This week is National Nurse's week. I find it strange that Medical Assistants perform quite a few duties that are closer to clinical nursing than what Nursing Assistants do! I work in Public Health and Medical Assistants are a part of the nursing staff. We don't celebrate Medical Assistants week because we celebrate Nurse's week with the RN's and LPN's. I feel Medical Assistants are the answer to the Nursing Shortage!

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CMA/EMT

Are You Working? yes

With such a fierce debate about MA's calling themselves (WRONGLY!) nurses I am surprised that your
facility would this. National Medical Assistants week is in Oct. and should be observerd them for MA's.
MA's cannot be the answer to the nursing shortage because we arn't nurses. BIG DIFFERENCE. The answer to the nursing shortage in my area is more nurses with teaching credentials. I have waited 3 years to start nursing school with a lottery system, (which is
how I decided to become a CMA...while waiting).My number finally came up and I start in fall.
See if you can organize CMA week and get the recognition we all deserve!

Your Professional Title/Credentials: Certified Clinical Medical Assistant

Are You Still In School? no

Are You Working? yes. Hospital ER/Clinic

Ditto to Shelly, MAs are not the answer to the nursing shortage; nurses are, and only nurses(the shrotage is not in doctors office anyway, its in hospitals and nursing homes where the role of the nurse and MA is light night and day...granted that MAs can do a few of the technical stuff that nurses do) . It is too bad that your facility does not support MA week, maybe you should point out to them that MAs are not Nurses...they can not call themselves nurses and should therefore not have to share a holiday that is not rightfully theirs....instead why not let them celebrate a holiday that IS rightfully theirs. MA week in October

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CCMA-C

Are You Still In School? Nursing School

Are You Working? Doing free doula service

For some reason, the 2 responders are under the impression that we our Ma's are called nurses. We know we are medical assistant especially me because I have been a medical assistant since 1980! I also know about Medical Assistant's Week every October! Governor Ed Rendell (former Mayor) declared a Medical Assistant's Day in Philadelphia in the mid 1990's. I am also a member of the AAMA, and a former member of AMT. It is not that easy to convence the Director of Nursing to change something for 50 to 60 MA's who work for department of. We perfom every duty nurses's with the exception of Triage!

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CMA/EMT

Are You Working? Department of Public Health/Health Center #4

I certainly did not mean to insult you. Your post, the way I read it, seemed to be asking why your facility would lump MA's in with nurses. I gave a suggestion of asking your employer when to celebrate CMA week. I could not have known you have been a CMA since 1980 nor that you knew about medical assistant week, since none of that info was in your original post. On the question of why nursing assistants are a part of Nurses Week....my facility includes them because they are a vital link in patient care and under the direct supervision of LPNs and RNs. We, as
Certified Medical Assistants fall under the direct supervision of MDs.(and their liability ins.)In the hospital that I work in they lump me right in with the nurses. I do try to educate patients and staff about my initials (CMA) but it is a slow process.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: Certified Clinical Medical Assistant

Are You Still In School? no

Are You Working? yes. Hospital ER/Clinic

I'm looking at the local hospital web sites for CMA positions, they are ALL listed the nursing category.

Hummmm...

Your Professional Title/Credentials: SMA

Are You Still In School? yes

Are You Working? no

The hospitals in my area put us in the category of Allied Health. That suits me fine!

Your Professional Title/Credentials: Certified Clinical Medical Assistant

Are You Still In School? no

Are You Working? yes. Hospital ER/Clinic

Our hospitals do NOT hire CMAs. Period. And I have many clinical skills that CMAs do not posess....and I am paid better than the average MA.

MAs are best suited to ambulatory clinics; they are office savvy and posess the necessary
lab skills to make the office efficiently. There is nothing in the hospital that a CMA can do that could not be done by the nursing staff (RNs, LPNs, and CNAs).

If I were a nurse I would be insulted if the MAs were included in the Nurse's Week celebration, although I'd get them a big 'ole cake for Medical Assistants Week in October.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CNA

"Our hospitals do NOT hire CMAs. Period. And I have many clinical skills that CMAs do not posess....and I am paid better than the average MA.

MAs are best suited to ambulatory clinics; they are office savvy and posess the necessary
lab skills to make the office efficiently. There is nothing in the hospital that a CMA can do that could not be done by the nursing staff (RNs, LPNs, and CNAs)."

I understand CNA's have different skills than CMA's, but may I ask... what clinical skills do you have that are the same as a CMA?

I worked as CMA in the ER for 6 years.

Many hospitals do train their CNAs and PCTs phlebotomy, and other similiar clinical skills now. At my hospital CNAs and PCTs could not give injections as I did.

Where as CMAs are trained for ambulatary settings; CNAs are trained long-term care.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: Registered Nurse CCMA Certified Phlebotomist Certified X-Ray tech

Are You Still In School? Completed my BSN December 2008

Are You Working? yes. I work agency. (Hospital Clinic for 6 years)