[SMK1]

Originally Posted by NatashaFromOregon

This is really something that may depend on the state. Here in Oregon, there are not very many LPN programs, and subsequently, not very many opennings for LPNs. Many times CMAs are offered many positions that LPNs would have had in the past. CMAs here work in clinics, offices, hospitals, and resident homes. They administer drugs (including IV narcotics ordered by a physician), draw blood, give injections, take vitals, and perform general patient care. They also perform administrative duties around the office. In nearly all institution in Oregon, employers require medical assistants to be certified (given the credential CMA by the AAMA), and they ARE insured by the physician they work under. Their wages are also quite competitive: LPNs make about $20-$24/hour and CMAs make about $17-$20/hour.

I'm not saying one career is better that the other, but I've noticed some negative feelings here about CMAs. LPNs and CMAs have different roles, but many of their tasks and abilities (at least here in OR) overlap. To the original poster, if a job description is specifying an LPN, then you are probably wasting your time, but you could always contact the employer and ask whether your skills would be appropriate. It couldn't hurt.

CMA's in Oregon are not utilized in a nursing role in the hospital system. They may be doing more things in private offices, but in a hospital they are used as techs, phlebotomists, unit secretary positions, patient registration staff or nursing assistants. They are not giving medications or performing assessments, plans of care or patient teaching. A licensed nurse is needed for that. In a nursing home setting they are working under the supervision of a nurse if they are utilized in the med tech role. This is not meant to be insulting. A medical assistant at their highest level,( certified with an associates degree), is still a very different animal than an LPN. There are many people on this board who were CMA's and went on to become LPN's and they have expressed their surprise at how wide the educational gap really is. I took the pharm/med course for medical assistants prior to starting my RN program because I thought it might be helpful. I exhausted every bit of my MA class knowledge within the first week of nursing school. No joke. Again, not trying to be rude or disdainful, but there is a very real difference in the educational preparation between LPN vs CMA. Doesn't mean one is better than the other, just different.

[txspadequeen921]

Ok well if the CMA’s are working in the hospital then who are they working under. No RN in their right mind would allow a MA to work in a hospital setting doing nursing work and accept responsibility for them. If they have a hospitalist then they change doctors every day or so and is way to busy to give the supervision that this situation requires … Will someone please explain this to me.

[txspadequeen921]

Found this interesting . It came off the Alaska board of nursing site....

http://www.dced.state.ak.us/occ/pub/...delegation.pdf

[pagandeva2000]

I don't think that anyone posted negative feelings about CMAs. I consistently saw the prevailing statements that they are not licensed under the BON and not regulated.

[pagandeva2000]

Originally Posted by SMK1

CMA's in Oregon are not utilized in a nursing role in the hospital system. They may be doing more things in private offices, but in a hospital they are used as techs, phlebotomists, unit secretary positions, patient registration staff or nursing assistants. They are not giving medications or performing assessments, plans of care or patient teaching. A licensed nurse is needed for that. In a nursing home setting they are working under the supervision of a nurse if they are utilized in the med tech role. This is not meant to be insulting. A medical assistant at their highest level,( certified with an associates degree), is still a very different animal than an LPN. There are many people on this board who were CMA's and went on to become LPN's and they have expressed their surprise at how wide the educational gap really is. I took the pharm/med course for medical assistants prior to starting my RN program because I thought it might be helpful. I exhausted every bit of my MA class knowledge within the first week of nursing school. No joke. Again, not trying to be rude or disdainful, but there is a very real difference in the educational preparation between LPN vs CMA. Doesn't mean one is better than the other, just different.

I can attest to that. With the CNA, Phlebotomy and Medical Assisting courses I took, and the experience I had-taking the LPN course was just as you said...a different animal altogether. I am also betting to say that it is the same for the LPN and RN programs. I remember exhausting all that I knew within the hour of each lecture. I remember seeing the syllabus and saying "Oh, vital signs-I know that"...only to start hearing about regular, irregular (still sounded familiar), then, the regular-irregular, then auscultation of the lungs, widening pulse pressure, PERLA, etc...and realized that I really didn't know as much as I thought. "Oh, I KNOW skin intergrity"...yeah, sure. I am not saying that a person is not capable to perform the task, and do it very well. But, I can't say that I could have taken an MA course and then challenged NCLEX-PN...no way. Maybe someone else could, but I can attest that I could not.

[NatashaFromOregon]

Originally Posted by SMK1

CMA's in Oregon are not utilized in a nursing role in the hospital system. They may be doing more things in private offices, but in a hospital they are used as techs, phlebotomists, unit secretary positions, patient registration staff or nursing assistants. They are not giving medications or performing assessments, plans of care or patient teaching. A licensed nurse is needed for that. In a nursing home setting they are working under the supervision of a nurse if they are utilized in the med tech role. This is not meant to be insulting. A medical assistant at their highest level,( certified with an associates degree), is still a very different animal than an LPN. There are many people on this board who were CMA's and went on to become LPN's and they have expressed their surprise at how wide the educational gap really is. I took the pharm/med course for medical assistants prior to starting my RN program because I thought it might be helpful. I exhausted every bit of my MA class knowledge within the first week of nursing school. No joke. Again, not trying to be rude or disdainful, but there is a very real difference in the educational preparation between LPN vs CMA. Doesn't mean one is better than the other, just different.

I never said that CMAs "give assessments, plans of care, or patient teaching." That is a nurse's role. I clearly stated that that the role of a nurse (specifically LPN) and CMA are different. But it seemed that the general feeling here was that CMAs (which DO have a national certification body (the AAMA), to address someone else's comment) are basically unqualified and/or uneducated. That is just not the case. Are CMAs nurses? Absolutely not. But they professionals in the healthcare field, and ought to be treated as so. Like I said, it really depends on the state and the school you attend. The MA program at my school is 4 terms of full-time study, with clinicals during 3 of the terms. MAs are trained to do quite a lot.

[nursingis4me]

DANG EVERYBODY---CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG?!?!?

[shelly304]

Most classified ads in my metro city read, "LPN or CMA". It is the doctor's offices that place these ads! I do believe this thread has exhausted itself. A lot of great opinions/facts/views! My great pet peeve is the nurse practitioners I work with. All four refer to themselves as DOCTORS but I guess that is fodder for another thread!

[kythe]

Originally Posted by shelly304

Most classified ads in my metro city read, "LPN or CMA". It is the doctor's offices that place these ads!

True, but this is also about money. An LPN who works in a doctor's office will be paid as an MA, which in my area is about half as much. Doctor's offices usually just staff MA's. What they are saying by advertising "LPN or MA" isn't that they see them as equivalent, but that they want someone who is more educated yet willing to work for less pay. MA's are really the standard for doctor's offices and clinics.

[txspadequeen921]

I agree.. lets part our ways in agreement that thsi issue will never be settled . feel free to shut it down...

Originally Posted by nursingis4me

DANG EVERYBODY---CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG?!?!?