[TheCommuter]

Originally Posted by tothepointe

Thanks Commuter!

You are very welcome, tothepointe.

If anyone is thinking of posting noncontributory and insulting messages, please don't post at all. Everyone's cooperation is greatly appreciated.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch. . .

[unitek1963]

Originally Posted by TheCommuter

You are very welcome, tothepointe.

If anyone is thinking of posting noncontributory and insulting messages, please don't post at all. Everyone's cooperation is greatly appreciated.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch. . .

I apologize for anything that I might have said in the heat of the moment.

Regards,

Michael

[unitek1963]

By the way, what is an ASS degree?

Regards,

Michael

[Ogopogo]

I'm going to throw in my about this issue. I'm close to finishing LPN school (end of August). I was a medical office assistant for 12 years. This is a different position than an MA in the USA as my job was mainly administrative.

I did however have one job where I was a clinical assistant to a dermatology practice. I set up equip/instruments for biopsies, assisted during biopsies, processed all specimens to go to the lab, drew up cortisone injections (including diluting cortisone in saline before drawing it up), did patient teaching on the drug Accutane and the ABCD's of moles. I also removed simple sutures (I refused to touch post-MOH's surgery sutures on the face).

Should I have been doing patient teaching on Accutane and moles? Um NO!!!! I in fact felt so uncomfortable with that duty of the job, it's one of the reasons I left. Should I have been drawing up the cortisone injections? NOPE!!! I know all of this now, but did not realize at the time just how much I didn't know. Should I have been removing sutures? (and this was without the doctor in the room, or even seeing the wound first). Probably not. I didn't know a thing about assessing for REEDA. Although, if I was ever uncertain about whether the sutures should come out at that time, I always checked with the doctor first.


Anyways, my point is, if a job is advertising LPN/LVN/MA, I take that to mean that an LPN can do the same job as an MA, but if a job is advertised strictly for an LPN, an MA is NOT qualified to do that job.

As an LPN, could I go back and do that exact same job? Sure I could. But I wouldn't as I wouldn't be using even 5% of the clinical and assessment skills I now have. Could an MA walk into the acute care nursing job that I will be doing come August 22nd? No way.

Again, I have high respect for the MA's who know their limitations as well as strengths and do their job well. Same goes for CNA's and long term care aids. The health care system needs all members of a team to work together!!!

[tothepointe]

To put a positive spin on this post what position do MA's are MA's Forte since obvious the MA role was developed for a reason to create relief for the nursing workforce not to directly compete against it.

I love the MA's at my Dr's office they are so sweet ( expect for the one who always tells me my blood pressure is high when its not :/)

[pagandeva2000]

That is true, we should discuss what they contribute. I know that doctors need someone to schedule appointments, do vitals, phlebotomy, EKGs, teach how to prepare for certain diagnostic and lab tests, and even more.

MAs, tell us, what do you all do in the doctor's office in addition to the things mentioned above?

[LesMonsterNS]

What has occurred to me while reading this thread is that I think MAs, whether RMA, CMA or non-certified, need to have a more standardized, regulated scope of practice across the board. There can be differences from state to state, like LPNs, but for the most part I think there needs to be some set baseline no matter where they are. I believe it's in the interest of everyone on the healthcare team, especially the MAs.

[treezuh_lvn]

How can one even possibly compare the two? LPV's must pass a national licensure examination after months more of training than an MA receives. MA's are limited in the scope of practice and if one ever realizes how much more an RN can make going LPN to RN is the plan that most community colleges and universities offer.

Being an MA is good short term but in the long run... NO COMPARISON!

[softstorms]

Guidelines and state limitations....so much has changed over the years that each of us have had our scope of practice changed even as we chat. In the end, we all look for the same thing. A way to get the education we need to do what ever part of the job we want to do. From what I have read, this changes with all of us from time to time. We start one thing, then move on or up to something else. But what we really look for is a way to be proud of what we do, no matter how we do it. It is not so much about the intitials after your name as it is about why you are there. For that....I think we are all on the same side. You will always put more into it than you get back, no matter which title you carry, you will get paid less than you are worth, you will meet great friends, and life will go on. We are all in the same boat, we need to row together.

[socal99]

Just a few thoughts on my personal experience working with MA's....

I worked in an allergy office for seven years. I was the only nurse that whole time; the rest were MA's. The one that trained me had been there a couple of years and she knew the skills of her job to a T, but not necessarily the theory and physiology behind them. She would hang and run gammaglobulin infusions that I wouldn't touch with a 10-foot pole since I didn't have any IV certs. I'm happy to say she went on to nursing school. She certainly had the aptitude for it!

I was also amazed that MA's were giving allergy shots. As an LPN in my prior job, I wasn't allowed to give them; the RN in the clinic had to.

Every MA that entered the allergy practice was expected to give allergy shots. And if the allergist didn't have that much confidence in them, they were put in the front office.

He always advertised for MA's when he needed to hire; I'm sure it was a cost of labor issue. The only reason I got hired was because I happened to send him an unsolicited resume, had previous allergy experience and was interested in learning more.

I've never had a problem working alongside MA's. Our background training was different, but I never noticed a real difference in job performance. Some were better than others, just like in everything. In fact, they knew things that I'd never had training in, like venipuncture and administration.

I'm currently looking for another specialty office job and expect that if I get one, I'll again be the only nurse there! Most of the offices around here prefer MA's because that's what they're trained for. If I can't find an office job that sounds interesting, I'm also considering returning to my roots and doing LTC or home health. I don't expect to run into any MA's there, however.