I have Been a MA/CPT/ for about 11 yrs  challenge the board and worked as a CMA for about 15yr  I have also done Insurance Physicals. I have been in the Medical Field doing something for about 30 yrs . I never had the opportunity to go back to college for a Nursing Degree , but worked in a Dr. office as if I was a Nurse doing  everything from injections to helping in minor surgical procedure to counseling on health issues transcribing Dr's orders etc. I am now at an age where going to college would be a challenge for me . I would love to have a degree in Nursing and wonder if their are any online schools that would take my experience into consideration and let me enroll in an LVN or LPN progaram. I read the article about having to attend a One year college for this but was hoping for any exception to the rules. Can anyone help me in this or is it too late.

Thank-you for any help on this.

Gloria

I appreciate your comments on my question and I understand what you are saying. To make it clear though I counsel on subjects I took classes on. It is in my job description. Medical Assistant's are able to do this as long as the Dr. request this of us, and we are well trained and qualified. I don't think Medical Assistants get the respect we deserve and earn in the Health Care setting. Why are so many Dr's hiring us?If we aren't suppose to perform these duties. I am very good at what I do. I know where and how to give injections I was trained by a nurse to do this.Just to make these points clear. We continualy have to take training on an array of subjects to keep our Certifcation.But thanks for your imput.

Gloria

There is an LPN school called Distance Minnesota but you will have to do your clinicals there or in North Dakota. It's a 2 year program but you must do Perclasses for the program. Hate to be the bearer of bad news but you will get no credits for being  a  Medical Assistant.  even If you worked there 40 years. The reason is because you are not a nurse and you don't really have any transferrable nursing credits from any nursing school.  MA's don't think they get the respect that nurses do because it's Medical Assisting meaning you are mostly assisting doctors in clinics and other places. Nursing is dealing more with patient care, as so do CNA's and LPN's. So that's the difference. The MA program is a whole program with nursing you have to take appropriate classes for nursing, with MA you are learning something totally different because you are not learning about hospital patients your training was more  for out patient care,office care, testing, insurance and billing, giving injections which is almost like nursing but the training is different and much longer.Nurses take care of patients 24-7  MA get to go home at night and sleep , nurses don't. Once the Clinic is closed the MA get to rest. Unless they are working in a different dept or doing something elselike CNA or something.

Here is information about Distance Minnesota LPN online classes. They have other LPN schools but they are not online in Minnesota. http://deleern.blogspot.com/2009/07/wow-distance-lpn-program-at-nctc.html  

I started out as a CMA, AAMA.  I went to school for it and earned an associates degree.  We took A&P 1 and 2.  Micro, all the prereqs needed for  medical sciences.  We learned the proper landmarks to give injections and etc.  We were taught patient care in the clinic and OR setting.  We learned how to do lab tests and  and draw blood.  Learned how to do x-rays and ekgs, etc. ( I also have a limitied x-ray license.)  We learned all the aspects of the clinic and the ORand in the hospital ER.  (They are highly respected here.)  We also learned business management, coding and billing.  Medical Ethics, medical laws, etc.   So, all in all we have a well rounded education.  

You can not set for theCMA  boards here.  Our clinic does not hire people unless they are AAMA certified meaning they have gone to an accredited school.   We have CMA's and LPN's working in our clinic.  They are on the same pay scale.  They do the same job.  CMA's are not hired because they are "cheaper".   ( LOL  Really?)    Also the LPN schools we have here are for 9 months.  They do not take all the prereqs that we do.  We all do patient teaching, Docs do patient teaching.  We all take an active role in the care of our patients.  The CMA's here work under the medical board not the nursing board . The LPN's work under the nursing board.  We answer to our own boards.  We all work under the doctors at the clinic.  Our LPN's and the two RN's we have do not have issues with CMA's.  We all work together for the good of the patients.  Oh and a CNA has no formal education at all so they could not work here.

While it is true there are differences in the programs.  One should not demean others and propose to know everything about a program they have not  gone through.  As far as having to reteach someone, that goes for the LPN's and RN's also.  There are some of them that have to learn new things also, but that does not make them incapable of learning.    It is proper to work together as a team for the good of the patients.  Usually when one demeans anothers profession, it's because they are lacking in self esteem and have to make others look back to lift themselves up.  We don't work that way here.

I said all of that to say.  I,  as a CMA went on to become an RN through an online program called Excelsior College of Nursing.  They no longer allow anyone but LPN's  and Paramedics in the program..  But I did it when they did allow CMA's with an associate degree.  Wow!  A CMA becomes an RN.  I already had the prereqs required.  I passed the nursing exam to get in.  So it can be done. 

Look at Chamberlin School of  Nursing online.  But if you sat for the MA exam you will have to get all the prereqs before you get into any program. 

Hope this helps.

suzy, I'm sorry for your issues but I thank you for   posting your comment.. to me this sounds like Bullying in the Workplace.. I would hope this behavior would go on "everyplace" nd also I hope you don't dislike all o the LPN's and RN's.. Best of luck to you.. Please keep us posted.. Teresa