meandrog02

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?

Your right... and personally I dont want to be a nurse.. I have bigger plans... I grad in Aug and will continue for my Bach then I'm going to attend Duke for the PA program... I know I am not a nurse.... and like I said.. no plans of being one either... Seems like 80% of them have major attitudes.. u should watch your attitudes by the way, the pple u r being ugly too could be your boss one day .. have a good one

Hello I also live in Henderson NC..... i work in an office full of CMA's and none of them call theirselves nurses either

there is a national certification..... from the aama... quoted from the aama website::::::::: a: yes. this credential is a national certification recognized by employers across the country. you can find that information here :http://www.aama-ntl.org/medassisting/faqs.aspx#respons cma's are nationally certified. to be nationally certified a ma has to have graduated from an program accredited by the caahep or abhes.

cmas are able to gather patient data... from the aama clinical duties vary by state and include... taking medical histories explaining treatment procedures to patients preparing patients for examination assisting the physician during the exam collecting and preparing laboratory specimens performing basic laboratory tests instructing patients about medication and special diets preparing and administering medications as directed by a physician authorizing prescription refills as directed drawing blood taking electrocardiograms removing sutures and changing dressings administrative duties may include... using computer applications answering telephones greeting patients updating and filing patient medical records coding and filling out insurance forms scheduling appointments arranging for hospital admissions and laboratory services handling correspondence, billing and bookkeeping if me or mine are ill.. give me a dr please.... not a nurse... or a cma.. a cma is going to do what the lpn does..... . take my vitals, my history, preapre the exam room... and that im fine with.. but i want my care to come from my dr.. nurses are not quailifed to diagnoise or treat .. u can perfer a nurse if you wish.. good luck with that.. have a wonderful day

i think you need to re read my post... i never called myself a nurse... i am not a nurse.. and given your attitude, i think i am thankful for that... you are not giving nurses a good rep... where i work we all respect each other... and no you are not allowed to give cma tasks, unless the physician tells you to do so, if you are doing it just do to do it and the cma messes up, then you probably would be held responsible... i did not call you any names, i simply stated how rude you are, and how i would hate to be in the position to be your patient or work with you. which still stands. it is quite obvious, given your attitude, that you do not respect the cma profession. if that is how it is, then so be it. you should still show respect to anyone in the health care setting, regardless of their title. it seems to me you are on a little power trip. cma's work hard to be where they are at too, and we choose to be cma's... you may not understand that, but that is how it is... we enjoy being versitile in the office. but please, go back and re-read my posts, i never called myself a nurse...and if that was the point of your post, well then it was just flat out pointless, and very very rude.

I understand what you are saying, but I still say the physician is responsible. But you are right, we can agree to disagree, that works for me. The LPN's I work with are WONDERFUL and I love working with them. We all respect each other, and as I said earlier a LPN trained me at my office. I do not look at it as whos better than who. We all help each other out in my office and look out for one another. This whole CMA/LPN issue has never been brought up in my office. I think we all are there to do a job and to help patients and we all love the medical field. And that should be enough

You delegate tasks to CMA's?????? tsk tsk tsk... thats really NOT ALLOWED.... yes 2 years ... I did it b/c I wanted to do so... I love what I do... I have an associates degree in health science... Your attitude really stinks by the way, I would HATE to be one of your patients or work anywhere around you.... health care professionals should come together to help and assist patients, and everyone should respect each other... something that you lack

I would sue the person that delegated that responsiblity to the CMA.. which is the physician.. the physician delegates not the nurse.. CMAs work under physician.. call your governing body tomorrow and ask them.. if me and you were working together and I messed up, you would not be liable... the physician would.. not you.. things can go sour for anyone in the health care profession.... quicky and out of his/her control.. I have seen it many times in my profession.. We are a different breed, and, we all have important roles in the health care profession. Its not a factor if I belive it or not... I know the nurse is not liable... nurses do not delegate to CMA's.... we work under the physician.... the only thing I can tell you is for you to contact your governing body and ask them about this. And to respond to your child scenerio, anyone in the office, licensed, certified, or registered should intervene if someone is doing something wrong that can harm the patient, its not just the licensed nurses' responsiblity to do so, but for everyone that has direct access to patient care. If the LPN or RN sees a CMA doing something wrong that could harm a patient, and does nothing, then yes.. they could be in trouble.. and the same goes for a CMA watching a LPN or RN doing something wrong... Lets say there were other CMA's or RMA's in the office, they are certified and registared with approved medical associations and should know better also. And to respond to committing a crime. If anyone in a health care setting; licensed, certified, or registered sees someone commit something unethical its our job to report it. If I see a LPN doing something unethical, its my job to do something about it. If I do not, I could be called upon for not reporting it, and vise versa.

CMA's work under direct supervison from the physician. They physician is responsible for the CMA actions.. have no worries

If you feel like you do not want to work along side of an MA then I suggest you not go to work in an office setting... My office has 8 physicans, 4 LPNS and 7 CMA's... if that tells you anything... Seems like you have something against CMA's??? I hope I have that wrong, but I have worked just as hard as the next person.. .2 years of school and hard classes and clinicals and I deserve to be in the office helping patients just as much as the next CMA, LPN or RN... I am trained in administering medications, assisting in minor office surgerys, vital signs, venipuncture, handling medical records, and the list could go on. Its a shame that you do not feel "safe and secure" with a CMA being in the office... we are trained also.. and in my office... I do everything the LPN does... I had a LPN train me the first week I was there.... Please do not act like we are not properly trained to handle patient care, because we are Most MA's have malpractice and liability insurance... but if not, then the physican will be liable, usually.... however, I know the nurse will not be liable..... And again, if i mis-interrpreted your post, then I'm sorry, but that is the vibe you threw out there...

Its nurses week... Everyone in my office got a gift from the doctors (CMA's incuded) Have a good week everyone

from the aama: clinical duties vary by state and include... taking medical histories explaining treatment procedures to patients preparing patients for examination assisting the physician during the exam collecting and preparing laboratory specimens performing basic laboratory tests instructing patients about medication and special diets preparing and administering medications as directed by a physician authorizing prescription refills as directed drawing blood taking electrocardiograms removing sutures and changing dressings we are allowed to give meds :nuke:

cma's degrees are not better, i did not mean to give u that feeling. but the cma program has more courses. however, i would like to add that there are some lpn's at my office that make more than me but i make more than a few of the lpn's there.