At my job, we are offered classes each month for our CEU's as LNA's. We were at one the other day for some psych training, and we were asked what we wanted to be doing in 5 years. Myself and another woman said that hopefully we be all graduated and working as RN's, since we're both in nursing school.
Another woman said that she was graduating next week from an Medical Assistant program, and how it was "exactly the same as being an RN", but she got her degree faster, but won't get the same money (and she proceeded to b!tch about that).
Now, I've seen the debate here in the General Nursing discussion, but this just chapped my rearend. I think MA's are great - as are LNA's and LPN's and RN's and everyone that works in healthcare. A friend of mine is an MA, but she does not pass herself off as a nurse. Another friend is a Surgical Tech, and while she doesn't say she's an RN, her son calls her a nurse, saying his mom told him she did "more" nursing in the OR than the nurses do. I've corrected him twice about it, but don't anymore. It just bugs me that I'm busting my hump to become an RN, yet anyone that works in healthcare feels they can call themselves one.
I'm so careful, I don't even call myself an SN while at work, and don't call myself an LNA while in clinical!
I don't know why people can't be proud of what they are. Some of the best tips and knowledge I've gotten on the job has been from the LNA's, many of which are career LNA's. THey're damn good at what they do! It's bothersome that some feel it all comes down to you're either a nurse, or have to claim to be one to be recognized.
Anyway, I kept my mouth shut when this LNA/MA was going off, but I so wanted to say, "So if you're the same as an RN, why won't the hospital or the state recognize you as one? Why? Because you aren't. You may as well call yourself an astronaut. You aren't one of those either!"
Okay, back to the regularly scheduled programming.
They are doing the same thing with phlebotomy. I had a few friends recently pay and finish a phlebotomy program. I insisted they go to the hospitals, but they wouldn't listen to me. In the end, neither of them can get a position and a school mate got a job in the hospital, but it is only paying her $10 an hour. Really sad.
I have a question. I just started a MA program at kaplan. I was told that being a MA is a step to becoming an RN. Just wondering if this was wrong information I was given. Looks to me that being an LPN is closer to the RN Program. Just wanted some advice before I spend the 14 thousand to become a MA...Thanks to whoever can help...
MA isn't a step closer to RN. It will give you medical experience but as far as being closer to be an RN, no. You will have to do the same schooling as someone who has no experience at all. LPN is a step closer. You could get your RN in 2 years so you should just go ahead and go straight to it. Good luck! I hope that helps.
I found this discussion interesting since I just did a project for school with MA's. As part of our community coursework, 3 of us were assigned to a low-income community clinic. They are staffed with 13 providers, 13 MA's, and 2 RN's. One of the RNs supervises the MA's and one is a patient educator.
Long story short, we identified the need to educate the MA's about the possible effect of medications they were injecting. We found that the MA's gave lots of injections, knew what the medications were for basically, but didn't think about the possible side effects. For example, promethazine can cause sedation, so be careful of falls, caution the patient to avoid driving until they know how they will react, etc. They also didn't know not to massage the injection site after giving Depo-provera. This will speed the absorption and decrease the longevity of the medication. Also did not know that patients on Depo should take calcium/vit D to prevent osteoporosis.
As far as physically giving the injection, it was obvious that they did not routinely identify landmarks prior to giving the injection. They just kindof
"eyeballed" it. Even after we did our teaching, it was obvious they were just going to go back to their old ways.
The problem is that MA's are given more and more of the technical duties of nurses due to cost-cutting efforts. It is much cheaper to teach an MA to do injections and pay them $10/hr than to have an RN on hand.
Another problem is that MA schools are not standardized/regulated like nursing schools are. They are also taught various skills at the discression of the employing institution. Therefore, you may have an MA who takes vital signs only, then have an MA at another facility who gives injections, draws blood, etc.
According to the MA scope of practice, MA's must practice under the supervision of a provider. But the problem is that most providers are not aware of this requirement and do not provide adequate supervision.
During our project, I felt that some of the MAs were resentful of our presence, us being lowly BSN student teaching them how to do their job. There also may have been some racial tension as they were all african american and we were all white (at least I had that feeling). One MA did complain that they did all this work, but did not get paid for what they did. I felt like saying, "then why don't you do all the pre-reqs and go to nursing school then? Maybe then you will see the difference in the two roles." But, I held my tongue.
I am a CMA (certified medical assistant), who is currently in an AD nursing program. Unfortunately, like everything else in life, there are good and bad MA's. In my area, most of the doctor's offices hire MA's instead of real nurses to keep their costs down. I have found that I want more out of life than what my MA education has to offer. I am very happy that I am continuing my education. A final thought: as one of my instructors said while pointing out the difference between LPN and RN. "They do some of the same duties, but an RN can tell you why she is doing it."
I am a CMA (certified medical assistant), who is currently in an AD nursing program. Unfortunately, like everything else in life, there are good and bad MA's. In my area, most of the doctor's offices hire MA's instead of real nurses to keep their costs down. I have found that I want more out of life than what my MA education has to offer. I am very happy that I am continuing my education. A final thought: as one of my instructors said while pointing out the difference between LPN and RN. "They do some of the same duties, but an RN can tell you why she is doing it."[/quote]
i find that comment to not only be presumptuous and very untrue, but just down right rude. sorry. i think most LPNs can tell you why they are doing whatever duty they are performing just as well as an RN can.
I'm a LVN in California and going to be starting the advance placement R.N. program in August. First of all, I feel that if MA's feel like they don't get paid enough then they should go back to school. There is no excuse not to go back other than pure laziness. There are so many grants, loans, scholorships, etc. I'm a married father of 3 boys and I worked while going to school. It took a while but its POSSIBLE. Thanks to America, everyone has the free right to go to school.
I have a question. I just started a MA program at kaplan. I was told that being a MA is a step to becoming an RN. Just wondering if this was wrong information I was given. Looks to me that being an LPN is closer to the RN Program. Just wanted some advice before I spend the 14 thousand to become a MA...Thanks to whoever can help...
Wow! $14,000 to become an MA? My ADN degree is going to cost me less than $8,000. I think you just makde a step into the medical field, but not necessarily a step towards nursing.
this thread is from 2005 but the debate goes on. ma's will never be the same as a rn. some things don't and shouldn't ever change. if they want to be the same as an rn then they need to go back to school and then pass the nclex-rn.
Gosh, it this true? I have never heard of this before. I was shocked when I had to go to an Urgent care and the person who was taking my vital signs was an EMT/MA.
I agree with my aunt who is an LPN. The color coded uniforms should come back. All white uniforms should be worn only for Registered Nurses. My aunt has MLPN embroidered on her uniforms.
I know that nursing programs is much more difficult and challenging than MA programs.
As long as she as not posing as an RN, than we can exhale.
Gosh, it this true? I have never heard of this before. I was shocked when I had to go to an Urgent care and the person who was taking my vital signs was an EMT/MA.
I agree with my aunt who is an LPN. The color coded uniforms should come back. All white uniforms should be worn only for Registered Nurses. My aunt has MLPN embroidered on her uniforms.
I know that nursing programs is much more difficult and challenging than MA programs.
As long as she as not posing as an RN, than we can exhale.
:wink2:
And why were you shocked that an MA was taking your blood pressure? A monkey could take a blood pressure.
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CityKat, BSN, RN
554 Posts
They are doing the same thing with phlebotomy. I had a few friends recently pay and finish a phlebotomy program. I insisted they go to the hospitals, but they wouldn't listen to me. In the end, neither of them can get a position and a school mate got a job in the hospital, but it is only paying her $10 an hour. Really sad.