Hello!

I have been torn about this for the past few months. I know this is a MA message board, so I'm hoping you can help me make up my mind!

I have been debating on whether to go to school for MA or LPN/possible RN bridge. I love the idea of being a MA and that I'd be able to work front or back office - I like that flexibility. However, I also like the idea of being a nurse in that it seems from what I've read (please correct me if I'm wrong! that they have more patient interaction. My question about being an LPN is this - are most jobs only in a nursing home? I would love to work in a Dr's office or hospital if I were to be an LPN.

For those of you who are MA's - what would you say the pro's and con's are? And, if you don't mind me asking - is the pay rate enough to be able to live comfortably on? (I'm in NJ if that helps)

For those who are LPN's - what are the pro's and con's? Do you work in nursing homes?

Thank you so much in advance!!

Sincerely,
*Dana*

I'll be sitting for my LPN boards in January, and continuing on for my RN. I am a RMA now. We have many LPN's in the clinic setting and hospital. LPN's are not only in nursing homes in my area. Don't forget about home health, ambulatory surgery, specialty clinics. There are a lot of opportunities out there.
In terms of interaction, it is just different interaction. MA's do a lot of check in with vitals, draw labs, assist with procedures. Nurses do a lot more teaching, helping the patient set goals for getting better, do more thorough assessments. Both offer a lot of patient interaction, just in different capacities.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: RMA/CNA/SN

Are You Still In School? yes

Are You Working? yes

I have been told by numerous people in various work environments (private practices, hospitals, and teachers) that many places are phasing out the LPN position. Most job placement will be for RN's or MA's. Years ago an MA couldnt perfrom half of what we do today. The gap between what an RN and an MA can do is merging quickly therefore minamizing the need for LPN's. Although i have heard this from numerous sources .. this is only hearsay.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: RMA

Are You Still In School? Graduated

Are You Working? Searching

I am a LPN

I was a medical assistant before becoming a lpn.
So I think this may make me an expert in your questioning.

To answer some of your questions, yes, doctors do use lpn's in an office setting. As a matter of fact, I have noticed in increase in ads for lpns in offices because procedures and tests that were one performed in the hospitals are now being done in a clinic. I have seen ads for oncology, asthma, orthopedic, and ob/gyn that specificly wanted lpn's because they need licensed nurses to give iv push medications.

I work in an urgent care/family practice setting and make $18hr...not bad for this type of work. The top notch ma's max out at $15 hr.

LTC. My first clinical was in long term care and I hated it. The whole facility smelled like a huge dirty diaper. It smelled bad all day long. I couldn't wait until 3pm, so I could leave. I had a better experience the 2nd quarter of my program when we did med/surg in the hospital. It was very hard trying to write careplans, make sure all 6 patients got their iv & oral medications and do charting, assessments and review labs etc...very exhausting but I did feel like a nurse. My favorite was 'visiting nurse'...I loved it.. I went to patients homes and changed surgical bandages, gave meds, did patient teaching etc. I loved the fact that you set up your schedule for how many patients you can see in a day. I would have gone into visiting nurse except they wanted one year of med surg experience and I didn't want to do that...now I wish I had.



Another thing to consider is the scope of practice for lpn's in the state of NJ. Each state is different. Here in GA, the scope of practice is very broad wich allows hospitals the options of using lpn's in different areas.

in summary, the lpn is much hard program then ma, but the length is the same (in GA it is 15 months at the technical colleges). You have opportunity to make more money then a ma and bridge over to a rn program if you like. You also have a wider choices of settings like a doctors office, hospital, long term care,jail/prison, va hospital etc.

I hope this helps.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: lpn

Are You Still In School? no

Are You Working? yes

Your job experience is interesting, especially when you mentioned how much you liked the home care setting. Why did they recommend a year of surgical training for that position? I am curious.
Another point I wanted to comment on, was that even though many tech schools offer the LPN program, many of them (namely RETS TECH CENTER) will not allow you to transfer your credits to the RN program...even if it's their OWN credits to their OWN program! Very frustrating.
My mother is an LPN, and I'm a CMA. We jokingly tease each other about what one of us can do, that the other can't....(for example, she doesn't/can't draw blood, and I can't pass narcotic meds...although I CAN inject them!! LOL)

Your Professional Title/Credentials: Certified Medical Assistant

Are You Still In School? no

Are You Working? yes

They like one year of med/surg because that is where you get alot of variety. It will expose you to geriatric, pediatric, orthopedic, psych, cardiac, etc etc. It's a great place to get a wide variety of experience to better prepare you for the specialty areas of nursing.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: RMA/CNA/SN

Are You Still In School? yes

Are You Working? yes

Dr T's MA,

Med/surg is the floor on the hospital that takes care of patients that have either had some kind of medical illness like pneumonia, menigitis, sepsis, or other infections that require hospitalization, or
a surgerical procedure-hysterectomy, hip replacment, appedectomy...hence the name med/surg.

actually med/surg are usually different floors...medical floor and surgical floor.

These floors expose nurses to a wide variety of patients, procedures etc and gives a nurse some well needed experience. This is why most if not all companies require at least one year of med/surg.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: lpn

Are You Still In School? no

Are You Working? yes

Dr T's MA

yes it is true that colleges will not transfer most if any credits to the rn program.

most lpn programs are done on a 'diploma level' and not on a 'degree level'. there are some lpn programs that require degree level a&p etc. it just really depends on the school.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: lpn

Are You Still In School? no

Are You Working? yes

Here in MD MA's can start IV's, give IM, PO and IV meds(* IV meds when the doc is there in the room), give IV contrast and inject small amounts od anestics. The pay for an MA vs LPN in the office setting is the same as we do the same job. Some LPN's supervisors or MA's.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: MA, DT, CNA

Are You Still In School? yes

Are You Working? yes