MA to LPN??????

highasthesky · Oct 17, 2005

wow......yes the sarcasm was a bit much......sorry if my question makes me sound vapid to some of you who do have more knowledge about the medical field and titles. i do believe that this is the first time ive felt airheaded on this site....but it won't change me being a fan since i dont' take things personally. i think someone has a cna mixed up med assisant. my cna class was about 6 weeks. the ma course is 9 months. and i know that ma's do not have as much knowledge as rn's or lpn's, but had heard that after working as a registered med assistant under a physician for a year you could challenge the nclex. i didn't think it at all impossible, just thought with a few more clinicals.....well, anyway. my question has been answered. and to whomever said that any learning would not be a waste....thank you. i dont' feel like it's a total waste. and as far as the titles, i don't believe you should call yourself a nurse unless you've earned it...so i'm right there with you on that one. sometimes family members are totally oblivious to your title, all they know is you're being good to their mother/father or other family member, but when called nurse i always quickly responded that i was nurses tech or assistant to avoid any confusion or any of the nurses being made to feel exactly like a couple of the responses have been here. they worked hard for that title and job and i wasn't looking for an easy route, i know that no matter what route is taken it's not easy becoming or being a nurse. trying to find the shortest route for myself for financial reasons. thanks again for all the valid responses and advice. god bless!

SmilingBluEyes · Oct 17, 2005

I wish you well in your pursuits, Highasthesky!

pink2blue1 · Oct 17, 2005

can anyone tell me if a rma can challenge the board for lpn? someone had told me they heard after being certified for one year you could challenge the board........anyone have any info on this? thanks-

i don't know about medical assistants, but in california where i live a certified nursing assistant can challenge the lvn boards after 5 years as a cna.

shannon

pink2blue1 · Oct 17, 2005

Hello,
Wouldn't life be grand if everyone who felt they are smart enough can skip school & just challenge the exams. Paralegals would be attorneys in no time, pharmacy techs would be pharmacist, ect...
Good luck in finding a state to let you challenge the NCLEX. I think I'll call the Board of medicine tommorow and try to challenge the medical licensing exam. Hey, why waste all that time in school, when I can be a DR by the end of the week (LOL).

Sheesh! Why do you have to be so rude! :nono:

jeepgirl, LPN, NP · Oct 17, 2005

thanks so much for the replies. i enrolled in this medical assistant program because i thought it would help me get into an lpn or rn school if i did really well in it, but talking to vol state and the tenn tech center they said that working as a cna would get me in b4 ma. i was baffled to hear that, i went thru cna course and worked as one, and i didn't learn as much as i'm going to in this ma program. surely if i complete the program with good grades and recommendations it'll help me get in a nursing program....right? or am i wasting my time? thanks everyone......

total waste of time. go to college, get your pre-requisites and go to nursing school. nothing else these days really matters.

jeepgirl, LPN, NP · Oct 17, 2005

I don't know about Medical Assistants, but in California where I live a Certified Nursing Assistant can challenge the LVN boards after 5 years as a CNA.
Shannon

That is simply not true. Go to the state board of nursing website to check it out.

jeepgirl, LPN, NP · Oct 17, 2005

Where I live, a lot of MA's are people that doctors hired off the street to work for them.. and they are "Trained" by the physician. That does not equal formal or extensive training in my book.

pink2blue1 · Oct 17, 2005

That is simply not true. Go to the state board of nursing website to check it out.

Sorry jeepgirl, it IS true, in California where I live you CAN challenge the LVN boards (NOT RN, LVN) after being a CNA for 5 years. I work with 2 CNA's who are doing this. As long as they have a certain amount of hours logged in certain areas they can do this. ALso got this out of my program handbook from our teacher. According to our handbook there are 5 methods to qualify for a VN license.

#1 Graduating from a California accredited VN program.

#2 Graduation from an out of state accredited PN program

#3 Graduation from a California approved VN program

*625 hours of Pharm, General Nursing, Clinical practice

METHOD #4---COMPLETION OF EQUIVALENT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE

Pharmacology-54 theory hours, PAID NURSING EXPERIENCE-51 months and Verification of skill proficiency

#5 Completion of education and experience as a corpsman in the US miltary

12 months rendering direct bedside patient care, completion of basic course in nursing in a branch of the US military, general-honorable discharge from the military.

Here is our website http://www.bvnpt.ca.gov/

:-)

txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN · Oct 17, 2005

I have checked this out... However, this takes a mi of 5 years plus all that other crap you have to do.... You could just about get your Masters in Nursing in that time.. Plus CA BON plainly tells you that many employers require that their employees graduate from a accrediated school of nursing. The chances are near 100% that you could not transfer your license out of CA and where would that leave you.... going to nursing school. Just because you have 5 years or so as a CNA does not mean you have the Med-Surg too back up your practice. Regardless of the area you work in. I am not bashing CNA's that are trying to move ahead .. DO IT , GO FOR IT. But what I dont understand is why people want the easy way out. Just go to nursing school ... do your time, take all the courses you need to secure a safe practice. It is worth the time to invest in your education, learn all you can, because the last thing you want is to be standing in front of the BON defending yourself....

Sorry jeepgirl, it IS true, in California where I live you CAN challenge the LVN boards (NOT RN, LVN) after being a CNA for 5 years. I work with 2 CNA's who are doing this. As long as they have a certain amount of hours logged in certain areas they can do this. ALso got this out of my program handbook from our teacher. According to our handbook there are 5 methods to qualify for a VN license.
#1 Graduating from a California accredited VN program.
#2 Graduation from an out of state accredited PN program
#3 Graduation from a California approved VN program
*625 hours of Pharm, General Nursing, Clinical practice
METHOD #4---COMPLETION OF EQUIVALENT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE
Pharmacology-54 theory hours, PAID NURSING EXPERIENCE-51 months and Verification of skill proficiency
#5 Completion of education and experience as a corpsman in the US miltary
12 months rendering direct bedside patient care, completion of basic course in nursing in a branch of the US military, general-honorable discharge from the military.
Here is our website http://www.bvnpt.ca.gov/
:-)

cjcsoon2bnp, MSN, RN, NP · Oct 17, 2005

Yipes, tension is a bit thick in this post. About the whole MA being called a Nurse issue that was brought up. I def. understand why it would ruffle feathers, a nurse is a nurse and an MA isn't. I think instead of people getting upset I think its a good idea to educate. I took at a look at a MA link someone posted and here is something I found interesting.

http://www.medicalassistant.net/can_ma_do.htm

Thats the scope of MA's practice. Now if we may, take a look at what a MA can do (all of the things a nurse can do as most people know) and then take a look at what they can't do. Now I am not 100 percent postive but most of those things if not everything in that "No No" list is something that an RN can do. So saying an MA is a nurse is a falsehood. And that information is straight from experienced MA's so its not like were at any disagreement on that. This isn't meant to attack Ben or anyone else, I think this kinda post should be to educate. :)

pink2blue1 · Oct 17, 2005

I have checked this out... However, this takes a mi of 5 years plus all that other crap you have to do.... You could just about get your Masters in Nursing in that time.. Plus CA BON plainly tells you that many employers require that their employees graduate from a accrediated school of nursing. The chances are near 100% that you could not transfer your license out of CA and where would that leave you.... going to nursing school. Just because you have 5 years or so as a CNA does not mean you have the Med-Surg too back up your practice. Regardless of the area you work in. I am not bashing CNA's that are trying to move ahead .. DO IT , GO FOR IT. But what I dont understand is why people want the easy way out. Just go to nursing school ... do your time, take all the courses you need to secure a safe practice. It is worth the time to invest in your education, learn all you can, because the last thing you want is to be standing in front of the BON defending yourself....

Um, I am not the one who wants to challenge, I was simply stating the facts to jeepgirl. anyways I am in an accredited LVN program right now. I have been a CNA for 3 years in an acute care hospital with experience in Med-surg (Where I currently work) Oncology and Tele as well as some nursery. I have never worked LTC (Which what I think you meant by having med surg to back up my practice? Anyways I am definitely NOT taking the easy way out, I am currently in a program, full time, with 3 kids LOL! It's hard and totally worth it in my opinion. I would never challenge, I was just stating the facts that indeed it can be done.

txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN · Oct 17, 2005

Oh I know I was just making a statement under your post so folks would know what I was trying to say. It was nothing meant toward you. I am tired and sometimes just mess things all up....

Um, I am not the one who wants to challenge, I was simply stating the facts to jeepgirl. anyways I am in an accredited LVN program right now. I have been a CNA for 3 years in an acute care hospital with experience in Med-surg (Where I currently work) Oncology and Tele as well as some nursery. I have never worked LTC (Which what I think you meant by having med surg to back up my practice? Anyways I am definitely NOT taking the easy way out, I am currently in a program, full time, with 3 kids LOL! It's hard and totally worth it in my opinion. I would never challenge, I was just stating the facts that indeed it can be done.