Is there a difference between A NURSING ASSISTANT AND MEDICAL ASSISTANT?

i heard that nursing assistnts only clean up after ppl while the medical ones actually help ppl..is that true?

Hmm, I don't agree with either the above answers. Sorry :-(

Medical assistant - generally work in Physician's offices. They are trained in medical terminology, to take vitals signs (temp, blood pressure and such), to assist the dr/nurse with procedures (stand by for gyn exams), and sometimes trained in phlebotomy (taking people's blood for testing).

A nursing assistant might work in home health care, nursing homes, and/or acute care settings like a hospital. They are able to take vital signs, assist patients with personal care (washing, cleaning, dressing, eating).

Sometimes nursing assistants do clean up after people, that's part of the job, but nursing assistants are intimately involved in people's lives and make a big difference in a patient's day. I don't know that medical assistants can say that.

Either way, both jobs are a great way to get a taste of the medical field and will let you know if it is the right area for you.

Best Wishes!!

The work of a Medical Assistant is focused on the outpatient medical office environment. In contrast, Nurses are primarily trained to work in an inpatient acute care or long-term care medical environment.

Are you sure it's not medication aid? Medication aid is a nursing assistant who can pass oral meds. A physician assistant is a master's degree and makes big bucks. As far as Medical assistant... probably the same as nursing assistant. Some places are calling them patient care assistant.

MA's are trained to work in a dr office, not to work in a resident facility. I have an a degree for MA, I can draw blood, give injections, clean eyes and ears, wrap injuries, remove stitches, and work all parts of the office and paper work, and many other things ( to much to list)

I am a certified medical assistant. If you work in a docs office, you will be doing basically what a nurse does. Giving shots, ekgs, phlebotomy, patient care, lab tests, etc. A nurses aide is paid less and made to do more. I work in a hopital as a unit secretary with clinical duties. the problem is, the nurses see me as a nurses aide, not a certified medical assistant. This means they try to push all the dirty work on me. I am transfering to a different department.

You can find the Medical Assistant job description here http://www.medical-assistant.biz/