Open Forum

Hello,
I'm writing to inquire if anyone knows of any certifications available for LPNs employed in the ambulatory space? The only certification I see is for RNs and our ambulatory space is made up of primarily MAs and LPNs. MAs have an option for national certification as noted below.

"As part of pursuing your medical assisting certification, you will need to complete a medical assistant certification test or exam from one of the nation's medical assistant certification agencies. The four major certification agencies and the medical assistant certifications they offer are:

• The American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) offering the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) certification
• American Medical Technologists (AMT) offering the Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) certification
• The National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT) offering the National Certified Medical Assistant (NCMA) certification
• The National Healthcareer Association (NHA) offering the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) certification

All four certification agencies require medical assistants to pass a certification exam in order to become certified."

Thanks for any information,

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Tina Malec MSN, RN-BC, NEA-BC, CPHIMS
WellSpan
York PA
(717)812-4993
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Hello Tina,

I checked my state BON website for accepted nursing certifications and they all seem to be for RN. However LVN/LPN is a certfication in itself. Our LVN’s do Donna Wright Competencies and other yearly competency trainings. Our nurse educator handles that record keeping. They may do EKG training, blood glucose monitoring training, using the lift training… ect.

I would first ask what task you want your LVN to be certified to do? Then go from there to see if the LVN/LPN practice act allows LVN to do the task legally.

For example, AMB certification requires triage, assessment, and evaluations skills which is not an LVN/LPN role anyway. I was an LVN for over 20 years and only RN for 2 years so I know the limitations of the practice act first hand. As an LVN I had far less responsibility my role was more skilled nursing which I miss sometimes.

The goal of proffesional nursing organizations is to make BSN RN the entry level nursing position, but realistically it is not possible due to the nursing shortage of course.

I hope this helps.

Myra