What Is the Difference Between a Certified Medical Assistant and an LPN?
Certified medical assistants (CMAs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) are both medical professionals who interact with patients and work under physicians. Although the job duties and training for both careers are similar, medical assistants and licensed practical nurses are very different. Function Certified medical assistants and licensed practical nurses both care for patients, but LPNs provide basic bedside care while CMAs generally perform clerical tasks. Duties Certified medical assistants perform duties such as filing records, greeting patients, performing lab tests, drawing blood and setting up patient rooms, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Licensed practical nurses generally take vital signs, dress wounds, give injections and assist with personal hygiene, among other things, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports. Education Certified medical assistants spend one to two years in technical school or community college. Courses taken involve medical office routines
