Currently MA, should I go for CNA???

Nursing Students CNA/MA

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Hi everybody. I am new here. The site is great, I found lots of useful info.

I have a dilemma, maybe someone will give me an advice.

I had my associate as a MA 3 years ago. All these 3 years I was working as a MA in private practice, but my dream was to work in hospital. I was sending out my resume to apply for medical assistant in different hospitals in NY. Unfortunately I didn't get any hospital position.

The friend of mine, she is a RN, told me that if I get CNA, it will be much easier to get a job that I want. I looked online and found out that MA and CNA almost the same. I just don't want to pay $1500 and go for the same level of education.

Maybe I am wrong, and CNA is more valueable that MA?

Thank you.

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Marusya, a lot of nursing homes will train you for free in exchange for a commitment to stay with them for x amount of time, I think usually a year.

CNA is certainly more useful if you want to work in a hospital. I think MA's are generally limited to physician's offices, no? Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

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Thank you for your reply. I'll try to contact nursing homes.

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Good luck.

:)

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Specializes in EMS, ER, GI, PCU/Telemetry.

i would not say one is more valuable than the other. they serve different and equally important roles in health care!

i think if you want to work in a hospital, becoming a CNA is the way to go. some hospitals will also train you to become a CNA for years of service promised. CNA's focus more on patient care such as hygeine, feeding, grooming, toileting and other ADL's, accuchecks, vital signs and depending on where you live, catheters, trach care, dressing changes, etc. MA's focus more on physician's office work such as giving injections, medication teaching, flow sheets, etc. as well as tasks assigned and supervised by a physician.

at the last hospital i worked at, we only had one CMA who was working as an X-Ray tech. but i believe up north they utilize them more widely in the hospital setting.

good luck!

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