Does anyone else find this offensive?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

"Fast paced multiple physician practice seeking fulltime Medical Assistant/LPN"

MEDICAL ASSISTANT/LPN?? I emailed them regarding their job posting and they said "its the same thing and they get paid the same". What are your thoughts?

Specializes in Nursing Education, CVICU, Float Pool.

I agree with the previous posters. It's not a turf war to me. MA's may be more qualified in the clinic or office setting, but compared to an nurse who can work in mutiple settings there is no comparison. That my opinion though. Who would you want to treat a patient when you go into an emergency room and treat a patient with spinal injuries, a fractured sacrum etc... I would want a nurse just like I would want a MA with clerical experience in a medical office.

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Specializes in Psych, EMS.
Hi. I don't think anyone was saying anything against MA's here. Although the roles are complimentary, and we all work together, it is not ethical for people to refer to anyone as a "nurse" or "RN" unless they are. As far as I know, MA's have a different role.

It is not only unethical, but illegal. But that's a whole 'nother topic..and there are already way too many threads addressing it.

MA's do have a different role. But there is a ton of overlap between the training of an MA and LPN. The job requirements for most clinics fall within that overlap. So what is the proble with advertising for either?

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Here in NJ almost every doctors office I have been to in that last 5 years has referred to a one or more MA as a nurse. I have found out only through my interest in nursing and upon questioning the "nurses", they then reveal that they are MA's not an LPN or RN. I find it offensive that doctor don't distinguish between the two.

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Specializes in M/S, Tele, Sub (stepdown), Hospice.

OMG.....now I'm getting annoyed with the whole "MA's can give injections?!?!?". I was a medical assistant for 10 years & my last position, I was making just about $19/hr (So. Cal).

I went to school & was taught how to give injections. It's not that hard. I give better injections than my fellow new grad RN's. I had more learning time with injections than in nursing school as well.

Also, MA's don't give medications without a Dr. being in the office. Every med I ever gave was under the supervision of the MD. There always needs to be an MD present (in office) to administer meds (unlike RN's).

I'm sure MA's & LPN's work differently in other states so I will not comment on that. I'm just annoyed at how many people think it's ridiculous that MA's can't do more than rooming patients & getting VS.

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Specializes in Psych, Informatics, Biostatistics.

I agree with tyvin MAs may be cheapening 'our' profession. This may be a challenge for 'our' profession in the future.

When it comes to LPNs, UNA talks out of both sides of its mouth

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Specializes in LTC, Rehab, Peds.

I went to MA school before going to LPN school. Telling you about my programs (MA and LPN) is pointless because each MA and LPN program and what they include (phlebotomy, labs, etc) are different. So, comparing them is also pointless.

If you work in a physician's office both will have pretty much the same job It seems fair that the salary would be similar: Same job, same pay. The real difference is in the hospital and LTC settings where patients need real nursing care, not just med pass and lab prep. My idea of nursing isn't just passing meds, it's the whole deal.

If you ask me, I think CMA's should have more of an issue with MA's being trained "on the job" with no formal education.

Just :twocents: from someone who sat in both boats :)

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Specializes in M/S, Tele, Sub (stepdown), Hospice.
I went to MA school before going to LPN school. Telling you about my programs (MA and LPN) is pointless because each MA and LPN program and what they include (phlebotomy, labs, etc) are different. So, comparing them is also pointless.

If you work in a physician's office both will have pretty much the same job It seems fair that the salary would be similar: Same job, same pay. The real difference is in the hospital and LTC settings where patients need real nursing care, not just med pass and lab prep. My idea of nursing isn't just passing meds, it's the whole deal.

If you ask me, I think CMA's should have more of an issue with MA's being trained "on the job" with no formal education.

Just :twocents: from someone who sat in both boats :)

I tooooooooooooootally agree!!!!!! So many "MA's" nowadays that never even went to school!!!!!!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTC/Geriatric.
Ironically, I worked alongside a LPN in this clinic, and she could NOT give meds via IV push because under the state's Nurse Practice Act, she was prohibited from doing so! :D

I find this particular reply very condescending and the poster appears to be gloating. :down:

To the OP: I am an LPN and no, I don't find the job posting offensive. I'm in Canada and we don't have the same type of "MA" that are in the states. However, from what I've learned on allnurses, the scopes between the two can overlap, but also have differences. The job posting did not imply that LPNs were inferior to MAs or vice versa. I personally would not work in a doctors office because the pay would be MUCH LOWER than what I make as an LPN in acute care and LTC. But, no, I don't think it's offensive.

Now, if a job posting stated it was for a NURSING job in LTC or acute care and said "LPN/MA needed...." (Not that it would as an MA couldn't work in those settings) that would be offensive to LPNs.

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I think people were not sure what the post was about. The title said "Nursing job: Looking for a MA/LPN". The reason why it is offensive is not because one is better than the other but that physicians who are running their practices do not want to differentiate between titles. It's as if just because we aren't physicians, we are just automatically all the same thing.

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Specializes in M/S, Tele, Sub (stepdown), Hospice.
I think people were not sure what the post was about. The title said "Nursing job: Looking for a MA/LPN". The reason why it is offensive is not because one is better than the other but that physicians who are running their practices do not want to differentiate between titles. It's as if just because we aren't physicians, we are just automatically all the same thing.

I think racefan88 stated it perfectly. The job itself may require certain duties that both an MA &/or LPN may be able to do.

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Specializes in LTC, Psych, Hospice.
I agree with tyvin MAs may be cheapening 'our' profession. This may be a challenge for 'our' profession in the future.

When it comes to LPNs, UNA talks out of both sides of its mouth

Interesting link!

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Specializes in LTC, Acute Care.
I think people were not sure what the post was about. The title said "Nursing job: Looking for a MA/LPN". The reason why it is offensive is not because one is better than the other but that physicians who are running their practices do not want to differentiate between titles. It's as if just because we aren't physicians, we are just automatically all the same thing.

Is it offensive if a nursing home posts a job for an LPN/RN?

The medical equipment stores around here post jobs for a LPN/RN/respiratory tech. Is that offensive?

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