Can a RN...

Nurses General Nursing

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Can an RN work as a medical assistant? im unable to find an RN job so I was going to see if I can work as a medical assistant while applying for more RN positions.

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Specializes in Hospice / Psych / RNAC.

Yes but be careful; you will be held to the standards of your license.

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Specializes in Psychiatry, corrections, long-term care..

I would be careful. I don't have any experience in the area, but I'm thinking if you're asked to do something as an RN but you were hired under the scope of practice of an MA there could be a problem. You could probably be easily taken advantage of (getting an RN's scope of practice and skills for half the pay type of thing).

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Specializes in ER, Trauma.

Appreciate your frustration and desire to work, I'd suggest you don't do it. But since my suggestion wont pay your bills, make sure you get a written job description for the MA job, either from your employer, state regulating body, or both if possible. Read it and adhere to it carefully to protect yourself and your license.

FYI job shortages are geographical. One area is begging for RN's, another area has no jobs at all.

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Specializes in Emergency/Trauma.

i would call your state board of nursing, some states do not allow you to work a job that is "under" your license.

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I would be careful. I don't have any experience in the area, but I'm thinking if you're asked to do something as an RN but you were hired under the scope of practice of an MA there could be a problem. You could probably be easily taken advantage of (getting an RN's scope of practice and skills for half the pay type of thing).

Exactly "taken advantage of" is what exactly is happening to me. And now they want me to become a manager at the same meanial MA rate with more resposibility....no way! Be very careful. If you do it, get and document everything you do there very well.

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dont do it.

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Specializes in Cardiac Care.

I completely agree with all that is written here. If you have a license, your BON will hold you to the responsibilities of that license, regardless of your position or title. Translated, this means that even if your position does not require you to act on something, you license does. It's hardly worth the reduction in salary you'll experience.

My suggestion would be to continue to apply and interview. NETWORK! Go ANYWHERE an RN may be employed... hospitals, medical offices, school districts, corporations, factories... anywhere. Get your name and your face out there. And as was previously mentioned, you may find yourself quite in demand if you're able to relocate. I'm in the Finger Lakes area of upstate NY; nursing positions are commonly being advertised.

Much luck and success to you.

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Specializes in CCT.

Maybe I'm dense, maybe I haven't been exposed to the intricacies of RN licensing, but....

How would "being held to the standards of you license" ever end up being an issue? Your scope can be restricted down as far as the job description wants, so working unless you took it upon yourself to work out of job description scope, then I really don't see what the issue is. Can anyone give an example? Can anyone actually name a case where this has been an issue (and not my mother's brother's cousin)?

I don't know, this just sounds suspiciously like BS....

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.
Maybe I'm dense, maybe I haven't been exposed to the intricacies of RN licensing, but....

How would "being held to the standards of you license" ever end up being an issue? Your scope can be restricted down as far as the job description wants, so working unless you took it upon yourself to work out of job description scope, then I really don't see what the issue is. Can anyone give an example? Can anyone actually name a case where this has been an issue (and not my mother's brother's cousin)?

I don't know, this just sounds suspiciously like BS....

I've asked that question EVERY SINGLE TIME this subject comes up, and nobody has been able to answer me. So yes, I do suspect it's a BS response that "sounds good" but has no teeth. As long as your state allows you to work as an MA when you have an RN. I know lots of people who work in positions "beneath" their certification - RNs working as CNAs, APNs working as RNs. It's never caused a problem for any of these people.

OP, my only concern is that most places aren't going to want to hire an RN in an MA role because they would only pay you an MA's salary, and they know as soon as you get a job offer for an RN position, you'd be gone in a hot second. I suspect clinics and other facilities that are looking for an MA would just want to avoid that altogether. But beyond that, I'd say go for it. Making $10/hour as an MA is better than making $0/hour as an unemployed RN, plus you'll probably gain some valuable experience.

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Specializes in Cardiac Care.

BS response??? Ouch.

In an effort to help the OP, I was merely stating what we had learned in school about scope of practice. Sorry it offended you. I won't do that again.

Geesh.

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Specializes in CCT.
BS response??? Ouch.

In an effort to help the OP, I was merely stating what we had learned in school about scope of practice. Sorry it offended you. I won't do that again.

Geesh.

Didn't offend me, I just don't see where this would ever be an issue. Scope of practice can be restricted as far down as your job description wants. Granted, you might be held to the knowledge standards of an RN. But would you fail to alert a physician of something because another MA might not be knowledgable about it? It just sounds like the kind of asinine legal mumbo-jumbo made up by instructors who don't really know what they're talking about to scare students into realizing "how serious" the job is.

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