What Does A Medical Assistant Do?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Medical assistants often take medical histories and record vital signs of patients. Medical assistants

complete administrative and clinical tasks in the offices of physicians

, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities. Their duties vary with the location, specialty, and size of the practice.

Is medical assistant better than CNA?

CNA: Job duties. Medical assistants enjoy

the best of both worlds

in healthcare facilities as they move between direct patient care and administrative tasks. … CNAs, on the other hand, work directly with patients all the time.

What is the role of a medical assistant?

Medical assistants

perform routine administrative and clinical tasks under the direct supervision of a licensed health care provider

. Physician assistants examine, diagnose, and treat patients under the supervision of a physician.

What skills do you need to be a medical assistant?

  • Administrative skills.
  • Communication.
  • Time management.
  • Cleanliness and organization.
  • Following protocols.
  • Attention to detail.
  • Knowledge of basic medical procedures.
  • Computer skills.

Do medical assistants have to draw blood?

As a clinical medical assistant, you will support nurses, nurse practitioners, and physicians as they care for patients. You may: Take patient vital signs, including height, weight, blood pressure, or a medical history. … Remove stitches, change dressings, draw blood, or give injections.

Do medical assistants clean poop?

Do medical assistants have to clean poop? … However, cleaning poop, vomit, or urine in a medical assistantship

is not something

that you need to be worried about. Even in emergency cases, healthcare facilities usually have people assigned to cleaning tasks.

Can a medical assistant give shots?

Are medical assistants allowed to administer flu shots and other vaccines?

Yes

. After receiving the appropriate training as indicated in the first question, medical assistants are allowed to administer vaccinations in a clinic or physician’s office settings.

Who gets paid more medical assistant or CNA?


MAs

get paid more than CNAs and CPTs and are in higher demand. The median pay of a medical assistant in 2017 was higher at $15.61 per hour. A whopping 183,900 new MAs are expected to be employed by 2026, a 29% growth rate that the BLS calls “much faster than average”.

Can medical assistants work in hospitals?

Most medical assistants work in physicians’ offices,

hospitals

, outpatient clinics, and other healthcare facilities.

What comes after a medical assistant?

Medical assistants can advance to

RN

by earning an associate or bachelor’s degree in nursing, then passing the NCLEX-RN. Often, medical assistants can earn credit for previous coursework and professional healthcare experience, accelerating their transition to a new career.

How much do medical assistants make an hour?

Job / Career Per year Per hour Medical Assistant (MA) $36,930

$17.75
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) $32,050 $15.41 Dental Assistant $42,310 $20.34 Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) $50,090 $24.08

Is medical assistant hard?

This exam tests you for the skills and knowledge you’ll need to serve as a medical assistant.

The test is somewhat difficult

, but it should be no problem for candidates that study enough to be fully prepared. … The path to a medical assistant career can be as short as a year or as long as two years.

What is the hardest thing about being a medical assistant?

The Biggest Challenges of Being a Medical Assistant

Outside of the day-to-day responsibilities, the most difficult parts of being a medical assistant are related

to the unexpected clinical and administrative “emergencies” that can arise during a shift

.

What pays more phlebotomy or medical assistant?


Medical assistants

earn, on average, $15.61 per hour, whereas phlebotomists earn $17.61 per hour. However, unlike phlebotomists, medical assistants are able to earn more as they gain experience and become specialized in area of medicine, like pediatrics or cardiology.

What a medical assistant Cannot do?

Medical assistant

cannot assess, plan, or evaluate a patient or their care

. … Medical assistants cannot interpret test results or advise a patient about their medical condition in any way. Medical assistants cannot give IV medications or administer anesthetic medications for the purpose of making a patient unconscious.

Can a medical assistant start an IV?


Medical assistants are not allowed to administer medications or injections into the IV line

.

James Park
Author
James Park
Dr. James Park is a medical doctor and health expert with a focus on disease prevention and wellness. He has written several publications on nutrition and fitness, and has been featured in various health magazines. Dr. Park's evidence-based approach to health will help you make informed decisions about your well-being.