"I'm an uncertified medical assistant"

TazziRN, RN · Apr 9, 2007

YOU ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE TO WEAR IDENTIFICATION WHEN YOU ARE A MEDICAL ASSISTANT, HOWEVER WHEN YOU ENTER THE ROOM OF A PATIENT YOU ARE SUPPOSE LET THAT PATIENT KNOW WHO YOU ARE WHEN ENTERING A PATIENTS ROOM AND YOU ARE SUPPOSE TO HAVE A CERTIFICATION WHEN YOU ARE A MEDICAL ASSISTANT. IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN A MEDICAL ASSISTANT PROGRAM HOW CAN YOU CALL YOURSELF A MEDICAL ASSISTANT.

*ouch*

Um.......could we ask you to please not post in all caps? It's considered "shouting" and it's hard to read. Thanks!

SoontobeAdrienneRN · Apr 9, 2007

It definitely varies from state to state. In the state that I'm in you need to have a certificate or an associates degree in medical assisting to work in a hospital for obvious reasons. However, those requirements do not carry over into private practices. You would think its safe to assume that your PCP would have all qualified/certified staff when in reality they can hire who they want.

And for phlebotomy, again, you can go to school and get a certificate. But the hospital I'm in they provided on the job training and we had to prove our compentency over a few weeks. The training is only offered to CNAs, PCAs.

I'm just curious to find out how she got the initial training without schooling? It would be interesting to find out..

TiffyRN, BSN, PhD · Apr 9, 2007

Yea, drawing blood does not require any sort of official recognition in many areas. I'm sure it varies state to state. Don't ya'll remember a few years ago when there was much controversy because hospitals had cross trained many housekeepers to draw labs?

Reporting this to the BON may be warranted but reporting to your insurance company? I doubt that will get anywhere as the insurance company probably has no requirements that anything done by that individual be done by anyone with any license or certification (other than that your primary care provider be a doctor or NP).

TazziRN, RN · Apr 9, 2007

I didn't say I would report it to the insurance company. I said I would tell the office manager that I expected the office NOT to bill the insurance company for this visit because of the fraud.

Freedom42 · Apr 10, 2007

Interesting replies. Thank you.

In doing a little digging, I've found limited regulation of medical assistants in my state. It appears they may perform whatever tasks an on-site physician or APRN delegates to them. I can't find any kind of certification requirement, although there are numerous schools that offer such certificates.

So as I read that, my doctor is liable for the actions of the uncertified medical assistant. As I read my state's nursing practice act, an RN can oversee a medical assistant's drawing blood, but not directly delegate tasks, and that assistant cannot administer vaccinations or medications. In addition to drawing titers today, the assistant gave me a Hep B shot and a PPD test.

I'm going back to that office in 48 hours and will likely ask my doctor about it. She's been my doc for 15 years and is excellent. I doubt she knows that this assistant represents herself as a nurse, and it's clear to me based on the woman's behavior that she knowingly made that misrepresentation. This practice is so big, it's possible the doctor doesn't even know the assistant's background (or lack thereof).

I think what troubles me is that consumers are probably generally not aware of these misrepresentations. I do think that every employee in a doctor's office should have a name tag with his or her credentials on it. (Drug reps have to wear name tags with their company affiliations. Why not unlicensed assistive personnel?) It also troubles me -- again, as a consumer -- that everyone wears scrubs (even the switchboard operator in my dentist's office, for pete's sake!). I've seen posts on this board from folks who say they shouldn't have to wear those big patches that say "RN-BSN," for example, because it should be obvious to the patient who the nurse is. It's not, for most of us, and without these IDs, we don't know who's drawing blood or giving us shots.

Batman24 · Apr 10, 2007

When someone lies so easily only to tell the truth when asked further questions it makes me wonder what else they aren't being honest about. Their credability is shot and I wouldn't want them treating me any further.

In this case if she had said what her true title is and then explained her credentials if asked it might not have been a big deal. The fact that she lies and misrepresents herself is however a huge deal.

I am glad you are following up with your doctor.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Apr 10, 2007

I would have felt lied to, serveral times. And i'm supposed to trust that the same person knows what they are doing with a needle in my, when she can't/won't make up her mind what the truth is? Don't think so.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Apr 10, 2007

YOU ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE TO WEAR IDENTIFICATION WHEN YOU ARE A MEDICAL ASSISTANT, HOWEVER WHEN YOU ENTER THE ROOM OF A PATIENT YOU ARE SUPPOSE LET THAT PATIENT KNOW WHO YOU ARE WHEN ENTERING A PATIENTS ROOM AND YOU ARE SUPPOSE TO HAVE A CERTIFICATION WHEN YOU ARE A MEDICAL ASSISTANT. IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN A MEDICAL ASSISTANT PROGRAM HOW CAN YOU CALL YOURSELF A MEDICAL ASSISTANT.

ow ow ow

ANYONE involved in healthcare SHOULD wear an ID badge. AND introduce themselves.

luvmy3kids · Apr 10, 2007

They receive on the job training to give injections and take blood, do vital signs and so forth. As a side note, you don't need any type of credential to draw blood, even in a hospital. As long as you have a high school diploma many hospitals will hire you as a lab tech/phlebotomist, and just train you as you go.

Yep... my lab partner (in a pre-req nursing class) was hired at a major hospital here in the cities and he has been drawing blood for a few weeks now.... His training was about 8 hours long. He didn't even have his CNA completed yet.

Cattitude · Apr 10, 2007

Why? They have three month course that will teach you to be a phlebotomist, but there is no certification, only a certificate.
They teach you to do these things on the job. I worked as a CNA at a major hospital as a agency CNA and they taught me to insert foley's.
Some skills are just not that involved to be worried about them.

:nono: Nope! Some facilities are to cheapo to hire nurses to do those skills, therefore making consumers THINK said skills are not that involved and just anyone can do them.

I'd rather have an MA or phlebotomist that actually went to school and learned something about anatomy draw my blood. And foleys? And unlicensed person could puncture the bladder at worst or at best (tic) use poor technique and give a UTI. No thanks!!!

time4meRN · Apr 10, 2007

I decided a long time ago, that hte next time I go to an office or lab etc , and someone introduces themself as a nurse I will ask dirctley if they are an RN or MA. If they say MA , I will then inform the manager that the MA needs to introduce themself as such. If not, it is considered fraud. If aked again and the same thing happens, I will press the issue with the board of nursing. (all of this will be done so that the office has no idea who is making the complaint). I am so sick of misrepresentation of RN's that I'm up for the fight. As RN's we need to be well aware of this issue, MA schools seem to give the impression to the public that MA's do the same as RN's . Infact, I am starting to feel that MA schools need to be investigated. They are promising many -a- thing that arn't true. I have seen this first hand in many situations.

Trauma Columnist · Apr 10, 2007

My issue is that this person stated she was a nurse when in fact she wasn't.