Are MA's and CNA's the same as Nurse? NO

[deleted]

Hello everybody! I am so sorry but I am going to go off on a little bit of a rant but who else will understand me more than other nurses!

Let me start of by saying I do not mean any disrespect to any of the awesome, hardworking Medical Assistants and CNA's in this world, but as for the MA's and CNA's that are either not proud of what they do (which I don't see why?) or are trying to deliberately fool everyone else into believing you are something else that you are not, you ought to be ashamed of yourself!

I am a nursing student currently dealing with the loads of coursework and sleepless nights to receive my BSN and become a registered nurse as I have always wanted to be. I am very proud of how far I've come and exited for what my future holds. Maybe I'll become a nurse practitioner? Or a physician assistant? Or a nurse anesthetist? Or maybe a travel nurse? I have no idea if I will continue my education after I receive my BSN all I know right now is I am going to be a nurse.

Unfortunately not everyone responds with the same enthusiasm as I do when I say I am studying to become a nurse. I feel people now do not know the difference between a MA and a RN and assume it is the same thing. SOME MA's do not mind this and instead love this and are proud to say they are nurses causing further confusion. THAT IS DISRESPECTFUL AND ILLEGAL! How dare you slap the faces of the millions of men and women who busted their heads open to receive that degree and worked so hard for to become an RN! (Again no disrespect to MA's and CNA's as I know you all have your own set of challenges as well, but understand that the path to become an RN is not easy!) This probably wouldn't bother me as much if I didn't get asked this question….. Why are you going to a 4 year institution if you could get the same degree in 9 months at (you know which institutes). OH. MY. GOODNESS.

I know this topic has been talked about a number of times and I usually ignore it but today has got me to a whole new level. Today I saw a medical assistant present herself a healthcare professional (which she is in my eyes) and advised TO NOT GET THE FLU SHOT BASED ON HER OPINIONS! If this is not completely against all healthcare code of ethics and a crime against all the advances science has made to save the human race in general I do not know what is! One simple lecture in A&P about the immune system was enough to convince me that vaccines are for the good, and here this woman that does not have nearly the sufficient training to give medical advice is spreading lies. In fact I do not even think RN's have the sufficient training to give such advice themselves.

Sure I am not going to be a neurosurgeon, but we all deserve some respect. I don't expect it, but I will not change my mind about becoming a nurse (:

Again I usually ignore this issue. As long as the medical assistant that checks me in and takes my vitals is professional and respectable (I am not insinuating that this is all they do), and the phlebotomist who draws my blood doesn't make me bleed out (lol), and the nurse practitioner or doctor who sees me is equally as respectable, I personally do not care what you refer to yourself as. However referring to yourself with the proper name says a lot about your character, but when you start spreading dangerous lies that is a whole other issue. Medical assistants and certified nursing assistants be proud of what you are and how hard you work! REFER TO YOURSELVES AS MA's AND CNA's.

Phew rant over! What do you all think about this issue? How about the men and women already working in healthcare settings is this just as big an issue? I would love to hear some stories!

I hope this does not turn into a debate about whether we should get the flu shot or not THAT IS NOT THE ISSUE lol, but if you actually read of all this thank you! :)

[Jules A, MSN]

Let it go. You have too much on your plate to waste time worrying about this negativity. Secure professionals, imo, are not threatened by people who are insecure and attempt to embellish their credentials. Just my two cents.

[ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP]

Well I would say that you are being a bit hypocritical, with what being a nursing student and having "RN" in your avatar.

[schnookimz]

Haha when I finally got my rn I remember a cma asking me, "soooo is that like better than cma? RN is higher?"

Uhh. YES.

[deleted]

@Jules A You are right.

@ThePrincessBride, BSN, RN

I knew someone was going to say that lol. It's a graduation cap idea. Don't worry I changed it (:

[klone, MSN, RN]

I am very proud of how far I've come and exited for what my future holds. Maybe I'll become a nurse practitioner? Or a physician assistant? Or a nurse anesthetist? Or maybe a travel nurse?

Odd that you would lump "physician assistant" in with that list. PAs have nothing to do with nursing.

[klone, MSN, RN]

RNs could also become attorneys if they want. But no, PA is not a logical progression from RN.

[Jules A, MSN]

Odd that you would lump "physician assistant" in with that list. PAs have nothing to do with nursing.

No but they are a mid level provider that nurses sometimes pursue.

[Missingyou, CNA]

On a daily basis (@work) I experience something like this, but maybe not the same.....

There are 2 3rd shift CNA's who constantly criticize (to any other CNA that will listen)the decisions their nurse and the nurse on 1st shift make. They tear them apart for not administering a certain med when they thought it was needed, or for giving it (in their opinion) when it wasn't needed. It's ALWAYS some medical procedure that their nurse did or did not do that they disapprove of.

~I am sure it is possible for any nurse to make a mistake, but I would NEVER question what a nurse is doing when it comes to administering medications or performing procedures that THEY are educated in...and I am not. If I don't understand why something is done, such as the current situation of an NPO order for a certain resident, I will respectfully ask, then do as I am directed by that nurse but, I would never be disrespectful of any nurse's decisions when they hold a nursing degree that I do not have.

[IEDave, ASN, CNA, LVN]

...Medical assistants and certified nursing assistants be proud of what you are and how hard you work! REFER TO YOURSELVES AS MA's AND CNA's.

I do. My residents don't. They think I'm a nurse, and I tend to leave it at that. Side effect of working LTC - the residents don't make a distinction between CNA/LVN/RN, they just want someone to help 'em.

You'd have had a hemorrhage over one incident I had - I was doing a patient escort run one day, and a couple of folks commented on how nice it must be to be making as much money as I was (mind you, I was making $9.00/hr. at the time); some tactful questioning revealed that they thought I was a CRNA, so I explained the difference between CNA and CRNA (11 years of schooling, and $130K/yr. in pay). We got a good laugh out of it, and no harm done.

And - for the record, this CNA holds a Bachelor's in Computer Science, 23+ years of IT experience, has been accepted into an LVN program at a local CC, knows full well how difficult it is to get a BS in ANY degree field, and recognizes full well what you've accomplished. Further, handing out medical advice is outside the scope of CNA practice - did you report the person in question?

Kindly refrain from assuming we're lesser mortals because you know nothing about us besides what's on our name badges.

----- Dave.

[Ndoht, BSN, RN]

I get what you are saying, but your entire post gives the impression that you are looking down on CNA's and MA's. Have you ever been a CNA or MA? I completely agree with everything Dave said. I work in long term care, and many elderly residents view us as nurses no matter how many times we remind them we are not, they will still call us as nurses when they need help to get off the toilet. You have to keep in mind that everybody makes mistakes, CNA, MA, RN, and MD alike. There is no reason to look down on a MA just because she gave you a wrong advice, maybe there were some misunderstandings that were not clearified. What about the nurse who tells her CNA to deny a hospice resident's wish to drink water in that neighboring thread? Isn't that a mistake, and should I look down on that nurse then? My mother was also adviced to not take the flu shot by her doctor because she has problematic allergenic symptoms to it. Although you stated repeatedly in your post that you respect MA's and CNA's, the feeling conveyed through your post really goes aginst it. Nursing assistants, medical assistants, nurses are all professional healthcare providers who should really be working together as a team, so it would be much more beneficial to have a big heart and not care so much about distinguishing yourself from others just because you are going to have a different title.

[eroc]

Well, she may have educated herself as the estimated effectiveness of the this years Flu vaccine, which is 23%. So not everyone sees benefit in taking a shot with a low effective rate. And unless you are a RN, she is does have higher credentials than you do, which does not always equate to higher knowledge base no matter what the title.

Early Estimates of Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness — United States, January 2015