Medical Assistant soon to be LPN

Nurses General Nursing

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I have been on this board before and have had some "discussions" about CMA. I have been a CMA for a year. Working at the same office. Things are going great, but its just not enough. So I have enrolled myself in school and trying the LPN program. When kids are bigger (middle school) I will do RN, then possibly CNM? Unsure yet. But I will say, so far school is HARD. But I'm trying.

I know I have been involved in some CMA vs Nurse discussions.

I have learned after being in the field for 1 yr that nurses get paid alot better and have more advantages. I dont regret MA really, cuz I have learned alot about the front aspect of a medical office which I hope will make me more valuable later on in life.

I dont know if I'm ready for RN. The hours that are involved. Where I live, RNs are rarely hired for a medical office but more so at the hospital. If I go for LPN I will get to keep my job at the medical office. Sometimes I think I should just go for RN. So I'm still unsure what to do :/

What do you guys think?

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I was going after my RMA at one time. The school started having issues & I decided if I was starting all over again, I was going after my RN. I start my pre-nursing this fall. I've been told over & over again that MA is taking over for LPN at some time in near future. So, if that is true, I'm not sure why you'd want to go through LPN when you are already a CMA. Granted, I still don't know how accurate that info is. I'm here in Illinois & my ex-husband in Oklahoma was told same thing. He is also in school for CMA right now.

As far as being ready- I don't know that anyone every really is. It's a lot of work, but I've always wanted to & I'm going for it. I've got 2 years of pre classses & then 2 years of nursing school. I'm doing this while putting my daughter through college & I still have 1 in high school. So, if you really want to be a RN- I say go for it! If you're not sure, wait. I'd still ask around about the whole MA in place of LPN. Just ask someone in the medical field who knows what they are talking about. I got my info from 2 RN's & 1 doctor. Good luck whith whatever direction you choose to take!:yeah:

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Specializes in Utilization Management.

MAs will never replace LPNs. They are hired more often in medical offices where LPNs and MAs perform very similar tasks because (and don't attack me for this) they are more cost effective than actual nurses, but elsewhere the roles are vastly different. Unlicensed personnel can never replace a licensed nurse. Just my :twocents:.

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Specializes in LTC.

You should do what is best for you. If your not ready for the RN role or hours don't do it! There is NOTHING wrong with being an LPN and if it fits your life plans and lifestyle DO IT!

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Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.

Take each step as it comes. Get through LPN first get some experience and then make a decision about RN. There is nothing wrong with not wanting to be an RN is the lifestyle doesn't work for you.

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Specializes in Derm/Wound Care/OP Surgery/LTC.

I was an MA for 7 years before going to LPN school. I thought I would have some great advantage because of it. Newsflash? You don't! :) It's a completely different world. I chose to do my LPN first because I thought it would be a gentle nudge from MA to nursing school. It wasn't. It was difficult, time consuming, nerve wracking and in my opinion, still doesn't prepare you for life in the real world.

Would I trade that experience? Never. I will bridge over for my RN eventually, but right now, I love working as an LPN.

In the long run, you have to do what is best for you, your schedule and your life. Only you know what you are capable of and are the best judge of what you are suited for.

Good luck as you move along!

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Specializes in Preop/PACU, IM, Orthopaedics, Med Surg.

Hi there. I have been an LVN in Texas for the last 24 years. So here is my :twocents: worth. I have been hearing since I graduated that LVN's will be fazed out. In my opinion, that will never happen. LVN's are an integral part of the nursing team. Each caregiver, whether MA, LVN or RN, have an important role in patient care. You have to do whatever fits in your lifestyle. And, you can have a wonderful and exciting career as an LVN and you will be a licensed professional. So, do what feels best to you. I wish you all the best of luck. :yeah:

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

When you say "I have learned after being in the field for 1 yr that nurses get paid alot better and have more advantages" it seems to me that there is an awful lot about the field of nursing that you don't quite understand yet. As Cherybaby said, a CMA and a licensed nurse operate in completely different worlds.

It's so not just about getting paid more or having more advantages. It is about assuming (under a license) responsibility for the assessment and care of a patient in whatever setting you're in. Understanding that you're going to school to enter a whole new career and possibly lifework instead of just trying to rise up the pay scale may help you succeed in a nursing program. And it might make you more motivated to tackle the hard work of nursing school.

I think that one way to judge the difference between MA work and a nurse's work would be to read some of the more technical threads on this forum. For instance, read a thread on how to monitor cardiac output or assess a patient's level of consciousness. Read about wound care and working in ICU with complicated IV drug interactions to monitor. Nursing is not just a series of tasks, it is a total assessment of the mind and body function of your patient, plus knowing how to intervene and care for that patient.

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