boards need to regulate MA's

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Really sick of ma's doing all sorts of things under a dr's license. (or RN license). It is quite amazing the things they do. Scary as a matter of fact. Really feel the boards of Nursing need to take a stand on this issue. They regulate everyting else , why not MA's (medical assistants). I plan on looking into it in Ohio. Any one else ? Don't get me wrong, I love MA's Cna's etc... they are a vital part of the medical world. However, the things they are allowed to do are jaw dropping. Not that skills are difficult but the critical thinking aspect of the skill is another matter. I know they are acting under the license of a DR. but, don't want them to care for my child or 88 yo mother.

Specializes in icu, er, transplant, case management, ps.
They do regulate non-licensed personnel, but even nurses do not read the nurse practice act for their own state. If no one knows what the law says then the MA's just do what they please. Our license gives us authority, responsibility and accountability --- so we need to know the NPA for our state and turn people in who are acting outside their scope of practice.

Sorry but I do know the NPA of New York State, where I am licensed. And I also know the NPA of Florida, where I presently live.

Woody:balloons:

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They do regulate non-licensed personnel, but even nurses do not read the nurse practice act for their own state. If no one knows what the law says then the MA's just do what they please. Our license gives us authority, responsibility and accountability --- so we need to know the NPA for our state and turn people in who are acting outside their scope of practice.

Ummmm..........I do and so do many other nurses that I work with., The Ohio Board of Nursing sends out a very informative book called , Momentum about every 6 months or so. It has changes in the NPA for Ohio, as well as general information . I must say though, some information is difficult to find on the web site, but there's always a telephone to call and ask them questions. And what agencies are you speaking of that regulates MA's ? I see cirtification companies, but not regulatory agencies. The Ohio Board of Nursing has nothing to do with MA's.

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Specializes in icu, er, transplant, case management, ps.

The main difference, as I understand it, between a license and a certificate, is that one is held to a legal standard under a license. I hold several certificates, which certify specialized education and/or experience in a specialized area. I also once held a Certified Vocational Counselor certificate and a license granted by the State of Florida. To sit for the CVC exam, I had to hold a Masters, which I did. I also had to sit an day long exam and pass it.

Like I have said, why if one is proud to be a Medical Assistant, does one allow themselves to be called a nurse? Do you think that it is because the patient's would get confused if you referred to yourself as a Medical Assistant? Do you think that the older patients are that easily confused, so you are making things easier for them by referring to yourselves as nurses? I am sixty two and I don't confuse easily. I have several friends who range in age from their 70's to their 90's. And they don't get confused that easily either.

Woody:balloons:

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I just received I started reading back through all of everyone's comments. It amazes me how snooty some of you nurses are sounding!!! Did you become a nurse for a title or because you want to help people??? If you have had problems with MA's or any other office personnel calling themselves nurses---who cares----if someone needs to give themselves a ficticious title to make themselves feel better---LET THEM!!! Why are you wasting your enrrgy putting them down??? I thought this site was for nurses to come together?!?!?!?

The reason a lot of us are getting offending by MA's calling themselves nurses is because we went through reeally vigorous schooling, took a grueling test, and went through hours of clinicals to become and RN. An RN is specially trained and has special knowledge that many MA's do not have. I'm sure MA's work hard at what they do, but THEY ARE NOT NURSES! No matter what they, you, or the damn doctors say. Sorry if I offend you but I worked hard for my title, graduated second in my class, and I will be damned if an MA is going to go around saying they are a nurse. The MA at my doctor's office works really hard but knows her scope of practice and does not step above it. That's how it should be.:angryfire

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Originally Posted by DanisTeeta viewpost.gif

I just received I started reading back through all of everyone's comments. It amazes me how snooty some of you nurses are sounding!!! Did you become a nurse for a title or because you want to help people??? If you have had problems with MA's or any other office personnel calling themselves nurses---who cares----if someone needs to give themselves a ficticious title to make themselves feel better---LET THEM!!! Why are you wasting your enrrgy putting them down??? I thought this site was for nurses to come together?!?!?!?

It is no different if nurses went around saying they are doctor's. Doctor's would be offended, outraged and would make sure it didn't happen. If you're offended, I'm not sorry, because quite frankly, I'm offended that you/some MAs think it's ok to steal my hard earned title just because you think you do everything that is within my scope of practice. You don't. :angryfireYou don't have the education that equips you with the knowledge base required to be an RN. You're offended...too bad. Get over it and go get[earn] your own :idea:*RN* education, degree and license and :nono:quit trying to steal mine:nono:
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i just received i started reading back through all of everyone's comments. it amazes me how snooty some of you nurses are sounding!!! did you become a nurse for a title or because you want to help people??? if you have had problems with ma's or any other office personnel calling themselves nurses---who cares----if someone needs to give themselves a ficticious title to make themselves feel better---let them!!! why are you wasting your enrrgy putting them down??? i thought this site was for nurses to come together?!?!?!?

putting ma's down would be saying such things as ," they don't know what they are doing, they are stupid ," things such as that. rn's posting here are not saying that. infact many talk about how important they are in the medical community. if you consider "putting them down" , being irritated at ma's representing themself as rn's then i guess in your eyes, i'm putting them down. but as for me i do not want to go into a dr's office, get medication advice, free samples and have a bx done on tissue by an ma. i do not want an ma to do many of the things that they do. (for the pt's sake). rn's would know the difference between an rn and ma if they question them. however, there are many pt's that go into an office, are cared for by the "nurse" and think the person doing procedures, giving advice had training. so i guess see one, do one teach one for the ma is ok with you when you go to your next office visit. hmmmmmm..... that's an idea, i'll grab a house keeper when i work next time. show her how to time a iapb and get a pwp , and claculate the gtt's for me. you know, just teach her how to she'll be fine. then we can call her an ma, (no will ever know, she can do the same task as a nurse, so what if she has no experience with complications of her actions) that could save me time, she gets paid less so it would save the hospital money while getting more work done. thanks for the idea. i'll run that by the obn and the ma board. oh, wait they don't have one !

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Specializes in Nursing Ed, Ob/GYN, AD, LTC, Rehab.

The longer MA are allowed to call themselves nurses the more we will see a decline in the pay of LPN and RN's. I am confused with MA, if you are a MA arent you proud of that?? Call yourself an MA for god sake. If you want to be called a nurse go back to school and complete that degree. MA function in a different role then a Nurse and should not be confused with a nurse.

Example- MA (who says she is the nurse) calls me back for the MD I just called to update on a low blood sugar. MA tells me the doctor wants me to stop the glipigaugh... umm what was that? Glipizide? She had no idea what I ment.... sigh

MA are important they assist doctors when needed under their guidance. But you better believe I wont take any phone orders from them or leave lab values/pt updates/changes with them. They just dont have the education to understand the importance of things like a nurse does.

Hopefully this will get the attention it deserves and they will start to fine/punish those who misrepresent themselves.

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Specializes in icu, er, transplant, case management, ps.

I had an unusual experience the other night. My roommate's grandson came over for a visit. He is a CNA, in a local LTC facility. He had a friend who introduced himself as a nurse with the local hospice. My roommate introduced me as a retired RN. He quickly said he was a CNA. He appeared to be a very knowledgeable young man and a dedicated one. But he need to be drawn up by his short ones, for referring to himself as a nurse.

Woody:balloons:

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Specializes in Cardiology.
In the state where I live LPN's can push any IV med that an RN can push. Take that back...I push Lopressor 50mg in CT special procedures and it requires an ACLS certified RN.

You've pushed 50mg of Lopressor IV?? What procedure was this for??

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.

Here is a good link:

http://www.medbd.ca.gov/MA.htm

When I worked as a CMA before getting into nursing school I DID have a scope of practice. I got very efficient training at a JC. I too get frustrated being that there so many other medical assisting "schools" that give us bad names. For my state, MA are regulated. I think the problem is the SCHOOLS. In my state you can only become a nurse at a Junior college, state college or university collage, which are accredited. There are so many MA schools out there that are not at JC; there was one in my area that met in an empty store IN THE MALL....I think we need to start at the root of the problem; the schools...

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.
I just received I started reading back through all of everyone's comments. It amazes me how snooty some of you nurses are sounding!!! Did you become a nurse for a title or because you want to help people??? If you have had problems with MA's or any other office personnel calling themselves nurses---who cares----if someone needs to give themselves a ficticious title to make themselves feel better---LET THEM!!! Why are you wasting your enrrgy putting them down??? I thought this site was for nurses to come together?!?!?!?

Because I am not going to school for three years (not counting the two years of pre-requs) so some one that went to school for one year or less can claim they have the same title. Just like bad MAs make good MAs look bad; having an MA call themselves a nurse can make a REAL nurse look bad..."That idiot nurse at the office did not even know about such and such" because she was not a nurse! (not calling MAs idiots, but nurses DO know a lot more. I am a CMA and am in my second year and already know 10 times or more than what I knew as an MA)

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Here is a good link:

http://www.medbd.ca.gov/MA.htm

When I worked as a CMA before getting into nursing school I DID have a scope of practice. I got very efficient training at a JC. I too get frustrated being that there so many other medical assisting "schools" that give us bad names. For my state, MA are regulated. I think the problem is the SCHOOLS. In my state you can only become a nurse at a Junior college, state college or university collage, which are accredited. There are so many MA schools out there that are not at JC; there was one in my area that met in an empty store IN THE MALL....I think we need to start at the root of the problem; the schools...

Wow, thanks for that. I have looked high and low for such info. I have not as yet found such a site for Ohio. That was very informative. It is very ,,,,,,,very scary in Ohio (as far as what MA's are allowed to do). I have a friend that's an MA, who has started IV's, hung fluid (was a holistic health clinic), telephone triage, on and on and on. Some of the things she tells me are so wrong I don't even know where to start. I usually just keep my mouth shut because I don't want to start an argument.......proving my point to her isn't worth a friendship. I hope Ohio has a scope of practice like this. Cause if it does, I will be calling a few physicians or perhaps a news station.....I really think that some of this need to be exposed to the public. I agree also the schools are to blame for a lot of the problems. My freind is a very smart girl who was layed off from a upper management job (after 15 years). The school sucked her in, told her many things about being an MA, told her it would cost 10,000 $, for only 10 months of school. They got her a bad time in her life and I feel they had her just where they wanted her. Yes, if she would have done more reasearch she may have known more about MA's but, I was a really bad time in her life. Here was a school that taught "nursing" and why would anyone in health care lie to her. After all don't they all care about people... I feel these schools get a lot of money from the state to train people for just a little more than min. wage jobs. It's a shame.

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