Whats the Difference between

[Miss_Fortune]

Ive been looking at going to college for nursing. I keep seeing commercials on TV for Medical Assistant programs, but I dont know what the difference is between the two. Im hoping someone here knows and is willing to share?

Lorna

 

[minimule]

I think one of them is allowed to do more procedures. Not sure which though. I know a Physician's Assistant can write perscriptions and "treat" conditions. A nurse can give shots and stuff like that.

 

[Jill]

Lyn or some of the other Nurses on the forum might see this and can give you the answers.

I always thought that the training you see comercials for on TV for medical assistants would be less than a nurse, sort of between an administrative job and a nursing job (like in the middle), but that is just a total guess.

 

[sharon]

My daughter went through the Medical Assistant program at the Katharine Gibbs school. I thin it was about a 15 month program.

A medial assistant is less than a nurse. There are some procedures that MA's can't so that a nurse can.

My daughter does the usual weigh, measure, temp and blood pressure. She gives shots and draws blood. She is not allowed to diagnose things. I don't think she is allowed to do stitches.

She is not yet a "certified" MA. After completing the program, you must work for 1 year as an MA, then you have to take a state exam. Kim is going to be taking the exam in June. She was supposed to take it this past Jan, but missed the deadline for registration. I believe it costs $150 to take the exam. Once she passes that, she will be a CMA(certified medical assistant) instead of just an MA.

I think once you are certified then you can do more procedures.

Added: Kim LOVES her job. The doctor she works for has mostly younger patients and many babies.

 

[lyn_j]

[SIZE=14pt]There are medical assistants with some medical knowledge but they are usually the ones that assist nurses and doctors in patient care. Bed baths, making the beds, take Vital signs,things like that. LPNs licensed practical nurses are the next step up. They can usually do most of the things an RN Registered nurse does but an RN must supervise them. In some nursing homes PN can be in charge of a unit but then ana RN is Nurse mamager or supervisor. Nurses aides or MAs dont do meds in a hospital , some do in nursing homes. They generally dont start and manage IVs unless they are specially trained for the IV team. They generally dont do treatments like Catherizations unless specially trained. Each unit be it surgical, obstetrics, peds, general offices will train MAs and PNs to do many things they would not normally do but, they are then certified to do those things. Clear as mud right? The difference is basically this in a crude way. If a MA screws up, the PN or RN in charge of them also gets in trouble. The more education you have, and the more initials after your name, the more responsibility you have to take for everyone on your team.[/SIZE]

Lyn

 

[Triggy&Blue&Daisy Too]

Well this is kind of a hot button for me so I hope it won’t come off too harshly and it most likely will not answer the question you've asked but Lyn has already done so more conscisely and eloquently anyway.

I think it depends on the state some one is in but here in WA I know many very PO’d RNs who have quit or are seriously considering quitting because of the competition from the MAs. Clinics/doctors can hire an MA much cheaper and the trend seems to be 4 to 5 assistants to every RN in the office setting. The MAs here can do most of the procedures the RNs can, from phlebotomy to patient screening so it’s really impacted nursing here. At first MAs, were touted as relieving RNs of some of the mundane duties but that was the tip of the iceberg with “managed†healthcare systems. The bottom line seems to be cheaper labor. Not that MAs aren't talented and compassionate caregivers but it all just seems so unfair to those who spent a lot of time getting their RNs only to be cast aside. I've even had this conversation with my own MD when my favorite nurses suddenly seemed to disappear and were replaced with MAs. He said sadly its a matter of economics and since he doesn't own the practice, it's owned by some conglomerate or somehting, he can't do a thing about it.

Sorry but the whole MA thing upsets me because I know people who it has hurt. I have a dear friend recently who quit nursing altogether, which was her whole life's ambition and vocation, to do medical administration instead because she couldn’t find a job worthy of her training and experience. She is topnotch and there is noone on the planet I'd trust more than her with my medical care. She’d taken a hiatus to have her two children and when she came back the only jobs readily available were in eldercare and some other low level nursing positions that most people with experience don’t want and the competition is stiff for the good ones. If she had her BSN instead of an RN she said she could at least make a go of it but as it is, no way. Sorry to rant about it but it is just something that REALLY bugs me.

 

[lyn_j]

[SIZE=14pt]There are nurses aides, Medical Assistants, LPNs LVN (Licensed Vocational Nurse) depends where you live which of these you are called. Then there are three year hospital school trained RNS these are being phased out over the last 20 years by RN-ASN Registered Nurse with Associate Degree in Applied Science (thats what I was) Nursing school plus 2 years of college, and then there is BSN Bachelor of Applied Science RN which is a 4 year program and an MSN Masters prepaired RN whith an additional 2 years of a specialty. Then there are NPs Nurse Practitioners, one step away from a doctor, can write prescriptions etc. So you see there are Nurses and then ther are NURSES. Does that help any?[/SIZE]

Triggy is right...lots of responsibilty when you have the job but jobs are being taken away becauase they can train the NAs or MA in specialties that the RNs used to do but pay them considerably less.

Lyn