[centavo]

Originally posted by pmshaver:
Boy-oh-boy! Have I been there. I was hired into a family practice office. The only nurse with a staff of 3 other MAs who were allowed to do EVERYTHING. I was hired for my education and nursing knowledge, but there was a lot of resistance to change. I was the clinical coordinator and as such had to help everyone understand that they were valuable members of the team, but with different skills and knowledge levels. Slowly, over 4 years the doctors began to truly understand the difference in knowledge and skill levels between MA, LPN and RN. All job descriptions were carefully crafted and continuing education through required in-services and skills training/testing was a must. It was a lot of work for a growing practice. By the time I left (I was rather burnt out on the administrative stuff), the office now boasted only 3 MAs, 1 lab tech, 1 x-ray tech, 5 LPNs and 1 RN. Stand up for your education and skills. Nurses are valuable members of the medical team and a constant liason between doctors their patients, other staff members and the world at large! Good Luck!

PS. Check your state rules/regulations for duties the MA, LPNs and RNs can perform. Also, check that as an RN, you will not be held responsible for the LPNs or MAs that work there.

[centavo]

Originally posted by pmshaver:
Boy-oh-boy! Have I been there. I was hired into a family practice office. The only nurse with a staff of 3 other MAs who were allowed to do EVERYTHING. I was hired for my education and nursing knowledge, but there was a lot of resistance to change. I was the clinical coordinator and as such had to help everyone understand that they were valuable members of the team, but with different skills and knowledge levels. Slowly, over 4 years the doctors began to truly understand the difference in knowledge and skill levels between MA, LPN and RN. All job descriptions were carefully crafted and continuing education through required in-services and skills training/testing was a must. It was a lot of work for a growing practice. By the time I left (I was rather burnt out on the administrative stuff), the office now boasted only 3 MAs, 1 lab tech, 1 x-ray tech, 5 LPNs and 1 RN. Stand up for your education and skills. Nurses are valuable members of the medical team and a constant liason between doctors their patients, other staff members and the world at large! Good Luck!

PS. Check your state rules/regulations for duties the MA, LPNs and RNs can perform. Also, check that as an RN, you will not be held responsible for the LPNs or MAs that work there.

[centavo]

Iwork in a pediatrics clinic, this is a high risk area. We have a cma who knows no boundaries. I have discussed the liability with her and the doctors. Does anyone have a job description and performance skills check list for a cma working in a peds clinic?

[JeanthePHN]

Now these posts are old but here is my 2 cents....I foolishly went in nursing in 1980 because, at 20 years old, I did not have much career choices. Girls who grew up in the 60's and 70's did not become rocket scientists. The hospital school of nursing closed in 1976. The local voke-tech LPN school was closing--it never did though. All girls who wanted to be nurses had to go to the 4 yr college. There was no 2 year community college nursing degree at the community college then. I did not want to work as a hospital nurse. Even naive as I was, I knew that hospital work was a pink collar ghetto and I always hoped to work in an office. Today, 20 years later, this RN with a BSN is applying for jobs as a medical assistant because RN's are not being hired in doctor's offices/clinics here in Massachusetts. Nursing school did not support ambulatory out-patient nursing. Now a days, some nurising schools are putting community health students in schools for a taste of school nursing, but have you ever seen a college put a nursing student in a doctors office or clinic? As a public health nurse I did have students because I pushed for it at work, but generally across America nursing school ignores that field. So, why would someone spend 12 months in a medical assistant school instead of going toRN or LPN school? Medical assistant are replacing LPN/RN because they are cheaper but they are the only trained health care worker that specializes in out-patient/ambulatory care.The salaries, at least here in Mass are not that much different if you compared a office nurse to an office MA. I wish I could of had the chance to go to MA school. I would of been happier because I would have had a career that did not cost 4 years, a 15 plus year school loan to repay, and more job opportunities.

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[les67]

I must say, if you haven't had the pleasure of taking and passing a grueling and nerve-frazzling board exam then, my-coworkers, you are not a nurse.

[woundnurse]

Although this is a late reply I just wanted to clarify. Although I went to community 2 year school I had to go two years first to get my 1st AS degree in general studies then another two years for my AS in nursing. So in reality it took 4 years. I think this is how most of the programs work. ( Went additional 3 years after to get my BSN so its taken me 7 years for a BSN degree full time OUCH but no complaints)

[chili2641]

If a medical assistant has the same amount of education as a nurse then what is the problem?

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Nursing assistant

[ShannonB25]

Since when does a medical assistant have the same amount of education as a nurse?? Someone please enlighten me.
Shannon



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"The highest reward for man's toil is not what he gets for it, but what he becomes by it."-Johan Ruskin

[darla80]

Originally posted by ShannonB25:
Since when does a medical assistant have the same amount of education as a nurse?? Someone please enlighten me.
Shannon

[darla80]

Originally posted by darla80:

YOU are so right... MAS are just that, medical assistants. They are to assist, they do not and should not practice as a nurse!!!!

Although they do have a place in the office they DO NOT have the clinical training, assesment skills, disease base knowledge, patient education skills etc.

I have wokred with MAS in other offices and had good experiences and bad. I had an MA pose as the "NURSE" and give out an order to a nursing home that coud have caused problems for the patient. But the nursing home thought they were recieving an order through "the nurse". I am concerned that this happens alot.

Lets face it MAS cost less to hire and can function well doing basic skills..BP, ECG venipuncture etc. The problem is the MA who thinks she is a nurse and crosses that line repeatedly.

We have just hired an MA in my office so I will once again face these issues. I am interested in others expereience adn if setting rules right from the start will be helpful???

Interested in your input!!

Thanks!!!
Have a great day and share a hug wiht one of your special patients!!!!