MA's know as much as RN's??

imanedrn · Jul 19, 2008

First, you need to understand a vital concept. Just because I am performing the skills of an RN, does not mean that I am educated as an RN. MA's work under a doctor's license and essentially provide skills delegated to them by that physician. However, you can train anybody to do about any skill. For example, I can train you to mix, draw, and inject a gram of ceftriaxone into somebody. However, this does not mean you understand how the med works, medication metabolism, side effects and interactions, excretion, and how to react to any problems. Performing a skill versus having adequate education of the process, physiology, and implications of the skill. I hope this makes sense.
It sounds like the MA was being honest and open about her position and title however. Not another case of somebody masquerading as a nurse.

:yeahthat:

The OP was correct in saying that MAs do everything RNs do -- in the context of that (and most other) clinic(s). The skill level required in a clinic is rather minimal, so there is little need for RNs in MOST clinics. As GilaRN noted, you can "train" anyone to perform a task, but that does NOT mean s/he knows the why/how/what, etc. of that particular task.

I believe the initial reason behind the MA path was because it has become too costly to hire RNs (and even LPNs) to work in clinics -- facilities that don't make nearly as much money as hospitals. In addition, they just don't need the same skill level in their employees. In the case of GilaRN's example, IV abx aren't given in clinics. The most done on a "regular" basis are VS and lab draws -- with NO interpretation of these -- other than realizing a BP is too high, for example. Even then, the MA doesn't "evaluate" this, s/he just notifies the doc who then comes in to evaluate the client.

I believe that MAs serve a valuable purpose in clinics as they are trained to do a few "basic" tasks and (most) do them well. On the other hand, you're never going to see a MA in a hospital because those skills are "too" basic. Likewise, clinics have no need for CNAs because of their skill set.

Basically, what it boils down to is what skills/tasks are needed in what location. Times have changed, skill sets have changed, and the VALUE of money has changed a LOT. MAs fit perfectly into the clinic role.

SunnyAndrsn · Jul 19, 2008

I'm so glad that she represented herself accurately and provided some education about her role and training. It was nice she took the time to explain.

So I went to my doctors appointment the other day for a physical and a girl came in to check my vitals. I assumed she was a nurse. Or maybe a CNA. Anyway, we got to chatting and I told her I was just accepted to a nursing program. And she said that she wished she had gone that route. So I asked her what her title was and she said she was a medical assistant. Then she told me that they don't hire RN's at all. (This is a women's clinic.) I asked her why and she said it was because MA's do everything that RN's do short of administering medication. So by hiring MA's instead of RN's they save a bunch of money.
Now I am NOT putting down MA's at all, but I just can't believe that they know as much as an RN. At my school, you can get a MA certificate in one semester. It takes a minimum of 3 years (nursing and pre-req's) to become a nurse.
Is this normal for clinics? Maybe they don't have a need for RN's because they have the MA's for vitals and what not and they also have a few PA's, 1 NP, and I think 3 M.D.'s.
Anywho, if you have some insight I would love to know.
Happy nursing!!

JettaDP · Jul 19, 2008

How did you get "MAs know as much as RN" from that? This MA did not say that, she said that they do the same work as RNs except administering medicine. I think you are unfairly putting word in this MAs mouth.

I don't think I'm putting words in her mouth. I didn't say that said she knows more. This is just what I got out of the conversation. It was just how I interpreted it. After reading the replies to this post, I think I just misunderstood what she was saying. I thought that what she was saying about doing the same work as nurses meant she does the same job, including knowing everything that nurses do. My logic was that if someone does the same job that nurses do, they must be have the same knowledge. So that's why I was inquiring as to how an MA knows as much as an RN.

RNBelle · Jul 19, 2008

It wasnt until I was in nursing school and I had a doctor's visit that I realized that they had MAs. I just assumed everyone was a nurse in a doctors office. Now I work in a health dept and visit the providers. They all hire MAs because it is more cost effective than paying for RNs. They can hire whoever, but I truly believe there should be atleast one RN in all doctors offices to be over the MAs. I have had to deal with things falling through the cracks and it scares me, because I know if there was an RN there they would have caught some things before it turned into a bigger problem.

Turd.Ferguson · Jul 19, 2008

The OP did not say that this MA referred to herself as a nurse.

I didn't say that she did.

ONCRN84 · Jul 19, 2008

I just started working as a public health nurse in a clinic and part of my orientation is rotating through the different providers. I've spent a lot of time with MAs in the last few weeks and it's interesting how many of them tell patients they are nurses. They're under strict instruction from their boss not to do education or to phone triage. An LPN or RN needs to be doing those things. They do phlebotomy, immunizations, histories, VS, etc. I do notice that most of them do technical skills very well, but when it comes to knowledge of WHAT they're giving or WHAT lab they are drawing... they have no idea.

We went through the "urgent care cart" (kinda like a crash cart) the other day and they didn't know really any of the meds. I felt oddly smart because I was able to give them an explaination of the meds (just things like diastat, diazepam, benadryl, lasix, etc... no real ACLS drugs).

I'll let them do the technical skills i haven't done since school (phlebotomy and shots on squirrely little kids) and I'll stick to assessments, education, and triage.

MeJane19 · Jul 20, 2008

The OP was correct in saying that MAs do everything RNs do -- As GilaRN noted, you can "train" anyone to perform a task, but that does NOT mean s/he knows the why/how/what, etc. of that particular task.

They cannot earn the same salary as an RN

I believe the initial reason behind the MA path was because it has become too costly to hire RNs (and even LPNs) to work in clinics -- facilities that don't make nearly as much money as hospitals.

Doctors earn plenty of money. They live in big houses, drive expensive cars, live very nice lifestyles. They deserve it because they worked hard to get where they are. Doctors can afford to employ licensed nurses but are too cheap to do so. Why pay $30 an hour when you can pay $10?

I believe that MAs serve a valuable purpose in clinics as they are trained to do a few "basic" tasks and (most) do them well. MAs fit perfectly into the clinic role.

ITA, they are valuable members of the medical community.