Clinic RN vs Medical Assistant

[Guest915876]

Hello,

Just wondering why some primary care clinics (or even specialty) have medical assistants and others have RNs? The only thing that I could find online is that medical assistants aren't trained in telephone triage but the rest of their job descriptions seems similar to a clinic RNs. At the doctor's offices I've been to it's always a medical assistant that I see with them, yet I see many clinic RN positions hiring in my area. Do you think clinic RNs will eventually be replaced by MAs? Any insight into this would be appreciated!

also- do specific specialties (ie: pediatrics) require RNs over MAs?

[AliNajaCat]

Do not confuse "job descriptions" (which are often heavily task-oriented) for the two with equivalency. MAs do not have independent autonomous licensure; they cannot be held responsible for patient assessments (again, pt assessment is more than "take vital signs"), and they cannot be held accountable for teaching. They practice at the sufferance of a licensed physician; the RN practices under RN licensure.

The short answer is that MAs are cheaper than RNs.

[SaltySarcasticSally, LPN, RN]

I have been in ambulatory care as an LPN for awhile now and your question just depends on the practice and other factors. In my area, generally pediatrics seem to hire LPNs and RNs over MAs. Right now, the hospital system I work for is hiring way more RNs and LPNs for ambulatory care because there just aren't that many MAs around us, everyone is going into nursing. So for my area, its more RNs/LPNs are replacing the MAs, not the other way around.

[mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN]

Nurses are being replaced in a lot of clinics because they can draw blood and take a history, but their scope is not anywhere near an RN, or even and LPN. They are somewhere between and aide and a nurse. They are popular because they are not paid what nurses are. The CMAs in the hospital are hired in an aide capacity.

I looked at a program before I decided to go the RN route. It wasn't worth is for me.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Just wondering why some primary care clinics (or even specialty) have medical assistants and others have RNs?

Many physicians and medical practices do not want to incur the increased labor costs associated with RNs. Medical assistants can be employed at significantly lower pay rates. This results in cost efficiency.

Do you think clinic RNs will eventually be replaced by MAs?

The replacement of clinic RNs started happening in the late 1990s as MA programs proliferated in many geographic areas. This trend has been occurring for decades.

do specific specialties (ie: pediatrics) require RNs over MAs?

In the area where I reside, certain specialty physicians gravitate toward hiring RNs into their clinics. These specialties include orthopedic surgery, pediatrics, psychiatric intake, and neurology.