LPN vs RN vs MA- Doctor's Office Job

I decided that I want to either work in a doctor's office or do home care instead of working in a hospital or nursing home. I know that I can do home care as an LPN or RN and not as an MA, but I wanted to know as far as working in a doctor's office am I wasting my time getting an RN or LPN degree? I go to different doctor's offices with my mom, but a lot of time the people either don't have a name tag on or if they do, it is turned around. I would ask them, but I always chicken out.

If you really don't want professional responsibilities for some reason, you can be a CNA in home care or an office, too. Don't waste your time on a professional education if you really aren't interested in what it means.

And you should always ask what the credentials are of anyone who cares for you.

And finally: Do NOT think that because RNs, LPNs, CNAs, and MAs all take blood pressures, weigh you, fill out a history and meds checklist on an electronic device, and stick you for blood that they are all doing the same job. They aren't. Tasks aren't the same thing.

[SDALPN]

If you really don't want professional responsibilities for some reason, you can be a CNA in home care or an office, too. Don't waste your time on a professional education if you really aren't interested in what it means.

And you should always ask what the credentials are of anyone who cares for you.

And finally: Do NOT think that because RNs, LPNs, CNAs, and MAs all take blood pressures, weigh you, fill out a history and meds checklist on an electronic device, and stick you for blood that they are all doing the same job. They aren't. Tasks aren't the same thing.

Very well said!

A lot of doctor's offices use unlicensed staff, so you can potentially work in a doctor's office without a nursing license, Home health uses CNA, LVNs, RNs, depends on how much you would like to get paid, and if you want the responsibilty of an RN

[SDALPN]

A lot of doctor's offices use unlicensed staff, so you can potentially work in a doctor's office without a nursing license, Home health uses CNA, LVNs, RNs, depends on how much you would like to get paid, and if you want the responsibilty of an RN

Easy there, LPNs have a license and responsibility as well.

In the doctors' offices I visit regularly, the MAs do the bulk of the work. There is a NP working with my OB-Gyn doctors and an RN who does a lot of telephone triage. Otherwise, nurses are well outnumbered by MAs in the office setting.

Easy there, LPNs have a license and responsibility as well.

She didn't say that, or even suggest it, from what I read. Just saying that there are options if one doesn't want the responsibility that goes along with being an RN (because, obviously, responsibility differs depending on the job and license).

"I decided that I want to either work in a doctor's office or do home care instead of working in a hospital or nursing home." ~ WishfulLPN26

Ok....Why? What is it you DO want to do, or see yourself doing?

There is nothing wrong with not wanting to work in a hospital. My first RN job was in a doctor's office. Most of the nurses there were LPN's. The pay was very low, but I liked the job. I find now that there are few RN's in the office setting. They usually don't NEED an RN to do the types of things done in the average MD office.