LPN versus CMA

Nurses LPN/LVN

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I was thinking at first of going for my Medical Assistant degree, since I want to work in a clinic so badly. I heard so much about how LPN's are getting phased out and only CMA's are getting jobs at clinics, and CMA's are higher up than LPN's. This of course coming from recruters from CMA programs. It would seem that the only difference between CMA's and LPN's are the fact that Med Asst's. get training in lab and x-ray. Well, I already am a certified Phlebotomist, and so I have that going. Any of you guys and gals work alongside Med Assts? Anyone work in clinics? :balloons:

you have a lot to learn about nursing. your way of thinking will change once you get into a nursing program and figure out that nursing is a much more complex process all around. i have been a cma/rma and it does not compare to what you have to know as a nurse. don't bet you know more than the charge nurse if you have never been to nursing school or even worked as a nurse..that is just silly.

apparently you didnt read my post, i did go to a 4 year nursing school! i left, i did the psychology, microbiology, and chemistry and passed each class with nothing less than a b. i just didnt think a speech giving class, orientation, and a few others were needed to be a nurse. so im going at it bass akwards! i even studied for my nclex. so dont tell me, i dont know what im talking about. i do. i chose to study this profession because i want to help people, not to say im better than someone else, because i rank higher.

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Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.

i guess i am missing something here. cause your last post says you left because you felt you were taking unnecessary courses. but here you are telling me that you went to a 4 year nursing school and took micro, chem and psych. so i guess what i'm asking is did you complete nursing school , did you drop at while taking nursing courses or did you stop at the pre classes. being a cma is a good stepping stone and you can learn a lot . however, it is not nursing, you are not a nurse and do not have the educational background that a nurse does. that is just the way it is. if you want to be a nurse, function as a nurse , then go back to nursing school.

apparently you didnt read my post, i did go to a 4 year nursing school! i left, i did the psychology, microbiology, and chemistry and passed each class with nothing less than a b. i just didnt think a speech giving class, orientation, and a few others were needed to be a nurse. so im going at it bass akwards! i even studied for my nclex. so dont tell me, i dont know what im talking about. i do. i chose to study this profession because i want to help people, not to say im better than someone else, because i rank higher.
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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
i guess i am missing something here. cause your last post says you left because you felt you were taking unnecessary courses. but here you are telling me that you went to a 4 year nursing school and took micro, chem and psych. so i guess what i'm asking is did you complete nursing school , did you drop at while taking nursing courses or did you stop at the pre classes. being a cma is a good stepping stone and you can learn a lot . however, it is not nursing, you are not a nurse and do not have the educational background that a nurse does. that is just the way it is. if you want to be a nurse function as a nurse , then go back to nursing school.

:yeahthat: i was confused also, with the post. did you complete most of the nursing portion to be able to sit for nclex-pn, or did you drop out before?

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Wow, I am new to this site. I am absolutely appalled that everyone acts like this. RN vs LPN vs CNA vs CMA What difference does it make? We are all in this for the reason, to care for an individual! Where is the compassion here? I am a CMA and by no means do I feel like I am better than someone else. I do and have worked in a clinic, and I have alot of patients who adore me, as I adore them. I looked in Websters and the definition for a NURSE is someone who gives cares for someone. Well, that could be just about anyone, couldnt it? I have been a CMA for 10 years and I choose not to move on. I like what I do, and am very good at what I do. In the clinic where I work, none of the doctors want any RN's on site. We do have a few who work on the other side of the clinic in an express care setting, and I have even worked there. In the clinic I work in, we all do the same. I have worked side by side with the RN's and I do the same as they do. I just wish you could all look at yourselves and ask the real question, Why do I choose to do this job? I think your answer would be: because you are caring, compassionate, loving people. NOT because you have a title different than someone else's, or because your paycheck is bigger.

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:yeahthat: I was confused also, with the post. Did you complete most of the nursing portion to be able to sit for NCLEX-PN, or did you drop out before?

Does it really matter? The fact is, I could pass the NCLEX with my eyes closed!

You continue to think the way you do, when Im finished with school Ill be able to run circles around you! RN or not!

We are all in this for the reason, to care for an individual! Where is the compassion here? I am a CMA and by no means do I feel like I am better than someone else. I looked in Websters and the definition for a NURSE is someone who gives cares for someone. Well, that could be just about anyone, couldnt it?

Amen to that! ;)

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
Does it really matter? The fact is, I could pass the NCLEX with my eyes closed!

You continue to think the way you do, when Im finished with school Ill be able to run circles around you! RN or not!

If part of the job description included running circles around people, maybe i'd be impressed.

RN or not, that kind of superiority thinking is quite alienating to potential co-workers, no matter what title they hold.

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

I looked in Websters and the definition for a NURSE is someone who gives cares for someone. Well, that could be just about anyone, couldnt it?

From a legal standpoint, though is what does matter. Otherwise certain BONs would not have sections that specify who can legally call themselves a nurse, which are RNs and LPNs. It doesn't make anyone else's job less than important, or as a means to degrade others, it's about responsibility and liability.

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From a legal standpoint, though is what does matter. Otherwise certain BONs would not have sections that specify who can legally call themselves a nurse, which are RNs and LPNs. It doesn't make anyone else's job less than important, or as a means to degrade others, it's about responsibility and liability.

i guess i am not quite understanding: though is what does matter. all i am hearing from all the RN's is degrading. i also have liabilities and i have alot of responsibilities. once again care for a person is what we are all about. i believe anyone can call themselves a NURSE,that just means to give care to someone. everyone should worry about THEIR OWN job, and not what everyone else is doing. i am not breaking any laws, legally or otherwise. i am going to continue to give care and compassion to all who pass my way.

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Does it really matter? The fact is, I could pass the NCLEX with my eyes closed!

You continue to think the way you do, when Im finished with school Ill be able to run circles around you! RN or not!

Amen to that! ;)

but until you have passed nclex you can't call yourself a nurse, ppl are debating your ability, however just to give lvn/lpn rn the respect due to those who have achieved this like you would appericate when you achive this.

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If part of the job description included running circles around people, maybe i'd be impressed.

RN or not, that kind of superiority thinking is quite alienating to potential co-workers, no matter what title they hold.

Im not here to impress anyone!

I never said I was superior to anyone! Im not. Im quite sure there are those who are better than I. What was meant by my statement was a.) Ill have X amount of years in varying medical fields and settings (diversity) and b.)Ill have had twice the schooling then the average LPN/RN Meaning I will out qualify quite a few of you!

Was I not told in a previous post that until I knew what I was talking about I was just being silly? Im just trying to prove a point! I guess my Title will be NRCMA/RN. Does that mean Im better than any one? Absolutely not! It just means I went to school for a long time! and I might have some valuable information/resources for some one else should they need them! It also means I can teach!

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
i guess i am not quite understanding: though is what does matter. all i am hearing from all the RN's is degrading. i also have liabilities and i have alot of responsibilities. once again care for a person is what we are all about. i believe anyone can call themselves a NURSE,that just means to give care to someone. everyone should worry about THEIR OWN job, and not what everyone else is doing. i am not breaking any laws, legally or otherwise. i am going to continue to give care and compassion to all who pass my way.

The word "nurse" is a legally protected term in some states, i.e. someone calling themselves a nurse when they are not a licensed nurse is is false representation. The states who have such a law do not believe that just anyone can call themselves "nurse."

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Ladies, ladies....It is important to remember that when someone is posting, you cannot hear how they are saying something to you. You can only read the words and sometimes it's a guessing game at what one is typing, really means. You cannot tell where someone is accentuating a particular word. I can tell by the different posts back and forth are being misconstrude. First of all I am an MA. school wasnt easy and I graduated with a 3.9 GPA. I do remember one critical thing my instructor told us(who by the way was an R.N with a Masters dergree) DO NOT refer to yourself as a "Nurse" you are a Medical assistant. That was for leagality reasons. A Nurse holds a license, you hold a certificate. This has nothing to do with the fact that a MA isn't smart or knowledgeable. I am not offended by what the poster's have said about this reasoning. I am on my way to LPN school and then hopefully R.N school. I am just as capable as any nurse, but I don't have the same training and I don't have the same liability as a Nurse. Definately have a different scope of practice and that's fine. We all share a desire to help and we have each chosen the right path for us to take in order to do that. Maybe some of us will stay MA's and some of us will go on. But, this arguement is silly! One doesn't really have to do with the other!

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