what do nurses think of medical assistants?

redridnghud · Feb 24, 2001

Karen - Maybe the question should be what do C.M.A.'s think of Nurses? I was a C.M.A. for five years. Was mistakenly called Nurse numerous times and each time explained I was not a Nurse. I did not have My R.N. My colleague C.M.A. called herself "the Doctors Nurse" and passed herself off to clients and other medical personel as a "NURSE" every chance she had..Bottom line she shows no respect for the Registered Professional Nurse and worse of all she does phone triage, med call ins, and client med calls. And yes ugly blunders have been made. To be a true Nurse, PRIDE must come way after the clients well being... Real Nurses know and practice this!

ubcnme · Feb 24, 2001

I started out as a medical assistant; went to school in Phoenix, AZ about 13 years ago. I worked in physician's offices and gained a ton of experience having worked in GYN/onc, pediatrics, dermatology, and internal medicine. In AZ at that time (live in KS now), medical assistants were almost the equivalent of LPNs although not licensed but could be certified. We were allowed to give injections, perform venipunctures, EKGs, vital signs, and a host of other duties just as an LPN in a business office, of course under the direction of the physicians. When I moved to KS, I quickly found out that MAs were not utilized, until the last few years, and went on to pursue my RN. However, the 6-7 years I worked as an MA gave me a great background for my RN and I was already way ahead of most of my fellow nursing students having had alot of clinical training in MA school although not the detailed assessment skills; some RNs still can't perform basic laboratory functions which just slays me at times from putting in an IV to even knowing how to perform a dipstick UA or obtain a sample properly from a Foley catheter. I think it all just depends on where you to go to school and how much clinical training you receive. I do think there is a place for medical assistants in the medical field; however, probably not in acute care due to the lack of training in assessment skills.

kaylee · Mar 16, 2001

Originally posted by karenccma:
HI I AM A NEWLY CERTIFEID MEDICAL ASSISTANT AND, AND I KNOW I AM NOT A LVN OR AN RN BUT I HAD THIS PT. COME IN URGENT CARE I WORK AT SHE JUST HAPPENED TO BE A LVN. WHEN HER DAUGHTER SAID "HI NURSE" TO ME THE MOTHER SAID "OH HUNEY SHE ISN'T A NURSE SHE IS JUST A M.A" THAT REALLY HURT ME .IS THAT THE WAY ALL" NURSES THINK ?
CAN ALL YOU REAL NURSES TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT M.A'S

THANKS LOADS
KARENCCMA

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Kaylee

Missouri

kaylee · Mar 16, 2001

Hi Karen!

Congrats on your accomplishment!!! I am a medical assistant that is now in my 2nd month of LPN school. Seem a litte repetative? Not really. I worked in a physicians office and was very fortunate to work with a wonderful group of nurses that considered me as one of their "nurses." I infact trained many of the new LPN's that joined our clinic. Isn't that interesting? Why did I decide to go back to school? Becasue I want to be the "real nurse", not just the MA everyone considered to be a nurse. If I had to do it all over again I would have went directly to LPN school. However, you are a very important part of the health care team in the clinic setting. I worked as a medical asst. for 10 years, and the experience I gained has been such a plus for the course I am taking now. I wish you the best of luck in your employment, and yes you will always come across that nurse that is upset that you can do the same time of things she can and be considered a nurse by your patients. Just wear you name badge with pride and know that you have made a big accomplishment.

Good luck to you

HI I AM A NEWLY CERTIFEID MEDICAL ASSISTANT AND, AND I KNOW I AM NOT A LVN OR AN RN BUT I HAD THIS PT. COME IN URGENT CARE I WORK AT SHE JUST HAPPENED TO BE A LVN. WHEN HER DAUGHTER SAID "HI NURSE" TO ME THE MOTHER SAID "OH HUNEY SHE ISN'T A NURSE SHE IS JUST A M.A" THAT REALLY HURT ME .IS THAT THE WAY ALL" NURSES THINK ?

CAN ALL YOU REAL NURSES TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT M.A'S

THANKS LOADS

KARENCCMA

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Kaylee

Missouri