Help!

[esl1993]

I am currently a medical assisting student. I will be graduating in a few months and hopefully be a registered MA. I was wondering if there is any way you can bridge from a MA to an LPN. I am trained and will be certified to perform clinical duties such as phlebotomy. With that basic knowledge and certifications enabling me to practice those, I see that there are some similarities between an LPN and a MA and there has got to be some type of training for it somewhere....I really wouldn't want to start all over in school, and I would prefer online programs.

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

There are no online LPN programs. There are no MA to LPN bridge programs as MA programs are skills focused and taught under the medical model. LPN is more holistic and covers theory and clinical using the nursing model of care. The nursing theory classes are typically more in depth than MA classes

[SHGR, MSN, RN, CNS]

Agreed with Justbeachynurse. You will breeze through skills you know, but there will also be ADL skills to learn (are you by chance a CNA also?). The theoretical base is very different. Since nurses have a license and are expected to use critical thinking, it is very different than being an MA. I'm sure you use critical thinking in your job and your post indicates you're intelligent, but nurses work independently under their own licenses so the education includes skills but as part of the whole picture.

Don't let that stop you. There are many more opportunities in nursing than for MAs.

That said, if it is management in outpatient setting you are interested in, consider MBA instead. Just something to consider.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Medical assistant training is part of the medical model of care provision, whereas LPN training is part of the nursing model. Therefore, MA to LPN programs do not exist.