Forced from RN to MA question

[Jeannette]

I am curious if anyone has been forced as an RN to be the only MA with no training or schooling for it. I have been in psych for years and now I am in a dermatology office with a few month of experience in it. The manager refuses to train me but is mandating that I do the MA job. I dont even know how.

Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

3 hours ago, Jory said:

I'm confused...you don't need training to be an MA. Everything an MA does is well within what an RN does.

If they want you to function as an MA? If it were me, I could care less...but they are going to pay me according to my qualifications.

You also have the same liability as an RN, doesn't matter what role you have. If you were an MA and not an RN, you would fall under the liability of the physician.

There are specific tasks that may be expected that the OP has not ever done, particularly lab-related. Or some other office routines, say vision screening or hearing screening. (not covered in nursing school, not on the boards.) In a legal sense I agree with you, but the employer still has the responsibility to provide adequate training.

[Just me.]

I think I understand where you are coming from. You have a role as a Nurse: you were hired to do biologics. And now that the MA has left, they want you to do 2 jobs.

And do you feel you are lacking in some of the skills you need? Some of the bedside nursing functions? Yes, you are a nurse, but you are unsure of some of the tasks and computer work the MA does.

EDIT: I have learned a lot on youtube I hate to admit! Techniques for difficult blood draws, tips on how to perform skills. But, I know I have to be careful the techniques are correct for my facility.

Are you concerned about being able to do your job and that of filling the role of the MA?

Just like working short-handed in the hospital, the job is still expected to get done. It sounds like from your concerns that you are not comfortable with the added new role, but that you aren't likely to get a new job soon.

If you need to keep the job, don't be too hard on yourself. Unfortunately, I'm learning first hand that you sometimes have to learn as you go (subbing for school nursing) EDIT: And as long as it is within the scope of Nursing, in your state.

And though it doesn't sound fair to you, would that let you shadow an MA at another site for a shift?

[Jeannette]

They just dont train. A medical assistant would or should train me. They don't like to train new people. Yes it is a negative work environment. They had 2 ma for one provider in one office and 2 at the other office one quit. So when they are short staffed they want me to just jump in there. Without being trained. I am in charge of biologics for both offices and extremely busy. I help a lot around the office putting away supplies washing gowns turn over rooms. The pay is low. I also take out stitches.

[klone, MSN, RN]

What are they asking you to do that you don't feel you have adequate training for?

[Jory, MSN, APRN, CNM]

4 hours ago, Jedrnurse said:

There are specific tasks that may be expected that the OP has not ever done, particularly lab-related. Or some other office routines, say vision screening or hearing screening. (not covered in nursing school, not on the boards.) In a legal sense I agree with you, but the employer still has the responsibility to provide adequate training.

Considering MA programs are not standardized and don't even have a license, would disagree with you. I didn't learn how to do PICC lines in nursing school, yet learned to do them as a transport nurse. I didn't learn to do intubations in nursing school, yet learned to do them as a critical care nurse.

There is nothing that says you cannot do some types of lab preparations as a nurse. But that isn't the point. The point is MAs work under the physician's license and when you are an RN you cannot "shut off' your learning and you will be held to the highest standard of your training.

You are not limited to what you learned in nursing school or what is covered in boards. Our profession would shut down if that were true. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say they will show her how to do the necessary tasks, but it's the pay she should be concerned about. We need to stop spreading liability myths.

3 hours ago, Jeannette said:

They just dont train. A medical assistant would or should train me. They don't like to train new people. Yes it is a negative work environment. They had 2 ma for one provider in one office and 2 at the other office one quit. So when they are short staffed they want me to just jump in there. Without being trained. I am in charge of biologics for both offices and extremely busy. I help a lot around the office putting away supplies washing gowns turn over rooms. The pay is low. I also take out stitches.

You are partially responsible for your own training. If they ask you to do something you don't know how to do. Stand there and say, "Somebody needs to show me or somebody else needs to do this."

It's that simple.

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

6 hours ago, Jory said:

Considering MA programs are not standardized and don't even have a license, would disagree with you. I didn't learn how to do PICC lines in nursing school, yet learned to do them as a transport nurse. I didn't learn to do intubations in nursing school, yet learned to do them as a critical care nurse.

That's pretty much what I meant. Of course the OP can perform MA duties under the RN license but needs to be trained...

[DTWriter]

Did they at least bump up your salary?

Are they still going to pay you as an RN when you do MA work?

Do you have obligations that are preventing you from moving away to areas with better job opportunities (i.e. child(ren), spouse, another relative, etc.)?

[SaltineQueen]

16 hours ago, Jeannette said:

I am in charge of biologics

I also take out stitches.

What do you mean by "biologics?" Are you being asked to prep Mohs slides? No way would I do that without training.

Removing stitches and staples was taught in nursing school, no? Unless it's a specialized stitch they're pretty easy to remove.

[Psychnursehopeful, ASN, RN]

Are you being paid as a RN or a MA? Is your pay in line with your state / city as far an RNs are we concerned. From your post it sounds as though you're being taken advantage of. Make sure you get the wage a RN deserves!

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

Part of the problem is likely that your communication skills are horrible. See how everyone here is having to guess what you mean?

If you would just state clearly what your pay rate is, what your duties are, what happens when you ask for training, and just clearly tell your story, we might have a better idea of what the heck you are talking about.

You loved Psych. Why not go back to it?

[Just me.]

3 minutes ago, Kooky Korky said:

Part of the problem is likely that your communication skills are horrible. See how everyone here is having to guess what you mean?

If you would just state clearly what your pay rate is, what your duties are, what happens when you ask for training, and just clearly tell your story, we might have a better idea of what the heck you are talking about.

You loved Psych. Why not go back to it?

It sounds like she wants to, but there are no jobs.

OP, would you be willing to travel some distance to find that job?

47 minutes ago, SaltineQueen said:

What do you mean by "biologics?" Are you being asked to prep Mohs slides? No way would I do that without training.

Removing stitches and staples was taught in nursing school, no? Unless it's a specialized stitch they're pretty easy to remove.

Op do you mean removing the stitches is the part that keeps you busy, another one your responsibilities, not what you are unsure of doing?

In the U.S. check with sites like Indeed, and search for nursing jobs in your area, see if traveling some to find yourself a more suitable work environment is possible?

Take care.

[klone, MSN, RN]

3 hours ago, SaltineQueen said:

What do you mean by "biologics?" Are you being asked to prep Mohs slides? No way would I do that without training.

I interpreted that as "biologics" is what she was doing as an RN (and was trained for that) and now they're ALSO asking her to do MA duties, for which she does not feel she has been adequately trained. That's why I asked what specific duties they were asking her to do. I worked in clinic for several years, and the MA duties were very routine and easy to learn.