Exactly what is a Registered Medical Assistant?

[Joangemma]

I have been searching, for weeks now, on exactly what a Registered Medical Assistant is allowed to do in clinical areas. I work with one that states,"I can do everything an RN can do except give IV medications." She does the pre-op workup, getting histories, medication lists and so on. She also starts IV's and starts the infusions, listens to breath sounds, (learned on her own) and takes verbal IV med. orders and then tells a RN to give the med. I will not do this on her verbal order and check with the Dr. on my own. And then I am told by my coworkers that she complains that I follow up on everthing she does. Personally, I do not have the time to follow up on everything she does, but I wish I did. The articles I have found about RMA's and their scope of practice, simply state "it is a gray area in many states". I work in an ambulatory surgery setting in one of the states it is a gray area in, and am wondering if my co~RN's have any thoughts on this. Apparently RMA's are not supervised by RNs but by a Dr.

[Frankreich]

I have been searching, for weeks now, on exactly what a Registered Medical Assistant is allowed to do in clinical areas. I work with one that states,"I can do everything an RN can do except give IV medications." She does the pre-op workup, getting histories, medication lists and so on. She also starts IV's and starts the infusions, listens to breath sounds, (learned on her own) and takes verbal IV med. orders and then tells a RN to give the med. I will not do this on her verbal order and check with the Dr. on my own. And then I am told by my coworkers that she complains that I follow up on everthing she does. Personally, I do not have the time to follow up on everything she does, but I wish I did. The articles I have found about RMA's and their scope of practice, simply state "it is a gray area in many states". I work in an ambulatory surgery setting in Illinois (one of the states it is a gray area in) and am wondering if my co~RN's have any thoughts on this. Apparently RMA's are not supervised by RNs but by a Dr.
Nurse Nancy RN

They are RN competitors. I will submit more infor in another post.

[EileenWilliamson]

As an RN, interesting to me in this entry is the description of the series of tasks "allowed" or "permitted" in the RMA job description. Professional nursing practice is not a series of "tasks," it is so much more. What sets us apart as registered professional nurses apart is our ability to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate patient care and measure the quality of outcomes using our education, background, experience and critical thinking skills, and our professional licensure and scope of practice that not only allows but requires us to be responsible and accountable for the nursing care our patients are receiving. Thankfully, RNs do not work in a "gray" area. And kudos to the Nurse Nancy who gets her patient orders from an MD and follows up on what others who are working with her patients are doing. Eileen Williamson, RN, MSN, VP Nursing Communications & Initiatives, NY/NJ Nursing Spectrum

[Frankreich]

"Nurse Nancy?"

Yes, Nurse Nancy the poster signature.

Nurse Frankreich.

[Frankreich]

I missed that, but saw the reference in a following post...didn't impress me.

Thanks for pointing it out.

No problem I was bored.

[NURSEDETROIT]

The ubiquitous, interchangeable, and less costly RMA. . . In many instances, areas where nurses had solely tread, RMA's now rule. An administrative answer to address (in some instances) a created nursing shortage. Yes, I do agree with Ms. E. Williamson that "nurses are more than simple "task masters." The issue is, plain and simple, "cost of labor." Why not just juxtapose someone who "won't" necessarily question things for their lack of wherewithal. . .someone who will just follow direction at every turn . . . Easy.

[ilovemedicine]

Hello everyone,

I am a MA. And I would just like to say. I have a lot of respect for nurses because that is originally what I want to do. But I did not have enough money. I actually went to a trade school to become a MA just to get my foot in the door. It's bothering me because I really have wanted to be a nurse since I was a child. One thing to let you all know I don't know what kind of Medical Assistant you guys know. But I am very serious with my job. My teacher was a NP and a flight nurse in the military, so no time for the "easy" part of MA. I know how to prep, palpate, and obtain blood all under 5 minutes, due to my teacher that taught me so well. But I love it because it only prepares me for nursing. I also see a lot of posts talking bad about MAs but nobody talks about how a lot nurses blame them for their mistakes.Not all, but a lot. I respect you nurses, I love what you do(the ones who take it seriously) and I just wanted to give some input as a MA going to be a nurse soon. Thank you

[TriciaB]

If they're REGISTERED medical assistants: registered by whom? There must be some sort of scope-of-practice document that governs them. Also check with your State Board of Nursing and your state's Nurse Practice Act. Surely they would want to weigh in and protect nurses from legal grey areas. Also your workplace should have clearly-defined job descriptions. And you want to have your own liability insurance; you may need it if someone tries to hold you accountable for an RMA error.

[ilovemedicine]

There is a registry association that REGISTERS medical assistants. An exam is involved just like for nurses..what's the problem..?

[adamsusan]

Medical assistants cover an entire gamut of medical procedures and patient care activities, inclusive of phlebotomy and laboratory testing. They also deal with medical coding and billing, administering medicines, assessing vital signs and taking x-rays.

[StarCareerAcademy]

Medical assistants perform clinical and administrative and work in hospitals, clinics, doctor’s offices and other healthcare offices. Medical assistant programs and courses are offered at Star Career Academy. These programs are meant to prepare students for entry-level positions right out of school. If you would like more information about Medical Assistants visit Star Career Academy's website.