Why Even go for your MA? Don't Understand...

Nurses General Nursing

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please enlighten me as i don’t understand. i was talking with a medical assistant at a doctors office today. she stated that she went to school for 2 years to become a ma. she also stated that she was required to take all the classes that an rn takes before they can get into the program (anatomy and physiology, etc), but she gets pain less than an lpn who only goes to school for one year. how is that fair? why not just get an lpn license or rn license instead and make more money. please, i know it’s not all about the money but i don’t think one could advance any further from a medical assistant the way an lpn can advance to an rn? am i wrong or crazy for thinking this way?

Ok, I literally LOLed at this.

To the OP.....MA programs are often at for-profit technical institutions, and I see ads for them on TV all the time. Maybe not everyone who goes that route thinks it through the same way you do? Maybe there are more MA programs than LPN programs? Maybe it's easier to get in? More flexible schedule? Maybe they're interested in the more clerical focus that MAs can do? Maybe they prefer an office environment, which is what MAs are geared towards?

You are absolutely correct!!

I, for one, got my MA because I am a single mom, it was the only part time program in my area that I could finsish in a reasonable amount of time that is both in healthcare and earns more than minimum wage. Though I am not getting the type of experience I would be getting working in a hospital, I do feel that MA is not a bad step into the healthcare field. I do see some icky things, I get to follow patients during most of the disease process, I have become familiar with a broad range of meds and treatments and I am becoming familiar with the doctors and hospitals around the area.

I agree with a previous post: Not all MAs want to be nurses. Several MAs at my office are perfectly happy working 8am-5pm M-F. They don't want any more responsibility than they have and are satisfied where they are professionally. Some MAs, however (myself included) are continuing with thier education. Now that I can provide for my children, have good benefits and have a decent job, I am working on my BSN.

Specializes in floor to ICU.
I come on here to read, ask questions, comment, give the best advice possible, and have fun. I don't come on here to post and have my bold letters or grammer scrutinized. If you don't like, don't post. Don't hate, lol :)

Wasn't meaning my comment to be snarky. Just took me back for a moment. ;) I was trying to be humorous, didn't mean to offend. :D

To all who were offended, my apologies.

Have you considered asking MA's this question? They will probably have more insight than people who did not go to school to be a MA.

Yes, I only have met a few MA's in a doctors office and didn't want to ask them why they chose that route. I figured there would be plenty of MA's on this board. By the way, I highly respect MA's. They attend school just as long, if not longer than an LPN. The MA I was talking with stated that she had to have all the classes that are required for the RN program as well. I just don't think that it's fair that they have the same responsibilities and legnth of education and don't get compensated for their pay.

Is there a spell check on here?

Wasn't meaning my comment to be snarky. Just took me back for a moment. ;) I was trying to be humorous, didn't mean to offend. :D

To all who were offended, my apologies.

Thanks for clarifying. In that case, hahahaha :lol2:

Yes, it's hard to interpret dry humor through a message. I will admit I was a bit taken off guard by your comment, but I was also cranky, tired, and sick at the time. So, now...no offense taken. : ) :redbeathe

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I completed a MA program more than 10 years ago, at the age of 19. Back then I was working as a cashier at a grocery store while earning a wage of $7.50 per hour. I felt that I would be stuck in the dead-end retail/grocery business if I didn't make a change and get some training for a new career pathway.

However, nothing ever came of the training after I finished the MA program. I was not able to get hired without experience at most places, and the ones who were hiring made lowball offers such as $7.00 hourly, which was less than I had been earning in retail.

I chose the MA route because I was younger, didn't do the research, and really didn't have much guidance about other options that were available to me. In addition, the MA seemed like a nice job with good hours, decent working conditions, and okay pay. By the way, I have never actually worked as a MA.

I work with an MA at an urgent care and she's always grumbling about how we do the same work (im an RN) but she gets paid less. She gets $16 while I get $22 and it's my first year at this first job and she's on her 3rd year. Well, I kinda understand how it's not fun for her to get compensated less but please don't punish me for having my BSN degree. I don't know much about MA education, but from what I had read, it might be better to at least just go for LVN or ADN if it's the same amount of time to get them.

Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
Yes, I only have met a few MA's in a doctors office and didn't want to ask them why they chose that route. I figured there would be plenty of MA's on this board. By the way, I highly respect MA's. They attend school just as long, if not longer than an LPN. The MA I was talking with stated that she had to have all the classes that are required for the RN program as well. I just don't think that it's fair that they have the same responsibilities and legnth of education and don't get compensated for their pay.

Is there a spell check on here?

Very common misconception that MA's take the "same classes" as nursing students. As has been mentioned twice before in this thread, the Anatomy/Physiology/Pharmacology courses are "lite" courses compared to a degreed nursing school. I understand why MA's feel underpaid when they truly believe that they have a similar education to a nurse. And it's no wonder they believe that when they see the ads for the MA schools, promising such a bright healthcare future.

I work with an MA at an urgent care and she's always grumbling about how we do the same work (im an RN) but she gets paid less. She gets $16 while I get $22 and it's my first year at this first job and she's on her 3rd year. Well, I kinda understand how it's not fun for her to get compensated less but please don't punish me for having my BSN degree. I don't know much about MA education, but from what I had read, it might be better to at least just go for LVN or ADN if it's the same amount of time to get them.

This person should be thankful that she is not getting $16 an hour for having a nursing license, like some nurses get. She can always get a nursing license and then seek better opportunities. Nobody is stopping her but her.

Specializes in Cardiology.

MA's have their niche in doctor's offices and do a great job. The issue I have is relaying orders to hospital nurses. It's not allowed in many states yet it occurs. I have received several questionable orders from MA's, checked with the doc and they we're relayed incorrectly. I find this practice dangerous. Likewise I don't think they should be allowed to phone in scripts. Yes they go to school yes they may function as a nurse but alas they are not a nurse. Laws need to be tighter to protect patient's. Case in point...a pt had an order for 1mg of coumadin daily in addition to the 4 mg she was already taking. The MA called the script in as an additional 10 mg of coumadin QD, 3 days later an INR or 17.4 and major GI bleeding.

MA's have their niche in doctor's offices and do a great job. The issue I have is relaying orders to hospital nurses. It's not allowed in many states yet it occurs. I have received several questionable orders from MA's, checked with the doc and they we're relayed incorrectly. I find this practice dangerous. Likewise I don't think they should be allowed to phone in scripts. Yes they go to school yes they may function as a nurse but alas they are not a nurse. Laws need to be tighter to protect patient's. Case in point...a pt had an order for 1mg of coumadin daily in addition to the 4 mg she was already taking. The MA called the script in as an additional 10 mg of coumadin QD, 3 days later an INR or 17.4 and major GI bleeding.

I think the problem you are describing is not an MA one-its one of not being professional. Every MA should know the importance of meds, whether it is coumadin, HTN meds, insulin--heck, any med really. We were taught in school to check and recheck and even recheck again if we have to when dealing with orders. Hopefully the MA involved in the 17.4 INR (:eek:) made a mistake. Everyone makes mistake, some bigger than others. Any health care professional, regardless of their level of education, should be aware of orders and the safety of their patients.

Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
I think the problem you are describing is not an MA one-its one of not being professional. Every MA should know the importance of meds, whether it is coumadin, HTN meds, insulin--heck, any med really. We were taught in school to check and recheck and even recheck again if we have to when dealing with orders. Hopefully the MA involved in the 17.4 INR (:eek:) made a mistake. Everyone makes mistake, some bigger than others. Any health care professional, regardless of their level of education, should be aware of orders and the safety of their patients.

MAs should not be relaying orders to nurses in a hospital. Orders need to come from the physician. Heaven knows we have enough issues with telephone orders from physicians, let alone taking orders from third parties who may or may not be relaying the information correctly.

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