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| Viewing Page 1 of 1 (Total Posts: 17) |
| Author | Comment |
CMA2b2008
 May 7, 08 - 3:23 PM |
pay
Hey everyone.. I am new to this board.. I have a question that I hope ya'll dont mind answering. I am in my 2nd to last term for an AAS degree. I will be a Medical Assistant... My ? is.... how muc an hour do most of you get paid?? If its only min wage or 9 bux an hour .. im screwed... I'm trying to decide if i want to go to school for nursing after I grad... Thanks |
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RNtoB
May 7th, 2008 - 3:50 PM |
Re: pay
A nurse makes about 3 times what a MA makes. If you are in MA school I would finish it and see if you like patient contact. Being an MA is a good foundation to have if you want to continue your patient care career. |
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Curious
May 7th, 2008 - 4:45 PM |
Re: pay
Just what were you told MAs make when you were first meeting with the school about joining their program? If varies all over but it doesn't seem to be much for all that MAs do. If you can find a first job that pays over $11 an hour,that seems to be pure luck,but of course the real problem is finding that first job. |
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heartsopenwide
May 7th, 2008 - 5:46 PM |
Re: pay
I started out making 7.45 in 2002, when I quit to go back to nursing school in 2006 I was making 9/hr with no benifits. It can depend on your area though. But most MAs do not make much more than 11 from what I am hearing...and thats usually the highest |
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RNtoB
May 7th, 2008 - 6:21 PM |
Re: pay
In my neck of the woods MA's make about 13 - 16 an hour. But thats with years of experience. And in this area you cant feed a family on that. As a comparison new nurses start at $29.00/hr. |
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Shelley
May 7th, 2008 - 6:58 PM |
Re: pay
I currently earn $13.75/hr. I get a diff because I do not need health benefits since I am covered under my husband. I am entering nursing school in the fall. I wound up in the MA program while waiting for a spot. They use the "lottery" system. If you need to support a family, this is not the profession. But I do have a friend,single, that is quite happy with what she earns. It all depends on your "needs and wants" in life. In my case, I LOVE to learn and want to be able to do more within the scope of patient care! 
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BradT
May 12th, 2008 - 11:11 PM |
Re: pay
I make $18.00/hour. It's not bad pay but still not what I want to make for the rest of my life!!! You should become a MA to get your feet wet but then move on to better things (ie LPN, RN etc). I'm working on a degree in mortuary sciece right now...but that's another story! |
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Illy
May 13th, 2008 - 8:37 PM |
Re: pay
I started out at $11/hour and within a year worked my way up to $13.50/hour. With all the work and stress I go through though, I feel like I should make $20/hour, but what can ya do? Pretty much just go on to more schooling because the only way you will make a lot as an MA is to be 60 years old and still doing it. |
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Jme K
May 14th, 2008 - 11:13 AM |
Re: pay
I have been in this profession for about 6 years and desided to go to school for my MA. I am hoping that the pay will be more then what I am making as a LNA Does anyone have a base rate pay? 
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Jennifer S
May 14th, 2008 - 6:23 PM |
Re: pay
I like the fact that as an MA we have MORE patient contact than a nurse. Nurses have all the paperwork involvement. Yes they make more, however, if you got intothe field because you wanted to actually help people and not for the money, I think its totally worth it. |
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RNtoB
May 14th, 2008 - 6:39 PM |
Re: pay
I beg to differ with you Jen. Nurses do trach care, wound care, IV care, wash patients, give injections, ostomy care, and if you are a unit nurse its one on one care for 8 to 12 hours. We also do ekg's, patient education, home health care (visiting nurses or VNA), just to name a few. Yes the paper work is definitely monotonous, but we as nurses do so much more than just paper work. |
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heartsopenwide
May 14th, 2008 - 10:52 PM |
Re: pay
I agree with RNtoBe. I was an MA before going back to nursing school, its the nurses that do more patient care...not MAs...and I did PLENTY of paperwork as an MA |
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Jennifer
May 19th, 2008 - 9:22 PM |
Re: pay
RNtoB... I have yet to see a nurse, in and around my area that has ever "washed patients". AS far as they're concerned, that's the "aide's job". They cannot be bothered. Is it legal? No. Is it right? No. HOWEVER--- NOT ALL NURSES ACT AS THOUGH THEY CANNOT BE BOTHERED. Many of them started off as nurses, and not aides, and the bedside manners are not good ones. I am very proud to be in the health care field, as it has been very rewarding, but I think the loss of contact between the nurses and their patients, is not all that good. I will take the pay cut, and spend more time with the patients.... |
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RNtoB
May 20th, 2008 - 4:00 AM |
Re: pay
Jen, you are correct in that some nurses dont wash patients, or see that as an aids job. But where I work we have a collabarative approach to health care where everone chips in. And at times there are not enough aids and the nurses are the one's who wash the patients. Seeing things from both sides (RN and MA), I am much happier professionally and finacially as an RN. I did enjoy MA work, but it just didnt pay the bills and I felt I was not treated as a professional. The pay was low and the expectations very high. |
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Tracy
May 20th, 2008 - 12:53 PM |
Re: pay
In order to utilize staff most cost effectively, nurses will not be doing ADL's and hygeine. Aides are hired to do that, as well as EKG's, bladder scans, pulling IV's and catheters. We utilize LPN's to pass meds, keep an eye out for status changes, and ask all of the admission questions and assist the aides. RN's need to assess the patients, check the labs, vitals, get new orders, call the docs, IV's, drains, suction,chest tubes etc... It isn't that we won't clean a patient, it is we have to task manage as well. Honestly, I don't care if a patient hasn't brushed their teeth when the patient next door is oxygenating at 84%, and the post surgical patient has a saturated dressing. If a patient is sitting in urine, I will clean them up, otherwise I have faith in the aides that they will finish the tasks that they have been assigned. To address the original question, MA's here start out at $12 an hour, and that increases with experience. |
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Jennifer
May 20th, 2008 - 6:41 PM |
Re: pay
Well, Tracy I agree and disagree with you. I have alot of respect for all Medical Professionals. However, I have worked with ALOT of nurses who see that ADL's are beneath them. To an aide, that is just not fair. I understand that the nurses have alot of tasks. Its when they actually have some down time, and I ask them to help me roll a patient, or get them onto a toilet, and they will either say no, OR they will go and find someone else to help out....Especially when we are short-staffed. I ALSO understand that, that is MY position, and that is what we are hired for. However, it wouldnt kill them once and a while to give us a hand. I feel as though we are not really appreciated. We as LNA's are told that nurses are NOT supposed to deny care to a patient, especially when they need help. I have seen it way more than I care to think! I appreciate the fact that you seem to care about your Aides. Thank you for that. I just wanted you to understand that we work very hard at our job, and a helping hand, or a little thanks is all we need... 
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Tracy
May 20th, 2008 - 7:22 PM |
Re: pay
I completely agree with working together. I am very lucky to have the coworkers that I do, and we all work very well together and help each other out when needed. No job is unimportant or less important. We couldn't meet all the patients needs alone! |
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