Certified Medical Assistant Vs. Certified Nursing Assistant

Updated on August 10, 2006
C.K. asks from Rockwall, TX
4 answers

I didn't know whether to put this under Health & Medical or Employment or Education. If you are an RN perhaps you can answer this question. I have tried contacting the HR dept at various hospitals to get their feedback but haven't gotten a call back. I would like to go back to school to get certified as a medical assistant or a nursing assistant. But I'm trying to find out the difference. Someone told me they thought that a nursing assistant was more hands-on patient care and a med. asst. was more administrative, labwork, equipment/supplies inventory, insurance mixed with some patient care. El Centro offers a short term program to become a certified medical assistant or a 4 semester program to become a licensed vocational nurse. PCI trade school offers short term programs to become a certified medical assistant or a different program to become a certified patient care technician which they explain is the same as a certified nursing assistant. El Centro would require me to take college algebra and english composition before entering any of their medical programs, but PCI doesn't require that. I would prefer more hands-on patient care, but don't mind some paper work or lab work either. I prefer working in a hospital setting. Any idea which of these pays better? Also, when I was a patient at Baylor, which I've been several times after surgery or after giving childbirth, there was someone (male or female) who was assigned to me and came in to my room and greeted me by saying, "Hi, I'm Sarah and I'll be your medtech today". Visiting the Baylor jobs listing I found something called a Patient Care Technician. Is this perhaps what she was referring to? There were also positions for a Patient Care Assistant, but the description sounded like the tech position was more advanced because it included changing dressings and assisting with endoscopic procedures, etc. I believe a Medical Assistant may be more for a doctor's office or clinic and a tech is perhaps more for a hospital setting...am I on the right track?

Would you think my training and certification through PCI would be just as recognized as if I got my certification at El Centro? I wish I could just go for it and get my license as an RN, but I'm 44 years old, work part time, mother of 2 children, have limited income and my math grades were terrible in high school. Oh, I also suffer from Adult ADD so test-taking is very stressful for me. Also, it took my niece almost 4 years to get her RN and nurses pin, only because she flunked out the 2nd year and had to go back. But, I'm thinking, if it took her that long and I have no college prerequisites, won't it take me much longer?

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S.J.

answers from Dallas on

I am a CNA and I started going for my CMA.. CMA's can pretty much do everything a RN can do but do not wright on charst they can take bloood and give shoots. CNA's mostly do bed baths and those sort of things. As a CNA you will pretty much only beable to find a job in nursing homes.. CMA's are kinda finding it hard to find jobs right now because most doctors would rather have LVN or RN'S. You can get you LVN in one year and it cost about the same as being a CMA but it will be easier to find a job and it will pay more. I went to Westwood in Dallas it is a total rip off they do not teach you anything and it cost about 15,000 about the same as going to El Cintro. Hope this has been helpful. Good luck

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M.R.

answers from Dallas on

Hello Cathy, you are on the right track. I'm a CNA also trying to get recertified. Where I'm from Patient Care Tech are the same as CNA, but the PCT draws blood also. If you are looking for a college to go to be an Medical Assistant, Remington College offers that program. You only have to take an acceptance test and past it. The program is only for an year. I hope that this helps you.

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M.

answers from Dallas on

Cathy,

My husband is has finished up his 60+ hours for prereqs to enter a Bachelors of Nursing program here in DFW and will enter in the spring. He would be a great person to talk to bc he has looked at all of these programs and knows the DCCCD system as well. He can explain what would be best and where might be best to do it and what the positions really are. If you'd like, let me know and I can give you his number and maybe you two can meet for coffee or something. We are in East Dallas also.

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D.W.

answers from Dallas on

Hi Kathy,
In my experience CMA (cert. med assitant) work in an outpatient setting. They work in the Doctors office- some are utilized in the fromt office- appointmernts, check in etc.., some are working in the back office doing actual patient care.
CNA's are in the hospitals. I don't know the difference between a CNA and a patient Care Tech????
Most CNA's get the "sct" work- taking vital signs, giving bed baths, changing linens etc... BAsically it kind of depend on what you want.

I think you should consider the RN program at El Centro. It is inexpensive and made for adult learners. My friend went back at 38 as the mom of 3 and a new divorcee. She made it through!

If you need anything else please e-mail me!
D.
____@____.com

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