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.

I would be horrified if an MA did my sutures. There are proff. trained todo that. An RN can do it, but not without special training. Then, once they have that training, they are liable for their mistakes. RN's can intubate, make decisions on medications etc. ie, flight nurses. In the feild They do many things that physicians do, but they are held liable for their decisions. As a critical care nurse I am confident in my decisions, I do not ! hang on the tails of another proff. to lead me by the nose and say ....now do this.......good, now do this ..... etc.And I know as a nurse that I am responsible for my actions. I know what I can do in my scope of practice and also know that if I function out of that scope, it's my lisence, not the dr's. When more dr's are sued because of MA's actions , we will see fewer horrific things in dr's offices. I remember that my sisters had a T and A in the Dr's office back in the 50's. It was ok , the dr knows best. But pt's started to dye. Now there done in the OR. Just because a Dr says it ok, doesn't mean it's Ok.

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Specializes in Addictions, Corrections, QA/Education.
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.

Only RN's can push medications through an IV access in Maryland. There are some medications that they cannot hang piggyback too. It has to do with the assessment of the patient while the medication is going in the vein.

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I used to teach in an MA program, and also used to work with MA's, so I know exactly what you mean. The problem is that there really is NO regulation, and everything varies by state, and often from one clinic to another. I know that in the program that I taught, I tried to teach critical thinking skills, but must admit that with most of the students being admitted to the program, it was a challenge to simply get basic medical terminology correct. I have to say that most of these schools that offer this program are more interested in the money than in the actual education, and it shows. In many cases, certification is optional rather than required. There is a national organization for MA's which offers certification, but they do little to regulate the profession, and they are not the ONLY certification available.

It makes me very angry when I hear MA's call themselves nurses (which they frequently do), and say that they do "everything a nurse does for less pay." I do have concerns about them giving medical advice, interpreting lab results without a physician, etc. I have not known MA's to work in acute settings, but have seen some work in nursing homes, which I don't feel they are trained or qualified to do. These settings require a level of assessment skills that simply is not taught in MA programs.

I don't know what the answer to this is.....if the nursing boards regulate them, then I'm sure this will add to the problem of them considering themselves nurses. But there does need to be ONE regulating body and ONE certification rather than having so many options. Can you imagine a nurse saying, "I don't want the license the board offers, so I"m going to take the test with someone else?"

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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.

When I was looking into going back to school for nursing, I called local hospitals about becoming an LPN. I was quickly told, and several times by several hospitals, that LPN positions were being done away, in my area in Florida, with due to what MA's could do. Plus the hospitals paid them less and had to have less because they aren't regulated like nurses are. SCARY CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nothing against any MA's but I won't let anyone work under my license. I want to be in control of that not anyone else. It is one thing if I screw up, it's another if someone else costs me my license. Florida is very weird about how many loop-holes there are, especially in the medical field.

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I am an LPN, and have heard for the entire 19 years I've been in nursing that they're "doing away with LPN's", but have yet to see it happen. I've heard all the rumors that LPN's will be "grandfathered in" to a RN if they simply pass the NCLEX-RN, that LPN's are being replaced by MA's, and everything else you can imagine, but don't believe it will ever happen. It really makes me angry every time I hear people say this.....I believe this may have started as a way to scare people into going into MA programs rather than LPN, or perhaps by some RN groups who have a problem with LPN's (before the posts start coming.....I know that most RN's are not like this, but have met several who consider LPN's less than nurses).

All I can say is that the LPN field is safe and thriving. Don't believe those crazy rumors.

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I am an LPN, and have heard for the entire 19 years I've been in nursing that they're "doing away with LPN's", but have yet to see it happen. I've heard all the rumors that LPN's will be "grandfathered in" to a RN if they simply pass the NCLEX-RN, that LPN's are being replaced by MA's, and everything else you can imagine, but don't believe it will ever happen. It really makes me angry every time I hear people say this.....I believe this may have started as a way to scare people into going into MA programs rather than LPN, or perhaps by some RN groups who have a problem with LPN's (before the posts start coming.....I know that most RN's are not like this, but have met several who consider LPN's less than nurses).

All I can say is that the LPN field is safe and thriving. Don't believe those crazy rumors.

Actually, I was told by 4 different nurse managers at several local hospitals that they are not hiring anymore LPN's so it wasn't a rumor I heard. It was from the people who are in charge of doing the hiring for the nursing positions. I know it may be exclusive for my area, but it is very real indeed.

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Specializes in RN.

This subject has been beaten and then some, it's really a mute point. MA's have been working in doctors office's for years and years like this with no medical background. And in the last 20 years or so have developed training schools for them. All the skills we learn as nurses can be taught to monkeys and I agree there is that critical thinking aspect behind it. But in the office that's the MD's job not the MA, unfortunately they are the monkey. I myself have been that monkey for 15 years with the last 1 1/2 in nursing school. Also it's the doctor who identifies the MA as the nurse, as a majority of pts are older and easier for them to remember. And if the pts are peds do they really know the difference? They just know that someone is coming at them with a needle for some injection.

Like I said it's a mute point and something that will not be regulated. MA's are paid squat for what they do and the doctors like that. They do't want to pay an LVN or RN to do what they can pay the MA to do. :monkeydance:

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Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.

i know most of the hospitals in my area are all rn....right now. they tend to go back and forth. when i was a agency nurse the first part of the year i could work in the hospitals and the second have of the year i could not... there is not enough nurses to staff the hospitals and when they come to their senses and figure this out they put lvn's back on the payroll. but there is no way lvn's will ever be phased out. not unless there is all of a sudden a huge surplus of rn's to take over the nursing homes.

actually, i was told by 4 different nurse managers at several local hospitals that they are not hiring anymore lpn's so it wasn't a rumor i heard. it was from the people who are in charge of doing the hiring for the nursing positions. i know it may be exclusive for my area, but it is very real indeed.
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Specializes in ER, ICU, L&D, OR.

The last thing we need from the government is another board

Far too much inappropiate Governmental Influence so far

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Iv's , infuse fluids (sometimes as much as 2 lit. with meds), bx tissue, give medical advice, give out various meds without dr. written order, introduced as dr's nurse, look at a 12 lead and tell a pt what they think it says, "looks ok to her", tell pt's they do the same thing as a nurse but don't get payed for it, tell pt's about meds and are wrong in the information they seem to" know, "I could go on and on but I hope this gives some idea of what I'm talking about.

I am a MA who works in California. I am working on my BSN and consider myself to be more knowledgable in many areas that other MA's aren't trained in (due to my nursing classes), however I know what is within my scope of practice and the duties listed above are not! I work in an office setting and do give injections (only under MD orders, and routine vaccines: flu shot, Td, etc), assist the doctor with minor surgeries (never on my own! I was once asked to remove sutures and I refused), I do answers patient questions based only upon our doctor's written protocol (and he's very specific. If I don't know I don't guess!). I have worked with MA's who brag about how they start IVs and that concerns me. I don't introduce myself as the doctor's nurse, but as his medical assistant. He has introduced me as his nurse and that makes me a little uncomfortable, but I don't correct him in front of the pt, but I am very honest as to my title and position. We have a lab that calls with stat results and per law they need to be given to an MD or RN. I could easily take a note for the MD as to these results, but I do not.

It is a problem that I think will continue as more trained professionals are replaced by unlicensed personnel.

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Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.
When I was looking into going back to school for nursing, I called local hospitals about becoming an LPN. I was quickly told, and several times by several hospitals, that LPN positions were being done away, in my area in Florida, with due to what MA's could do. Plus the hospitals paid them less and had to have less malpractice insurance because they aren't regulated like nurses are. SCARY CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nothing against any MA's but I won't let anyone work under my license. I want to be in control of that not anyone else. It is one thing if I screw up, it's another if someone else costs me my license. Florida is very weird about how many loop-holes there are, especially in the medical field.

I was an LPN for 23 years and heard that old song and dance every year. I do know that some hospitals only hire RN's. It would bear checking out whats going on in your area before getting your LPN. In TN we have LPN's in all areas in the hospital and they function the same as the RN's except they cannot do charge, cannot spike blood and cannot push IV Lopressor. My pay doubled when I got my RN and many more doors opened to me. If any way possible go for your RN from the beginning.

I have never ever heard of an MA working in a hospital setting? Please tell me more!?

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[quote name=

I have never ever heard of an MA working in a hospital setting? Please tell me more!? :angryfire[/quote]

Actually, here in Melbourne, FL., our "Major" hospital here is called Holmes Regional. They are part of the Health First Organization. As you can see by this job posting,MA, Medical Assistants are very much a part of the hospital staff. I was told specifically by the HR and Nurse Manager, as I stated above, MA positions are replacing LPN positions, as for the reasons I posted above. The University I attend has an MA course and they send out 40-50 MA's every 6-8 months. Like I said, this could just be a trend in my area, but when I was considering going to LPN school I took what they people doing the hiring said to heart. I decided on, and am in, RN school.

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