Q. What is the difference between a medical assistant and a nursing assistant, or a Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) and a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)?
A. Medical assistants work primarily in clinics and medical offices under direct physician supervision, and nursing assistants work primarily in hospitals, nursing homes, and other long-term care facilities. CMAs (AAMA) are educated in and tested on clinical and administrative duties. CNAs provide bedside care at inpatient settings.
What can i do to help,, MEDICAL ASSISTANTS, become a state board exam just like a limited scope x-ray,,, or a lpn,, who all work in a medical office, The lpn’s in my office does the exact same job i do, And i am the one who holds the x-ray certification-liciense in my office, but i get paid less and do not get to hold the title of a nurse, but i am called a nurse by the doctors in the office along with the lpn, who also reminds me that i am not a nurse., At least make it a state exam to show that i am just as capable to do the same job as a lpn, by the way do they hafta to carry their own insurance or just work under a physican as well. I would like to see the respect that we deserve since i am 22 years in the making at being a lower class certified medical assistant, No wonder you lose so many to go on and become lpn’s or rn’s just for the name sake upgrade.
Thank you for your questions. Because you ask difficult and important questions, I am going to respond directly to your e-mail.
Donald A. Balasa, JD, MBA
Executive Director, Legal Counsel
American Association of Medical Assistants
Ph: 800/228-2262 | Fax: 312/899-1259 | http://www.aama-ntl.org
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The CMA (AAMA): Health Care’s Most Versatile Professional
WHY IS THIS ALWAYS THE CASE?
WE HAD A LPN JUST GET HER LICENSEAND NOW SHE THINKS SHE KNOW MORE THEN EVERYONE.NOT SAYING ALL ARE LIKE THIS.bUT I AGREE WITH TERESA,WE ALL DO THE EXACT SAME JOB,THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE IN MY EYE.
AND IF YOU CAN BECOME AN MA WITH ON THE JOB TRAINING,WHY CANT IT BE THE SAME FOR ATLEAST AN LPN?I WORK WITH SOMEONE THAT CAME FROM BEHIND THE DESK AND NOW CALLS HERSELF AN MA.I GOT MY GED AND WENT TO SCHOOL TO BECOME WHAT I AM TODAY AND OTHERS ARE BEING HANDED THIS TITLE.
VERY CONFUSING!!!!
You raise valid points. It might be best if we talked about this by telephone. Are you available for a call later this week or next week?
Donald A. Balasa, JD, MBA
Executive Director, Legal Counsel
American Association of Medical Assistants
Ph: 800/228-2262 | Fax: 312/899-1259 | http://www.aama-ntl.org
Visit us on Facebook! http://www.aama-ntl.org/facebook
The CMA (AAMA): Health Care’s Most Versatile Professional
Nurses are trained to expertly move through the nursing process. Medical assistants are trained in tasks. They should always be separate and NEVER confused for the service they provide.
You scared me when you said “hafta”
I agree, I hold a the title CMA for the past ten years yet the distinguishing between me and other medical assistants are little or no value. Our Human Resource Person will not put CMA on my medical ID even when I show and carry the CMA card. Because, as I understand it, what is the difference and one should not be recogzine for the same work that all other medical assistant perfrom. So why even bother other than for self enhancement to take the board if the title is not allowed to follow you through your career.
Thank you for sharing your experiences. I am sorry to hear about the problems you are encountering. I would be happy to speak with someone in the human resource department to clarify and emphasize the value of the CMA (AAMA) credential.
Would that be of any assistance for you?
Donald A. Balasa, JD, MBA
Executive Director, Legal Counsel
American Association of Medical Assistants
Ph: 800/228-2262 | Fax: 312/899-1259 | http://www.aama-ntl.org
Visit us on Facebook! http://www.aama-ntl.org/facebook
The CMA (AAMA): Health Care’s Most Versatile Professional
I have just started to study for my Associates in Applied Science for Medical Assisting. It is not cheap to become a CMA. If I am going to get the same pay and title with a degree why should I get board certifided?
I just recently graduated and became a CMA (AAMA) I work in a family practice and I have noticed many patients look at my badge and see CMA and automatically assume that I am a CNA or they will ask what how I compare to a nurse…My response is always that I graduated from a 2 year program and I am trained more in a doctors office setting rather than a hospital, but here LPN’s and I do pretty much the same tasks. Is it ok for me to say this? I have heard stories of nurses looking down on CMA’s but at my job thankfully they see me as an equal and I feel like I have about the same knowledge that they do. I just hope that eventually the CMA (AAMA) title is spread and more people (patients especially) know of CMA’s and what we do.
Thank you for your question, and for upholding the medical assisting profession and the CMA (AAMA) credential!
It is permissible for you to state that you many of the same duties as an LPN. However, you must make it clear that you are not a nurse in ANY sense, even in a generic sense.
Please be assured that the AAMA will continue to defend the medical assistant’s right to practice, and to point out the fact that the CMA (AAMA) is the gold standard of medical assisting credentials.
Thank you again.
Donald A. Balasa, JD, MBA
Executive Director, Legal Counsel
American Association of Medical Assistants
Ph: 800/228-2262 | Fax: 312/899-1259 | http://www.aama-ntl.org
Visit us on Facebook! http://www.aama-ntl.org/facebook
The CMA (AAMA): Health Care’s Most Versatile Professional