Are Medical Assistants common in Canada?

[OgopogoLPN, LPN, RN]

I've read a lot of threads on allnurses about Medical assistants, but I'm assuming they're much more popular in the USA. I've never seen a course advertised in Canada for it, or seen one in a doctors office.

I've worked as a medical office assistant for 12 years and learned some very basic stuff in school like urine dips, BP, temperature. Although I've never used any of them in my jobs. Most of my jobs have been desk work/reception.

My own doctors office has five GP's and they employ one LPN, although she's never done much in my appts other than BP, temps, etc. I'm assuming she gives some injections, but I've never had one from her.

I get a few American channels and see courses for MA's on their TV, but not here.

Are MA's utilized in your part of the country?

[Fiona59]

Not really as such in Alberta. They are used for the clerical side of Doctors offices, billing, filing, correspondence, etc.

LPNs do triage, preliminary assessments, vaccinations, routine injections (Depo, vitamins, hormones, etc), preliminary assessments, wound care, etc, on top of some of the clerical work.

I've seen those ads on US TV and they scare me. It seems as if they market the courses towards the unemployed and often undereducated (kind of like a diploma mill with help in getting student loans).

I think we are a bit more regulated up here about the use of personnel. I've worked with nursing assistants who have been trained to do BPs, sugars, etc. but the majority of employers here do not allow them to do this. It's one thing to know how to do something, it's another to know how to interpret them.

[linzz]

I am in Ontario, I have never heard of anyone using medical assistants, just nurses and medical secretaries. Depends on the area, whether it is LPN or RN in Dr.'s offices. Some Dr.'s will hire LPN's and some will not. I think a lot of Dr's just don't realize how much the LPN scope has changed over the years.