Medical Assistant vs. Associate Degree Registered Nurse
An associate degree Registered Nurse (RN) has completed a state-approved and recognized associate degree in nursing and has, similar to bachelor’s degree-prepared nurses, successfully passed the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) NCLEX-RN examination. Although medical assistants can attend and graduate from a college with an associate degree in medical assisting, it is not a requirement. Medical assistants can also get their training and education in a vocational or technical school through a diploma or certificate program. However, the medical assistant must attend a school that has accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) to be eligible to take and successfully pass the medical assistant certification examination offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). Private employers do not typically have these accreditations.
The roles of these two healthcare providers are also different. The associate degree registered nurse has many different roles and responsibilities in many different settings, as they provide nursing care to people of all ages with a great variety of acute and chronic illnesses, diseases, and disorders. These nurses follow the nursing process, which includes physical, emotional, and social assessments, nursing diagnosis, planning care, providing and implementing nursing care, and evaluating the outcomes of care.
Medical assistants, on the other hand, collect data and information for their supervisor, who then performs analytical assessments. They do not provide diagnoses either; that is the role of the licensed supervisor, such as the physician. Medical assistants don’t plan care; they implement and provide care as instructed by the supervisory licensed practitioner. They observe and report client changes, but do not formally evaluate the long-term and short-term outcomes of care.
By 2031, it’s expected that there will be a 16 percent increase in the number of medical assistant positions available, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Although medical assistants and associate degree registered nurses both safeguard and document medical records, the medical assistant has a far greater role in terms of medical records and other front-office tasks than the registered nurse. Medical assistants actively communicate with patients and visitors in the office, they compose, send, receive, and process letters and other forms of written communication, they bill health insurance companies, order and maintain supplies and equipment, schedule patient appointments, and perform many other clerical and office roles that registered nurses do not perform.
In summary, both of these healthcare workers are highly valuable for providing healthcare services, but they are quite different in many ways.
Differences in Education, Training, & Salary Potential
Length of Education and Training
An associate degree in nursing takes a minimum of two years; however, most nursing students take at least three years to complete all the required courses for an associate degree in nursing. Some college-based nursing programs have accelerated Licensed Practical Nurse to Associate Degree Nursing programs for eligible nurses.
In comparison, medical assistants require less time to get through their education. Those that choose to attend a technical or vocational school to earn a diploma or certificate often finish in a single year. However, if the student decides to pursue their associate’s in medical assisting at a university or college, they may take two or more years to complete their education, similar to an ADN. Read about MA to RN programs.
Specialized Training
Training to become a registered nurse at a college or university consists of college courses in non-nursing liberal arts and science courses such as English, anatomy, physiology, microbiology, and psychology, as well as nursing courses such as the fundamentals of nursing, pediatric nursing, maternity nursing, pharmacology, nutrition, psychiatric mental health nursing, and medical and surgical nursing.
Part of this training is conducted in the classroom, and other aspects of this education and training take place in a nursing laboratory and in a clinical setting such as a hospital or nursing home while the student renders nursing care to patients under the direct supervision and guidance of a qualified nursing faculty member.
Medical assistants pursuing an associate’s at a university or college may be required to take extra courses similar to those pursuing an ADN. However, those attending vocational school focus exclusively on classes that are directly relevant to medical assisting. Medical assistant coursework has some crossover with nursing degrees, including classes in anatomy, physiology, and other basic medical courses. However, medical assistant classes concentrate on primary care-related tasks, including taking vital signs, office management, communications, and sample collection.
Educational Prerequisites
All colleges and universities have admission requirements; people interested in nursing must apply and be accepted into the college or university and then meet the prerequisites and other necessities to be admitted into the college’s nursing program. Some schools and/or nursing programs require a certain score on the SAT or ACT test, both of which are standardized tests that predict success at the college level.
Some colleges and universities require that potential nursing students complete and pass all their required prerequisite courses, such as medication or pharmacology mathematics, anatomy, and physiology, as well as have a minimum grade point average (GPA) for entry into the nursing program.
Medical assistants have significantly fewer prerequisites to concern themselves with if they are attending a vocational school. Those entering vocational school generally must possess a GED or high school diploma and pass a background check. Students pursuing their education at a college or university will likely find some of the same requirements that ADN students face, including minimum SAT scores and successfully completing basic prerequisite courses to enter the program.
Salary Potential
Nationally, the average salary for a registered nurse was $77,600 as of 2021. Medical assistant salaries average nearly half of this amount, totaling $37,190. However, RNs require more education and a more intensive course load than medical assistants.
Work Hours and Shifts
Registered nurses can work full-time or part-time. Nursing shifts can be 8 hours, 10 hours, or 12 hours per shift. Nurses work seven days a week, on holidays, and all shifts around the clock with some exceptions.
Medical assistants working for primary care offices tend to have a more predictable work schedule that’s free of late evenings or imposing weekend hours. However, medical assistants working in hospitals may experience irregular workweeks and longer hours that are more similar to RNs.
Career Outlook
With the aging baby boomer population steadily requiring more and more care, it may come as little surprise that ADN-educated RNs have a bright future. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of RNs is expected to increase by 6 percent through 2031. Much of this growth will be in nursing homes and other forms of geriatric care. However, there are sure to be many opportunities in outpatient care centers as well.
Medical assistants have an even higher job increase to look forward to. By 2031, it’s expected that there will be a 16 percent increase in the number of medical assistant positions available. This is largely due to rapid growth in the primary health sector, which has been stimulated by recent healthcare reforms extending insurance to a larger group of people. In fact, medical assistants have one of the highest growth levels in the healthcare industry.
Differences in Programs
Costs
There are significant differences in tuition costs between Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) programs and medical assistant programs, with varying dollar amounts. ADN programs tend to have higher tuition fees due to their longer duration and comprehensive curriculum. The tuition range for ADN programs can vary widely, typically falling between $10,000 and $40,000 per year. These programs generally require two to three years of study and cover a wide range of nursing topics, including anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, and clinical practice.
On the other hand, medical assistant programs are usually shorter in duration, ranging from a few months to a year. As a result, the tuition costs for medical assistant programs tend to be lower compared to ADN programs. The tuition range for medical assistant programs can vary from around $1,000 to $10,000, depending on the institution and program length. Medical assistant programs focus on developing skills related to administrative and clinical tasks in healthcare settings, such as medical coding, patient care, and basic laboratory procedures. Ultimately, the differing durations and educational requirements contribute to the variation in tuition costs between ADN nursing programs and medical assistant programs.
Online vs. Campus-Based Programs
All entry-level nursing courses must have a campus component because clinical and nursing laboratory experiences under the direct supervision and guidance of a nursing faculty member are mandatory.
Similarly, all medical assistant programs include some form of in-person learning, as clinical hours are required to graduate from both colleges and vocational schools. In-person clinical hours are usually able to be arranged at a medical facility in the student’s local area, with approval from the program advisor.
Competitiveness
Nursing programs at all levels are more competitive than other programs, including medical assistant programs. Potential nursing students are often placed on a sometimes very long waiting list for the nursing program, and this list is often based on the person’s GPA. The higher your GPA, the better your chances of admission. Even with a high GPA, gaining entry may take a year or longer because the number of admitted students is typically highly limited.
This is not the case for medical assistant programs, which are typically much less difficult to enter. However, lower tuition in schools and areas with a higher population may increase the popularity of the program.
Prerequisites and/or Requirements
The prerequisites and requirements of registered nursing programs are also more rigorous than other healthcare education programs although these requirements do vary according to the level of education one is seeking and the school that one chooses to attend.
Though the exact prerequisites depend on the institute, prospective medical assistants would be well-advised to find a program accredited by either the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). This will open doors for medical assisting students in the future, allowing them to qualify for special certifications and impress potential employers.
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