LorraineCNA

Just a few more points. I edited my original post but apparently it got lost in cyberspace. We are qualified to draw up meds. We learn the same "Six Rights" they teach in nursing school. It's also our office policy that all injections are also checke...

Sorry, I realize this is an old thread but I haven't been here for awhile. I'm a CMA. I work in a very busy family practice. I draw blood, do ekg's, BP's along with other vitals, AI's, PPD's, etc. We also take sick calls...which consists of simply ge...

Hi there! I'm a CMA in a busy family practice. We always confirm appointments a few days ahead. When we call we remind the pt to bring a list of their current meds along with the dosages. Some still forget but for the most part they're pretty good wi...

Like the other posters suggested, it's usually easy enough to find the training for free. Get the phone book out and call the LTC facilities near you and ask if they offer the classes, most do. The test isn't difficult (I took it in PA). The written ...

I don't know where you are location-wise. I'm a MA in Pennsylvania and there are very few openings here for LPNs outside of the LTC arena. Docs offices here hire mostly MAs and RNs. We have one RN for 5 MAs. She's going to retire end of this year and...

I'm in PA and I'm legally allowed to give injections here. I seriously considered LPN school here. Unfortunately, the nearest school was 45 minutes away and even farther for clinicals. I had two kids still in school at the time and couldn't imagine h...

Just wondering about this. Required licensure would raise the status of the medical assistants in my opinion and also include a specific scope of practice. It would also probably raise our pay level which might actually get more nurses (LPNs primaril...

Nope, there is no "license" for MAs. Just voluntary certification. That's another problem, there are so many different agencies offering "certification". Some of them don't even require formal schooling. I'm certified (CMA) through the AAMA, as far ...

Just goes to show the differences in pays across the board. I took almost a 3.00 an hour pay cut going from CNA to CMA. Good point on getting paid what the market demands. Lorraine CMA, CNA

Oh, I highly doubt the physicians would support it. They'd be crazy to. Just figure what the doc where I work saves by having us 5 MAs instead of having to hire receptionists and nurses. Plus, we're all interchangeable (MAs) someone from back office ...

I understand that aspect. However, if the docs couldn't get MA's for a Walmart wage and had to compensate us better, would they not be inclined to go back to hiring licensed personel? The reason they hire us now is that there is such a drastic differ...

I don't think we expect to as "monitarily valuable" as LPNs. I do however expect to be more "monitarily valuable" than an employee at Wally-World. I work for one of the major hospital networks in PA and one of my co-workers whose daughter just starte...

I think that's rather presumptuous. I have no desire to become a nurse. I like performing the "technical" duties. I also like the diversity of the position. There's also a good bit of responsibility involved in the job. That's akin to saying that LPN...

OBRA went into effect in 1987 so CNA isn't that new. I wasn't aware of the the military aspect as I have no background in that area. Lorraine CMA, CNA

Actually, I like that aspect of it myself. I guess the aspect I DON'T like about it is the fact that I can make the same pay at Walmart (well...almost). It just seems to me that MAs are kind of a non-entity in the medical community. No one seems to k...

>...some of my coworkers were just hired off the street That's part of the reason that I think licensure or at least mandated certification should be put in place. Where I work, we also do 90% of the injections (AI's, immunizations, etc.). I don't...

My MA schooling was 6 months classroom and clinicals and 3 months (420 hours) unpaid externship. I could never understand the rationale behind 2 years for MA either...unless you do that through a college and not a tech school so that some of the clas...

I'm in PA and for the most part, CNAs make more here than Medical Assistants do. In part, I believe due to the huge turnover issue. Hospital jobs for LPNs here a few and far between and if if you do find a position in a hospital the LPN starting wage...

I'm not a nurse but a Certified Medical Assistant and CNA. We had a thread on one of the MA forums about whether PCTs were replacing LPN's. The sad part of it is this: at least where I am (PA) there are next to no jobs for LPNs outside of the LTC are...

Just wondering if you're referring to "certified medication aide" or "certified medical assistant"? Lorraine CMA, CNA

"Another growing problem is scrubs being stolen and word in other places, such as the subway, to convey an impression of respectability. Anyone seen wearing scrubs outside an appropriate environment should be regarded with caution." Hmmm...do you thi...

I'd probably call and just say you were wondering if she'd made a decision yet. It may be that she's just been swamped and unable to return your call. Worst case scenario is you didn't get the position, but it's better than waiting on pins and needle...

Oh, I'm not referring to Medicare or Medicaide...but that'll open up a whole 'nother can of worms here so I'll just apologize for my lack of judgement on posting that. Lorraine CMA, CNA

Exactly. Just like calling in scripts, The doc writes exactly what he wants on the chart note and we call it in. I'm not assessing anyone or diagnosing anyone or "prescribing" anything. Lorraine CMA, CNA

You wouldn't mind that a pt sent you who is perfectly, probably OVERqualified to do said task (rooming, hx, bp, med list) to go get the RN? If I went and told the RN that she had to room a patient because the pt wanted a RN, she'd look at me as if my...