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Medical assistant vs registered nurse

The differences between medical assistants and registered nurses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a medical assistant, becoming a registered nurse takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a registered nurse has an average salary of $73,349, which is higher than the $34,900 average annual salary of a medical assistant.

The top three skills for a medical assistant include patients, vital signs and patient care. The most important skills for a registered nurse are patients, BLS, and CPR.

Medical assistant vs registered nurse overview

Medical AssistantRegistered Nurse
Yearly salary$34,900$73,349
Hourly rate$16.78$35.26
Growth rate16%6%
Number of jobs189,915646,159
Job satisfaction-2.75
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 24%Associate Degree, 46%
Average age3744
Years of experience122

What does a medical assistant do?

Medical assistants provide support to medical practitioners in both administrative and clerical tasks. They keep and update the patient's medical records, administer medicines under the supervision of a physician, assist during medical examinations, prepare medical samples for laboratory testing, manage the schedule of appointments, and assist the patients with their bills and in filling out needed forms, such as insurance-related documents. Medical assistants should have good communication skills and analytical skills, be organized, and be flexible. They should also have knowledge of how to operate some medical equipment such as x-ray machines.

What does a registered nurse do?

The primary responsibilities of a registered nurse involve caring for a variety of patients, from ill and injured to those who are healthy and wanting to stay that way. Nurses have different specialization and work with particular patients, such as newborn babies or those who are suffering from particular medical conditions. They work on different settings which includes hospital, outpatient facility, rehabilitation center, nursing home, dialysis center, home healthcare agency, and other offices. They can administer medications, wound care, and other aids or treatment plan. They also conduct medical tests, interpret the results, and monitor patients' recovery and progress.

Medical assistant vs registered nurse salary

Medical assistants and registered nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.

Medical AssistantRegistered Nurse
Average salary$34,900$73,349
Salary rangeBetween $27,000 And $43,000Between $45,000 And $117,000
Highest paying CityVancouver, WASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateAlaskaCalifornia
Best paying companyColumbia University in the City of New YorkNORCAL Ambulance
Best paying industryHealth CareHealth Care

Differences between medical assistant and registered nurse education

There are a few differences between a medical assistant and a registered nurse in terms of educational background:

Medical AssistantRegistered Nurse
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 24%Associate Degree, 46%
Most common majorMedical Assisting ServicesNursing
Most common college-Duke University

Medical assistant vs registered nurse demographics

Here are the differences between medical assistants' and registered nurses' demographics:

Medical AssistantRegistered Nurse
Average age3744
Gender ratioMale, 10.4% Female, 89.6%Male, 12.3% Female, 87.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 25.7% Asian, 8.8% White, 49.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 9.0% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage6%9%

Differences between medical assistant and registered nurse duties and responsibilities

Medical assistant example responsibilities.

  • Create and maintain confidential patient files; implement EHR systems to automate patient records management for the purposes of meaningful use.
  • Adhere to OSHA guidelines while performing instrument sterilization in addition to managing medical inventory.
  • Participate in emergency surgical intervention in obstetrics and gynecology patients.
  • Demonstrate proficiency in taking patient history and vitals, venipuncture, injections, urinalysis and preparing examination trays.
  • Attend to new out patients in gynecology clinic, make clinical diagnosis and follow up.
  • Provide RMA support to physician, and patients, including but not limit to vitals and patient history.
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Registered nurse example responsibilities.

  • Manage patient care for individuals with multiple diagnoses including COPD, diabetes, stroke and cardiac issues.
  • Organize and manage regular clinics involving external physicians, including ophthalmology, ENT, Med/Surg, orthopedics, and podiatry professionals.
  • Manage surgical recovery patients including vascular, ENT, GI urological and neurological cases, coronary bypass surgery patients.
  • Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
  • Provide care for cardiac patients in arrhythmia critical care unit, providing patient education and monitoring telemetry
  • Re-Cover surgical patients immediately after heart and vascular surgery until transfer out of ICU.
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Medical assistant vs registered nurse skills

Common medical assistant skills
  • Patients, 20%
  • Vital Signs, 10%
  • Patient Care, 9%
  • Phlebotomy, 4%
  • CPR, 4%
  • EKG, 4%
Common registered nurse skills
  • Patients, 24%
  • BLS, 10%
  • CPR, 6%
  • Acute Care, 5%
  • Acls, 5%
  • Home Health, 4%

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