what the heck are medical assistant schools doing !

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I'm an RN, in the ER. I know of 4 people who, in my opinion have been rooked into MA (medical assistant ) schools. Each on of these people have been told that , MA , can do everything an RN can do. Not sure about you but I don't think the Cardiac Thorasic Dr's want an MA to care for a crashing patient at 2:00 am. My best freind completed an ma course, her med list MOM, TD, Botox(go figure why this is even on a med list for an ma)etc. As compaired to an RN list of inatrops, ca blockers etc..

Any one have any ideas of how to stop the practice of ma schools comparing ma 's to Rn's? :nono:

Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

>>>In my state, the BON states specifically that medication administration can only be performed by a licensed nurse, and not delegated to UAPs...how in the world do they get around that in doctor's offices?

They do, because they are practicing under the license of the physician, not their own; from what I understand.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Well If you spent 12000 bucks to become an ma you are stupid there are rop programs you can attend for about 100 bucks and you get certified,I currently work at an urgent care and there is a big difference between nurses and ma's, ma's do not give narc/s or start IV'S they room patients, do ekg's, and other mild jobs nurses dont have time to. I was an ma and found my job pretty easy and i learned a hell of alot doing it...In fact I think some of the older rn's re jealous that us young bucks are learning things a whole lot quicker and catching on a whole lot faster then any of them ever did, dont be upset that an ma could fill your shoes faster and better after only a year of schooling

What is missing is the nursing process and the rationale of WHY things are done the way they are done. I tend to disagree that an RN would be jealous, simply because whether she knows certain facts or not, she is certainly getting paid the salary, regardless. And, there is a big difference between what the MA learns in a year verses what nursing school will teach in the same amount of time or more.

I also agree that one should not call another person stupid. They saw what they perceived to be an opportunity and the bottom line is that most of them probably got into the field to make a respectable living and to help people. Nothing stupid about that. The only issue that nurses are saying is that they should not misrepresent themselves as nurses.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
Both hospitals and their clinics have been laying off some of the LPNs and RNs and replacing with MAs stating they are cheaper and do the same work as a nurse. They call them Nurses.

Sounds like i could get away with calling myself a nurse there if i were a janitor as well.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Wow I didn't realize MAs could give shots? I thought only nurses could administer meds? :uhoh21:[/quote']

When I attended MA school, they taught us how to do IMs and sub-q. We were told that we were working under the license of that physician, and if he felt comfortable with us performing that skill, then, we were allowed to. I do know that when my son was an infant, he received his DTP injection from a Medical Assistant. I did it a few times, so, believe me, it can and has been done. Now, as an LPN, I wonder, but, since she may not be held liable, I guess that the doctor has the brunt of whatever mistake she makes, so, maybe in that aspect, they are luckier than we are...??

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

This is a description of the role of the Medical Assistant as Described by Wilkepedia, the Free Encyclopedia:

A Medical Assistant (MA) is an unlicensed multi-skilled allied healthcare practitioner who is competent in both a wide variety of clinical and laboratory procedures, as well as many administrative roles. "Medical assistants have been described as healthcare's most versatile, multifaceted professionals." [1]

Contents [hide]

1 Overview

2 Education

2.1 Administrative Courses

2.2 General Courses

2.3 Clinical Courses

3 Certification

4 Registration

5 Scope of Practice

6 Career Opportunities

7 References

8 External links

[edit]

Overview

In the United Kingdom a Medical Assistant is a member of the Royal Navy Medical Branch. Prior to the 1970s they were known as Sick Berth Attendants. The United States Navy equivalent is the Hospital Corpsman.

Another group known as Medical Assistants evolved in the United States in the early 1950s. These were a group of trained-on-the-job medical assistants gathered together to form a professional organization. Encouragement and support by the American Medical Association (AMA) lead to the creation of the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), which was founded in 1956. The first president of this newly-formed organization was Maxine Williams.

In 1978 medical assisting as a profession was formally recognized by the United States Department of Education. And later, in 1991 the American Association of Medical Assistants approved the current definition of medical assisting:

"Medical Assisting is an allied health profession whose practitioners function as unlicensed members of the health care delivery team and perform administrative and clinical procedures." [2]

[edit]

Education

Formal education of medical assistants usually occurs in vocational or technical institutes, community colleges, proprietary schools, online educational programs or junior colleges. The curriculum presented should be accredited if its graduates plan to become either certified or registered (see Certified Medical Assistant, Registered Medical Assistant) In 2002, there were 495 medical assisting programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and about 170 accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education School (ABHES). Accreditation by either CAAHEP, ABHES ot other acdrediation associations usually requires that the schools curriculum provide sufficient classroom, lecture, and laboratory time (if applicable) to each of the courses below.

[edit]

Administrative Courses

Computer Applications

Manual Recording of Patients’ Data

Scheduling Appointments

Maintaining medical Records

Word Processing/Typewriting/Keyboarding

Coding/Insurance

Telephone Triage

Personnel Management

[edit]

General Courses

Anatomy and Physiology

Behavioral Psychology

Pathophysiology

Medical Terminology

AIDS/HIV

Patient Education

Medical Law and Ethics

[edit]

Clinical Courses

Phlebotomy

l Medical Asepsis/Infection Control

Pharmacology/Administration of Medications

Assisting Techniques/Physical Examination

Assisting with Minor Surgery

Basic Laboratory Procedures/Routine Blood and Urine Testing

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

X-Ray Theory and Positioning

Electrocardiogram (EKG)

[edit]

Certification

Certification is a voluntary process which is strongly backed by the AAMA and a number of other well respected certification bodies in the USA as a way to guarantee competency of a medical assistant at a job-entry level. Certification is usually achieved by taking a test issued by the National Board of Medical Examiners and AAMA, or AMT, or NHA or NAHP and is offered twice yearly, simultaneously, at over 200 different test sites across the United States.

Successful completion of the rather intense exam earns the taker the proper credentials to become a Certified Medical Assistant, or CMA. National certification is legally required in order for any medical assistant to adhere to CMA status. The title CMA then follows postnominally.

Recertification must occur every 5 years in order for one to maintain their credentials. There are two ways to do this; one may either continually earn continuing education hours by attending CMA meetings, conventions and seminars, or by completely retaking the initial exam to prove they still possess a certain level of knowledge.

[edit]

Registration

A medical assistant may choose another possible credential over CMA, and become a Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) instead. Again, credentialing is completely voluntary. The American Technologists (AMT) agency is responsible for certifying MAs who choose this course.

AMT first began offering this certification in 1972 on the months of June and November, through a computerized exam, much like the one offered by the AAMA. AMT therefore has its own conventions and committees, bylaws, state chapters, officers, registrations and revalidation examinations.

To become eligible to hold the title of RMA a student must be at least 18-years-old and either pass a medical assisting curriculum at a school accredited by either ABHES or CAAHEP, or possess a minimum of 5 years experience. The initials RMA then follow the individual’s name.

RMAs have historically been very active in legislation, seeking protection for medical assistants, as well as continuously encouraging improved educational curriculums.

[edit]

Scope of Practice

Medical Assisting is not a licensed profession (as of 2005), although this may change soon. This means that MAs must be under the supervision of a physician to practice, although in some occasions other licensed healthcare professionals such as Nurses and Physician Assistants (PA) are granted the right to supervise.

In several states unlicensed healthcare providers, including medical assistants, are required to have an authorization by the state in which they reside to perform needle injections; such as allergy testing, purified protein derivative (PPD) or Mantoux skin tests, and venipuncture. In other states MAs need permission from the state to expose patients to X-rays.

The AAMA has created a Role Delineation Chartwhich identifies all clinical, administrative, and general procedures MAs are trained for.

[edit]

Career Opportunities

Career opportunities for medical assistants are extremely prevalent as the profession rises in demand and healthcare services expand. Indeed, according to the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical assisting is projected to be the fastest growing occupation from 2002 through 2012. In 2002, MAs held about 365,000 jobs.

Traditionally, medical assistants have held jobs almost exclusively in ambulatory care centers, urgent care facilities, and physicians’ clinics. Recently this has begun to change. MAs now find employment in both private and public hospitals, as well as inpatient and outpatient facilities. They may now assist a wide variety of medical doctors, including specialists such as podiatrists, and are no longer bound as simply “generalists”.

Related careers in the health care industry for medical assistants who seek better professional options and better pay abound. Experienced medical assisatants often elect to crosstrain or transition into related fields. Careers that medical assistants may find attractive include medical records technician, medical data and coding assistant, medical billing clerk, medical transcriptionist, and phlebotomist. Some, with additional education become a pharmacy assistant or massage therapist.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, Pediatrics, Geriatrics.
In fact I think some of the older rn's re jealous that us young bucks are learning things a whole lot quicker and catching on a whole lot faster then any of them ever did, dont be upset that an ma could fill your shoes faster and better after only a year of schooling

That is a very unfair statement to make. Foremost, you are exhibiting the attitude that mosts nurses are wary of in an MA to begin with...the attitude that you can do the nurse's job...which you are not properly equipped to do and if you believe you are then you need to be educated on the nurse's scope of practice. This does not mean you are unintelligent or not capable of performing selected nursing tasks, it simply means you do not have the appropriate training (meaning Nursing School and License) to perform the nurse's job. Therefore, I don't see why any nurse would be jealous.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cardiac.
In fact I think some of the older rn's re jealous that us young bucks are learning things a whole lot quicker and catching on a whole lot faster then any of them ever did, dont be upset that an ma could fill your shoes faster and better after only a year of schooling

:rotfl: :roll :chuckle :rotfl:

That has to be the funniest thing I have heard today! HaHa....

Seriously? You think you could fill an RNs shoes "faster and better"? Again, the quote of, "they do not know what they do not know" has never been more appropriate.

Thanks for the good laugh....:lol2:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
That is a very unfair statement to make. Foremost, you are exhibiting the attitude that mosts nurses are wary of in an MA to begin with...the attitude that you can do the nurse's job...which you are not properly equipped to do and if you believe you are then you need to be educated on the nurse's scope of practice. This does not mean you are unintelligent or not capable of performing selected nursing tasks, it simply means you do not have the appropriate training (meaning Nursing School and License) to perform the nurse's job. Therefore, I don't see why any nurse would be jealous.

Unbelievable, isn't it??

Up Vote Up Vote ×
:rotfl: :roll :chuckle :rotfl:

That has to be the funniest thing I have heard today! HaHa....

Seriously? You think you could fill an RNs shoes "faster and better"? Again, the quote of, "they do not know what they do not know" has never been more appropriate.

Thanks for the good laugh....:lol2:

I was just thinking all that myself, just now :)

Yep, I'm truly quaking at the idea of the "young bucks" filling my shoes "faster and better" after a year of MA schooling. Totally! In fact, I'm so jealous of how quick they learn as opposed to the dinosaur RNs, I'm ashamed to admit to my pathetic degree and licensure. Then again, when *I* was 17 I thought I knew a helluva lot, too ;)

I can leave the computer giggling now :D

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
Unbelievable, isn't it??

Unfortunately, no, to a point, it never fails that there's always someone that blindly thinks the problem is always an age-based jealously.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Unfortunately, no, to a point, it never fails that there's always someone that blindly thinks the problem is always an age-based jealously.

That is true. I hear many LPNs say the same about RNs, and in my eye, it is not true in that case, either. RNs have to learn more theory, advanced practice and have more responsibility. While I always believed that each member of health care is valued and offers their unique contribution and talent, it is unrealistic to think that a person with less training can necessarily outshine another. An unskilled eye can see various title perform similar skills, but it is the rationale and focus that is totally different, and that has to be addressed.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I hope those of you who are disturbed by these schools lying and misrepresenting will join me in letting your state reps and senators know what's going on so they can legislate a stop to it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment