nurses...an M.A. is the "doctors" creation in answer to the professionalism that R.N.'s have achieved. The M.A. should be correctly termed...C.D.F.-Certified Doctor Flunky..... 
Wow, I don't really agree with your choice of words... referring M.A.'s as "Certified Doctor FLUNKY" that's really wrong, considering I am a M.A. myself and proud of it. I became a M.A. to actually start working and getting more experience and knowledge in the medical field while at the same time going to school to become a Registered Nurse (which I will be applying to this fall). My dream is to become a Registered Nurse, I look up to them, and I'm sure many others do too. But why would we have to put other medical professions down. We all work in the same medical enviornment so we all should get along. And I would just have to say, I think M.A.'s and CNA's are big helps to Nurses and Doctors. I know many Doctor's who are very appreciative of them, so why can't Nurses be. I'm not saying that all nurses are putting M.A.'s and/or CNA'S down, but most of the posts I have read on this thread sounds like it. I just also wanted to point out... Administrative M.A.'s are great at doing their job, of course they do not have the same educational background as a Nurse, but wouldn't you rather have a M.A. in the front desk who knows some medical background working in a clinic, rather than a regular Receptionist for example, who hasn't had any medical knowledge whats-so-ever.
My point is: We are all in the medical field for the same reason.. and that's caring for our patients, whether we are nurses, m.a.'s, or cna's, etc.
| | No. 68 |
Mar 09, 2006, 06:41 AM
Re: MA's being used as "nurses"
"But MA's are not allowed in hospitals because they do not have the same training."
I'm in Pennsylvania. At least here, the reason MA's don't work in hospitals is due to the fact that they have to be under the direct supervision of a doc (as unlicensed personnel), not so much that they're not trained enough to work in a hospital. MA's are hired in many hospitals for "tech" positions such as phlebotomist, EKG tech even ER techs to name a few. They're just not hired under the MA title for the reason stated above.
I work in a very busy family practice. The MA's don't do any "back office" work (draw blood, injections, etc.) unless the doc is on-site.
Lorraine
CMA, CNA
| | No. 69 |
Mar 09, 2006, 07:18 AM
Re: MA's being used as "nurses" Originally Posted by jamistlc Gretings all,
I am a LPN and have worked as the Clinical Nurse Supervisor at a Family Practice Physician's office, very high volume 100 pt's a day, one Doc! The MA's are not ID'ed as a such and assumed to be a Nurse by clients.
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Just the volume this doc went through would make me question his ethics and the treatment his patients were getting. You are well out of there.
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