Why is that most Nurses seems to look down upon Medical Assistants? As if we are ALL un-intelligent, lazy, wanna-be Nurses? On the allnurses.com website, I've seen quite a few posts about how low-life, and un-intelligent medical assistants are. Last time I checked, I have an Associate's Degree, I have a 3.8 GPA, and I have never wanted to be a Nurse. I will never call myself a Nurse...not only because it is un-true and decieving, but because I will be PROUD to be a Medical Assistant.


I'm sick of it. Whether it's coming from Medical Assistants who want to be Nurses, or Nurses who are bitter...it needs to stop.

They don't all feel that way. I am a nurse who started out as a CMA. There is a need and a place for all members of the healthcare team, from the cleaning crew to the MD's. Good patient care takes collaboration from all aspects of the healthcare team!

Your Professional Title/Credentials: LPN

Are You Still In School? yes

Are You Working? yes

I think for every MA who doesn't want to be a nurse or be CALLED a nurse, and will correct anyone who uses that term, there are dozens who don't mind it and will actually revel in being called one. These are the same ones who bought into that lie about MAs phasing out LPNs,and their interpretation of it is that MAs are the same as (LPN) nurses, and of course, we are not. For many there is a LOT less education, my school's program was only 8 and a half months long. That cannot compare with going for up to 2 years or longer and doing clinicals in a hospital. Then you have some MAs actually trained on the job and of course that is going to anger the LPN or RN who sees a patient or even the staff refer to the MA as "the doctor's nurse". I saw it over and over again and never once saw a correction. What's wrong with taking 10 seconds to educate in case the patient doesn't know what an MA is? And the staff should know better and be instructed to use the term MEDICAL ASSISTANT. But it's easy to use the word "nurse",I have seen very intelligent people call phlebotomists and even dental assistants that. I have also seen the comments on that nurse website and they can be awfully harsh.

Are You Working? Yes,now and then (better than not at all)

All I know is, my friend ans I are both Hocking college students. my friend is LPN going for RN, which rn is a 2 yr program. I am a 1st year student of a 2 year MA program. I don't want to be called a nurse I just want respect bc I went to school the same amount of time but for MA. That is what I chose to be as well as many in my class who decided to switch from nursing. If you do the same amount of time then why not get the same amount of respect just for different jobs you do. My nurse friend says they never got the administrative stuff we are learning. But I hear of nurses getting our jobs. If they aren't trained the same way, I bet its a real mess bc they have to take the time to train. I will be ready for clinical and administrative when I get out. And that is something any smart docs need to keep offices running smoothly. sO that is why I am angry. BC all that I have to learn and nobody seems to understand that many offices would fall apart if Mas weren't there. Hell I have heard of all offices being MAs and a few docs. This place is my goal job bc there will be no disrespect.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: SMA

Are You Still In School? why yes

Are You Working? yes

SMA@Hocking its great that you are in school to become an MA. But just wait until you see the salary disparity between an MA and an RN, its amazing. MA/s do a wonderful job at running physicians offices and are very knowledgeable at what they do. But then why are they paid peanuts. Most professionals are paid accordingly and in my opinion $11-15/hr is not professional pay. And what is the cost of your education? Most pay ridiculously high tuition for MA school. The tuition does not match the salary. Think about it, in my area MA's start out at $13.00/hr and usually cap out at $18.00/hr while RN's start out at $28.50/hr and cap out at $65.00/hr. MA's are underpaid and undervalued by doctors.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: RN

Well, SMA@hocking, this controversy is just going to keep going on and on - sort of like the engergizer bunny. I know some RN's who think MAs are crap. Other RNs have a lot of respect for them. The reasons why differ greatly.

I think most of the lack and low pay for MAs is because that the "certifying" agencies are not doing their job of promoting medical assisting. I worked in a small rural clinic and as fill-in a couple of years ago where the MAs made $8/hour. Boy, was this low for what they did. These girls were GOOOOD!. Some of the best I have seen. In this clinic there was one DO (the owners) and ARNP and a PA with 3 clinical MAs and about 6 other administrative staff positions. A year later, this same clinic is down to 1 provider and 1 staff member. What happened I do not know. They all probably left for better pay.

I also think that since so many MAs are graduating from theses private, proprietary schools where the tuition ranges from $10,000 to more, the schools are so much more concerned with money than turning out a quality MA. Some graduates from these progrmas are great, some are not worth a plug nickel. I know, because I taught in one of these schools for over 12 years.

There are so many variable, I think this whole RN vs MA will go, the same as the CMA vs RMA thing. MA need to band together and promote themselves as a professional much more better than they do now!

Your Professional Title/Credentials: RMA (AMT)

Are You Working? yes

Ditto! Well put.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: Website Owner?Site Admin

Suzanne. I do not think that it is a problem with the schools or the cert board per say. The office I worked out would only hier certifed MAs and we were all darn good (most of us got our degrees at the JC since that is the only place around here to get it). I worked there for five years. I am certified in clinical but I am also trained to work the front office as well. In fact, I have run the clinic by myself on some weekends, just me and the doc, no one else....I had to check in, collect payment, run
Medi-cal cards, IDC-9 the superbills, put the patients back, call in rx, assist with procedures, ect all at once. When I left I was still only making 9/hr and since the last year I was there I was taking pre-nursing classes and not working full time I was not getting benifits either. I do agree that MAs need to ban together, I do not know what it will take; nurses did not always make such good money either; maybe we should find out how things changed for them. I agree that things need to change. When I was working as an MA (full time) I took home about 1440 a month before taxes. My rent alone is 600 and gas in these parts is 3.50 a gallon for the cheap stuff. Its almost hard to survive and we are such a needed part of the healthcare team, its just wrong.

It is wrong. I make 9.50/hr working at Circuit City. Some MAs make 8.00/hr. It's BS. We need to ban together.

Really, 8.00? what state? Here in Wa state, the starting pay is 13.00 minimum for M.A graduates.
From what i know, CNA's only make 8.00 starting out here. I would be so angry if I were you. I mean, do we not go to school to not only better our selves, but to make more money? FIGHT for that RIGHT!

Your Professional Title/Credentials: MA student

Are You Still In School? yes

Are You Working? extern

I am in Northern California and I was hiered as a new certifed grad at 8.25 five years later when I left I was making 9......

In response to statement to directed to me: They start most CMAs here at around 12 an hour which to tell you the truth is a good pay for the area. honestly it is the same as most starting LPN jobs around here, 12 an hour. I know registered nurses make a lot more money. That's really great. But I am not going into the MA field expecting to make the big bucks. Yes money is important, but loving your job and what you do is what is most important. Also having good hours so that I can be there for family is important to me. It is much easier to find a babysitter from 8-5. I like the idea of working with patients in a doctor's office. Patients come in and leave, usually no emergencies or life or death situations to encounter on a daily basis. Administrative and clinical duties are done in routine, which is actually something that doesn't bother me, routine. And you get to know each and every patient, talking to them as you work them up for the doc.

Nursing takes a lot of emotional strength. I get too attached to patients. nurses see a lot of sad things like people dying ex: cancer patients. They see very sick people or very serious injuries. I am an emotional gal and truly care about others. Sometimes just hearing something horrible happening to someone makes me teary eyed. Also, I cannot stand the smell of nursing homes and many hospitals, It has always been that way. Death and deathly ill is something I think I could not handle on a daily basis; At least not at this time in my life. I could have easily signed up for the long and forever nursing waiting list that people are waiting as far as 2010. But I chose MA because I liked the job description better than nurses. The scope of practice and especially the hours of work a week for MA is what I want. If lack of making money becomes an issue I may expand my education by pursuing a Bachelors in Health sciences. I checked with my instructor, and there is a 2+2 program at OU.
Nursing takes a lot of emotional strength. I get too attached to patients.

that last sentence was not erased but it was supposed to because I pasted it elsewhere. And the random faces were meant to be else where to. I am getting sleeepy.. hehe

My boyfriend's aunt just finished her MA program (at Ross tech school), and is making $8.00/h at a peds office. This is in Metro-Detroit, Michigan. When I go to monster salary, the median pay for MAs around here is $30,000... How the heck can someone pull in that salary on $8.00/h? It's garbage. I know some CNAs that start off at $15.00...

I know that if I can't find a job as an MA, I'm going to take the one month program through the Red Cross to become a CNA...

I worked in a small office consisting of 1 MD, an OM with no medical training, 1 LPN and myself (MA with 2 year degree) My starting pay was 11.50-not bad for just out of school. I have heard the nurse tell the OM, "I don't collect money, I'm a nurse. I don't deal with insurance, I'm a nurse." In that office, she had a valid point in that it was the OM's job to validate insurance and the nurse's job was patient care and working directly with the MD. My job was to basically, assist both of them. Several weeks were spent without the nurse due to her vacation time. Those were the weeks I learned the most. What was interesting was when I was studying for my RMA exam. THat's when she learned what it was I studied in school.She had no ECG, venipuncture, or chief complaint training. She took a seated b/p without elevating the Pt's arm to heart level.
You wouldn't believe the moodiness/disrespectful attitude the MD and OM put up with for her value to the practice. The om would refer to both of us as nurses for convenience..."You will be seen by the nursing staff for your blood pressure check." As for salaries, I started at 11.50 and she started at 13.00. After 4 years, she was at 17.00 with 3 weeks paid vacation/personal time. I will never know what I would have made because after 1 year, it was clearly time to move on.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: RMA

Are You Still In School? No

Are You Working? No

Lord y'all I make $18.00 and hour......more then some LPN's here....I'm blessed!

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CCMA, CNA

Are You Still In School? YEs

Are You Working? Yes

well, I have been a registered medical assistant for 11 yrs now (i'm only 34) and make $25.00 per hour. However, I work in a specialty clinic, which I believe would pay a medical assistant a higher salary than working in a family practice or internal medicine office. So, for all ya'll trying to make more money as an MA, try increasing your knowledge on a specialty, because that's were the money is.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: RMA

Are You Still In School? no

Are You Working? yes

http://allnurses.com/forums/f8/i-asked-my-doctor-get-me-licensed-person-give-me-injection-271513.html

How would you like to be this poor MA? I'd say she handled herself with more professionality than her RN BSN patient!

Your Professional Title/Credentials: RMA

Are You Still In School? No

Are You Working? No

Hello:YOU KNOW THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION!(INSECURITY)I work in a medical hospital as a nursing assiatant the truth be know nurses have a cushion job there.They do no pt care, not even dressings the Lpn do that, the rest na do from pt care to other procedures we are the ones who note change in pt health ,skin,and mental state.Something is wrong when RN have to ask ma or na about pt john doe to do there monthly I have to smile because of ethics we are not license to discuss with family members change in there loved ones health however we are the ones in the front lines .I agree we as medical professinals have to stay strong and lobby for better wages ,remember the big to do when MA and CNA were introduced to hospitals nurses were in an up roar and started telling family members ask for RN when yur loved ones are in hospitals please is time to strike and soon lets see how long they can do what we do .

Your Professional Title/Credentials: NA-PCA

Are You Still In School? no

Are You Working? yes

I agree that Medical Assistants need to band together, and demand respect. I have also read the nursing forum comments. I actually had a post edited by the Administrator, because my comments about Medical Assistants was not welcome! I know that the AAMA is working on increasing the credibility of Medical Assistants; and more and more offices are requiring Certification, but it has not been enough. Nurses have a very strong lobbying capability. I would like to make some suggestions:

Medical Assistants....
1) Write or email AAMA and express our desire for more positive exposure; through the AAMA. (After all, they are the National organization; that is suppose to represent us). They should be at least as visible as the private high-priced schools that are touting their programs.

2) Respond to negativity from nurses in a professional way.

3) Refer to yourselves and other MA's as "professionals".

4) Put an end to the "Medical Assistants are unlicensed" refrain. Licenses are issued by a government body; Certifications are issued by a non-governmental body. Both require passing an exam, and both require continuing education.

5) Put an end to "Medical Assistants can't do as much as nurses, because of their scope of practice".
Medical Assistants do not have a "scope of practice", and therefore are actually less restricted in the procedures that they can perform. As long as their are trained to perform the procedures and their physician is on-site to provide supervision; it is up to him/her what he/she delegates to the Medical Assistant.

6) Put an end to "only nurses can perform the nursing process of assessment, observation, intervention and evaluation". "Assessment, observation, intervention and evaluation is also a Social Work process. When an MA takes a blood pressure, and it is 160/95, she/he assesses it to be a high blood pressure; observes the patient's emotional state, whether or not the patient just smoked, etc., observes whether or not this is normal for this patient, intervenes by reporting it to the physician. Medical Assistants are educated in critical thinking in their programs, and are not "just any monkey" who can be taught the skills that Medical Assistants do.

7) Put an end to "Medical Assistants are not nurses".
Medical Assistants are "ambulatory care providers that assist physicians"; and are specialists in ambulatory care by virtue of their education.

8) Medical Assistants actually are very different than nurses, because our practice is not governed by the Boards of Nursing; but by the American Association of Medical Assistants, and the Medical Examining Board (which regulates doctors).

If we approach our profession with a united front, we will be much stronger.

Dani, would you be willing to help organize us in lobbying the AAMA?

Your Professional Title/Credentials: BS, AD, CNA, SMA

Are You Still In School? Yes

Are You Working? No

YOU GO RAMONA!!!! Awesome post. Now this is what I am talking about...professional MAs I can look up to, thats why I joined this forum.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: Student Medical Assitant/Pharmacy tech @ walmart

Are You Working? yes

I am a member of allnurses.com, and actually discovered this site from them. I do not believe that medical assistants should be disrespected, because I was one myself. I think that the issue is that many of the schools advertise misleading information allowing the student to believe that they will be nurses, and they are not, simply because they will not be licensed to practice as an LPN or RN. It does not take away from the knowledge and positive contributions that MAs offer to patient care.

While there are many medical assistants that will proudly say what they do and act as professionally as if not better than a nurse, there are quite a few that do consider themselves to be nurses. I trained at a medical assisting school that taught basic skills, and at the time, I thought that it was a great deal (and it was). Entering into nursing school taught me differently. We had to learn nursing from all aspects...med-surg, pediatrics, psych, maternal health and learning skills that can allow a nurse to basically function in all domains. It was far different.

Let me tell you, though, that even LPNs get the same slack...we are not considered as 'true' or 'real nurses' unless we become RNs. And the RNs are arguing about whether or not an associate degree, bachelor's degree of diploma nurse is the real deal. This will continue because unfortunately, there is always a hierarchy and they kick down the little ones, so to speak. I have had to fight the same demons of telling RNs that I choose not to be one because I am not willing to deal with the responsibility of their jobs.

I have seen that some MAs are more knowledgeable than some nurses. Be proud of what you do, it is an honest living, you are not knocking old ladies upside their heads to take their money. You are contributing to the community and to people that need you within your scope of practice.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: LPN

Are You Still In School? No

Are You Working? Yes

SMA@Hocking; Thank you.

pagandeva2000:

I read your post over a couple of times, slowly; to give you the benefit of the doubt. Thank you for saying that Medical Assistants should not be disrespected; I can tell you are sincere when you say that. If you read over what you wrote and think about it though, I think you may read what I read...

Saying medical assistants are not nurses is fine. Was it necessary to explain why? By saying that "they are not licensed as LPN's or RN's"; you are then elevating LPN's and RN's; maybe without meaning to. I don't know when you attended Medical Assistant training; however, now Medical Assistants are trained in more than "basic nursing skills". Due to the advances in health care, their curriculums are evaluated on a yearly basis and expanded accordingly.

In the community college in my area, the Medical Assistant program and the LPN program are both the same length and same number of credits. After graduation, there is an exam for both, prior to being credentialed; and required continuing education for both. The Medical Assistant program focuses on ambulatory care, and the LPN program focuses on non-ambulatory care. Because I already have other degrees, it would actually take me less time to complete the LPN program; but that is not what I want to do. In Medical offices and clinics, Medical Assistants and LPN's do the same things. Here jobs are advertised for RN'S/LPN's or LPN's/MA's. LPN's seem to be sandwiched in the middle.

In regard to LPN's not being considered nurses; unfortunately, in some states that's true. In some State Boards of Nursing, the term "nurse" is restricted to only RN's. I realize LPN's have a continual fight also with RN's. You're right because their will always be a hierarchy it will continue. Hopefully, because you have been an MA, you are in a better position to advocate for us with the nursing community.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: BS, AD, CNA, SMA

Are You Still In School? Yes

Are You Working? No

I have to put in my 2 cents. I work in an urgent care that has been run by MAs for years. We have 2 LPNs who NEVER look down at us. They are 2 of the most wonderful nurses you could meet. Our DON (RN) hasn't been in a clinical setting in years and is big on titles. One day she decided to play nurse in our dept and help out with triage. A pt checked in with chest pain and one of the MAs said that she would just bring the patient in early, do an EKG, history, etc. To make a long story short, the DON actually had the nerve to say that she would do it because she "is the nurse and you're the MA. You guys think you know what your doing, but you don't!" The upside is that she never charted that the patient was waiting to be seen, never showed the EKG to a doc(which is our protocol),and the pt sat for an hour while having an MI. She was reamed royally by 3 docs and was told to let the MAs do their job and not to interfere EVER again. Our docs stick up for our department greatly and recognize the MAs contribution to them. I only wish I was there to see her put in her place and I'm also glad that none of the other nurses in the company have listened to her bash MAs because they all respect us. Sorry for the rant but I had to get this off my chest.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CMA

Are You Still In School? yes

Are You Working? yes

>

I was not trying to elevate the LPN and RN by stating that Medical Assistants are not licensed as nurses; what I was stating was a fact that they are not, and this was not stated as a criticism, beratement or "one-upmanship". The same as a Medical Assistant can equally say that an LPN is not certified as a Medical Assistant; which would also be true. We are not trained in coding/billing, insurance, managing a medical office, financial planning (in some instances), and some of the other clerical duties that Medical Assistants are trained to do. Again, the same amount of time, yes, however, a different focus.

Also, another difference is that if a nurse makes a medical error and it makes it to the State Board of Nursing, an entire committee of strangers that we have never met can determine our fate and the license can be suspended or revolked. This would mean that we cannot work ANYWHERE if it is taken away.

What I see is that, as you said, the Medical Assistant is trained with the focus of ambulatory care, and nurses are trained in 4 different domains, that can be applied in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, skilled living, etc. Never said that it was to place nurses in an elite standing at all. And, yes, there are programs for MAs that are equally, and even longer than LPN programs. There are some MA programs that offer an Associates Degree, while the LPN earns a certificate upon graduation, and then, has to sit for NCLEX in order to practice, or may practice as a graduate practical nurse until they take NCLEX, and if they fail that exam, they automatically lose that position as a GPN and are either terminated or take a position of a CNA.

I would advocate for any person that is working hard within their means for the betterment of positive outcomes. There are good and bad CNAs, LPNs, RNs, Physician Assistants, Physicians. Good and bad practice is not limited to one title.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: LPN

Are You Still In School? No

Are You Working? Yes

Mickey, I am glad that the nurses in your area respect you. And, if the RN makes a rash decision like this one did with the patient with the chest pains, SHE is the one that has to ride it; as the doctors kindly showed her. Kuddos!

Your Professional Title/Credentials: LPN

Are You Still In School? No

Are You Working? Yes

I have a reply to #5 on Romona's list. I am not sure where you are from but in California medical assistants DO have a scope of practice that they have to follow (although many wrongully don't)

I also started working in a busy ER recently as an ER Tech. All the RNs are wonderful also. Because it is in a different state, my scope of practice is different than the one I trained in. One of the docs also likes to quiz staff on certain diseases, injuries, xrays, etc. The docs also see no difference between the RNs and Techs. He told me on the first day that we were a team and we relied on each other. It was definately a way to feel welcome!

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CMA

Are You Still In School? yes

Are You Working? yes