Cna Vs. Medical Assistant

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What is the difference between a CNA and a Medical Assistant? If I am trying to gain appropriate skills before attending nursing school to become a Nurse Practitioner, what would you recommend I become--CNA or Medical Assistant?

Thanks!

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Generally, a CNA assists nurses and an MA assists doctors, paramedics, nurses, etc.

A CNA helps patients with toileting, bathing, dressing, eating, transfers and ambulation, and a number of other daily activities. Depending on the facility they may also take vital signs.

An MA can do a variety of things depending on where they work and what education/certifications they have. Some things you might do as an MA are:

checking patients in, taking vital signs, drawing blood, getting medical histories, doing clerical work, getting charts ready for the doctor, and assisting the doctor/NP with any task they may need you to help.

If you want to be an NP, either of these roles would be beneficial to you, but I would probably be an MA.

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Specializes in CNA.

Just adding that medical assisting has far more schooling involved which of course, gives you a much higher skill level.

I would check on the availability of jobs in your area. The only place I have seen MA's really work are in ambulatory clinics and doc offices ---- but there may be other areas of employment that I'm not aware of.

The reason is that ambulatory clinics have generally hired a few CNAs (I started out in one), but primarily nurses. An MA can do everything required in a clinical setting for the docs at substantially less cost than an RN. I emphasize 'in a clinical setting'. I've not encountered MAs in hospitals or LTC, but someone else might know differently.

If I'm not mistaken, MA's cannot do assessments which is an absolute requirement in hospital or LTC care. But as they can do injections and handle meds issues (calling pharmacies, talking to the patient about meds), they are well qualified for clinics. In the area I live, there are lots of ambulatory clinics. I would actually go to one or two and talk to HR directly for a couple of minutes and ask if they hire MAs.

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Medical Assistant is the fastest growing medical career in NC. Its a two year program that now does not come with the prereqs or the competition of the nursing programs and their making about the same. I so wanted to do rn but two semesters of prereqs and a two year wait list means its not going to happen. MA here I come :)

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.

Both would be good. CNA would be good for while you are a regular RN and the CMA would be good for the FNP part...not because you will be doing anything that FNPs do as a CMA, but because as an FNP you will have CMAs working for you.

To sonomala, "Its a two year program that now does not come with the prereqs or the competition of the nursing programs and their making about the same." are you saying RNs and CMA make nearly the same?? You are hugely mistaken if you think this. I was only making $9.00/her after 3 years as an MA...I will be making over 20/hr as an RN...

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Specializes in Telemetry & Obs.
Medical Assistant is the fastest growing medical career in NC. Its a two year program that now does not come with the prereqs or the competition of the nursing programs and their making about the same. I so wanted to do rn but two semesters of prereqs and a two year wait list means its not going to happen. MA here I come :)

Somebody is feeding you a line of horse manure. Think about it: why would a MA with less knowledge and responsbility make anywhere NEAR what I make as a RN? Oh, and try finding a job with a hospital. There's a reason doc's hire MAs...because they're less expensive.

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That information came to me from salary review sites and a little digging I did on my own. Additionally it was the former chief of staff at our hospital and the most respected doctor around (we're talking a major area :) ) who said Medical assistant was the best choice.

I would love to be an rn, and I love all my rn friends, but I don't have the time (I'm older ) to put into it. Lpns around here are being completely phased out and MAs with the high demand are making great money.

I didn't want to start a fight, why does everyone around here dislike MAs so much?

An MA doesn't have the abilities that an rn has, and probably won't get the respect but they will make great money and find complete job security.

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.

An MA doesn't have the abilities that an rn has, and probably won't get the respect but they will make great money and find complete job security.

I loved being a CMA. However, I am yet to meet an MA that actually makes "great money". The majority make under $10/hr, if you think that is great money. Salary wizard.com says MAs in my area make a LOT more than what we actually make; those websites are not very accurate. I am sure you will enjoy being an MA, but don't be surprised if you start to feel under appreciated because your work does not balance out to what you get paid. My friend that is in nursing school with me made $5/hr more as a bank teller.

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Under ten? Yikes! Thats not great money. NA 1s with no exp start out above that here. But where I'm at, virtually everything medical pays great because theres a high demand. And here I thought about moving lol guess not.

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I made $11.00 an hr. as an MA(on the job training) at a podiatry office(in Fl.) the girl that worked beside me(was a shared building) made $15.00 an hr. as a CMA ,she worked for a cardiovascular office.

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Specializes in DOU.
What is the difference between a CNA and a Medical Assistant? If I am trying to gain appropriate skills before attending nursing school to become a Nurse Practitioner, what would you recommend I become--CNA or Medical Assistant?

Thanks!

Where I live, medical assistants can't get a job in a hospital (and yes, they are poorly paid). If you want hospital experience, then I'd go the CNA route. That way, you'd have your foot in the door...

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Specializes in MPCU.

For reliable and accurate information about Medical assistants please see:

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos164.htm

And

http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes319092.htm

Top paying state for CMA is D.C. with an hourly mean wage of $17.13,

National mean wage is $13.59.

Use the above site to find the specific wages for your area. It also provides a good description of the job and links to sites with more information.

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