MA's in hospitals, replacing RNs ?

Nurses General Nursing

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:angryfireOK, so is this true. Has anyone seen adverts for ma as clinical bed side care givers. I think nurses need to start speaking up against this. I would never go to a hospital that an MA is my so called nruse. You get what you pay for. Can you imagine waking up from or and an MA listening to your breath sounds, circ checks and head to toe assesment and then giving you Dilaudid. Can you imagine the law suites the hospitals would see. Im really sick of going into a Dr's office and the MA presented as an RN and doing things RN's can't do , because some Dr. said it was OK. Physician offices that are doing this need a wake up call. I also seen a comercial about H1N1 and the " nurse" was talking about how safe the " shot" . was. I know the Dr's office. She was an ma. Im not saying MA's don't have their place but, that's just it they have their place.

Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.
I'd wager it is more for PCA positions, but hospitals might try to increase PCA #s and lower RN numbers since MAs make about half as much as RNs.

Less. I made over three times less as an CMA than I do as an RN. And it is over three times as hard.

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Me thinks that Summit is right. But these days it seems that they'll try anything, and if they don't get "dinged" they will integrate it. Things are scary enough as it is.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

"OK, so is this true. Has anyone seen adverts for ma as clinical bed side care givers"

What exactly are you saying is true? That there are ads for MA's as bedside caregivers?

First of all, MA's don't work in hospitals. If you're referring to patient care aides or CNA's, well of course there are ads for those. They DO give bedside care, lots of it. I don't understand why you're raising an alarm.

Unlicensed personnel will never replace licensed nurses. At least not until MD's decide to staff hospital floors and deliver the care themselves:clpty:

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Specializes in Legal, Ortho, Rehab.

Let me look into my magic eight ball on this one...nope, not gonna happen. Hearsay just isn't credible. Honestly, cost effectiveness is not even a logical reason, due to the the scope, and education. Not to mention every hospital would lose it's beloved "magnet status". It's plain and simple, MA does not equal RN.

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In this day and present economy, anyway to cut costs is welcome. That is the attitude that is becoming

mopre prevalent. More demanding consumers with producers trying to cut costs to meet up.

But not in healthcare. NO WAY in healthcare!

But you also know another thing too, you still get to do the other things the MA's cannot do, along with yours.

Double the work, cos you have to keep back-tracking to cover all bases.

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Less. I made over three times less as an CMA than I do as an RN. And it is over three times as hard.

Forgive me, but what exactly was hard about it?

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Less. I made over three times less as an CMA than I do as an RN. And it is over three times as hard.

Huh? Are you serious or we misunderstood your post,are you implying that certified medical assistance have a harder job than Rns,or you meant to say that RN's must work hard for their money....please clarify since I find it hard to believe that CMAs have it harder than RNs:eek:

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Specializes in Bariatric, Pediatric.

Wow,,I almost got defensive but I agree with ya'll. As an MA of 16 yrs and attended an RN program for a yr (dropped out) and almost LVN Dec. 11, 09...I can tell of the training. MA's will have the skills but not the full knowledge of the anatomy and physiology, disease process, drug interactions and adverse affects, nursing actions so I agree that there can be lawsuits. SOME ;) MA's can be nurse's aide's but never ever EVER replace LVN's let alone RN's...Also those MA's just don't know that they are not RN's or can even comprehend how insulting it is because those nurse's worked damn hard to get and KEEP their liscense.

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Specializes in ob/gyn med /surg.

it will never happen... how many MA's hang chemo. antibotics. push morphine?? no wayyy we don't even hire CNA's any more.. MA's just don't have the training and the BON would have a cow.... also don't MA's have to work with docs? no it won't happen... they are fine for a Dr's office but to push diluaded and hang k riders, magnesium? deliver babies? hang blood. FFP ?? they are not educated enough.. yes i make very good money , but i earn every penny...

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Specializes in ob/gyn med /surg.

ohh yes the MA's would have to go to RN school to do the things we do..lol.. i read one poster commenting about " cost cuts" well believe me if they hired MA's to do my job all the money they spent on "cost cuts" they would spend on lawsuits... hi my name is lisa and i am your medical assistant today " i am going to hang blood on you and push some diluaded" i would run out the door as quick as i could... eeekkkk... the public would never stand for it.. my manager only considers RN's and LPN's ( we have no LPN's anymore) professionals.. she dosen't consider CNA's ( which they fired them all ) or medical asisstants professionals.. they are not in the professional nurse realm .. only RN's and LPN's are nurses... they can't do my job... i'm expensive .. but worth it....

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.
Forgive me, but what exactly was hard about it?

Huh? Are you serious or we misunderstood your post,are you implying that certified medical assistance have a harder job than Rns,or you meant to say that RN's must work hard for their money....please clarify since I find it hard to believe that CMAs have it harder than RNs

Was I not very clear? I am not saying being an MA was harder. I said "and IT IS over three times as hard" as in nursing is harder. And yes, RNs have to work hard for their money. Sorry, guess I should have worded that better!

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I truly don't know what to say about this. I am a 2nd term NS. My daughter is in pre-reqs..... but currently she is an MA at a clinic. She is a US Army vet and her MOS was Combat Medic. She has more experience than many nurses I know. Should someone worry about waking up with my daughter doing their care? Don't think so.

and i guarantee you that she is not accustomed to treating patients in a civilian world. it is the same reason why combat medics cannot come out of the service and be directly given their medic license for civilian use. there is some education that combat medics do not get that is needed for civilian use. specifically, cardiac. ive known too many army medics that come out and apply to get their medic license and be told the most they can be given is their emt-iv

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