MA looking to further education... options?

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So in January I'll be a Certified Medical Assistant. :yeah:

But I'm looking for more. I'm tired of being chewed out because I'm not a "nurse." :madface:

(FEEL FREE TO SKIP THIS RANTING PART) :oornt:

Where as my sister is in school to be a certified nurses assistant and she gets to be called a "nurse"... if your going to be literal at least be correct! My sister and I go to school for the same length of time (classroom hours wise) but I have to memorize two huge textbooks worth of medical terminology and she doesn't. I have 30 more intern hours than her and have to give shots/draw blood and she doesn't! But she's the "nurse" because she's a "nurses" assistant.... ASSISTANT, people chew me out because I'm not a nurse but if your going to be literal, then she's not a nurse either, just an assistant...

Disclaimer: I IN NO WAY mean to offend any CNA that is reading this! I simply don't like that people see your title and think "nurse" and then they see my title and think "bucket carrier" or "Stop pretending to be a nurse!"

I could rant all day but that wouldn't help me in any way...

But thats besides the point ^^^^ :oornt:

(READ THIS PART)

In your opinion, should I go for my LVN and work for a few years to get experience and then go for (adn)RN, or just shoot straight for (adn)RN?

If you have any other suggestions I am ALL EARS!

I'll be working as a MA full-time while going to school, so keep that in mind when forming an opinion. . (Well, full-time in theory at least. :p)

Side-note: I love my baby sister dearly, it's just her title I don't like. ;)

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Specializes in Cardiac, Med-Surg, ICU.

If you can afford to swing it in any way, shape, or form, definitely RN all the way. More money and broader scope of practice in most facilities and states. If not, then go for your LPN and then see if your employer will help you pay for your RN. Just a thought however, you will likely not be able to work full-time regardless of which path you choose because of clinical time. This holds true especially if you are working M-F physician office hours.

As far as the title of "nurse", your sister obviously is no more qualified to use it then you are. That does not demean the importance of either one of you, in terms of your position or capabilities. Just remind your sister that the title of nurse is protected in some states and that she might get in trouble for impersonating a nurse.

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Thank you for your input!

I unfortunately couldn't make it into the school I wanted to go to (no funding) and will have to go for my LVN lic. at the community college instead since the Fed Gov't will pay for everything except the TB test, the parking permit and the gas in my car. ;)

The LVN is a little bit further than I wanted to start out as, but if I like it: great, and I've got a great paying job.

(Hospitals around here pay avg $27-$35 an hour for LVN's just out of school, and once I make it past my (I think) 6 month mark I get a very nice raise and a promotion if I do well.)

One nurse told me she went from $30 and hour to $47 an hour, with a better job and more flexibility in her schedule. But on the other shoe, another nurse told me she went from $29 an hour to $32 an hour, and stayed in the same rotation/position, but she had no desire to go higher up the food chain so she was happy with the $3 increase and staying where she was... It's all in perspective of the beholder I suppose....

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Great news. A friend gave me the tuition to go to the Medical Assistant class. :) I start Sept. 14th! I'm so excited!

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