[unitek1963]

Author: the State of Alaska: (thanks, txspadequeen921)


Can nurses delegate injections to unlicensed assistive personnel (UAPs)?
No. 12 AAC 44.970 (13) states that the administration of injectable medications cannot be delegatedto UAPs.

Can a nurse delegate insulin injections to a UAP?
No. Injections cannot be delegated.

I’m a CMA in a physician’s office. The nurse gave me a pill to take to the patient. Can I do that?
No. This practice does not fall under home or community based settings (AAC 44.965 (b)(1)&(2))

The physician employs a CMA and wants the nurse to supervise the CMA starting an IV and giving IV push medications. Is this a proper role for the nurse?
No. This nursing duty is not delegatable by the nurse to a UAP. The nurse cannot be involved in supervising this activity. The delegation and supervision has to be by the physician. This includes ANPs; they can not delegate this task or supervise the CMA.

But the physician ordered it.
It does not matter. The delegation including supervision of the CMA performing this IV start and IV push by the RN or ANP violates the nurse practice act.

This from your own State's regs, Kidaroo. This is what we mean when we speak of licensed versus unlicensed personnel. Like pagandeva2000 says, no one here is is saying that medical assistants are not valuable members of the medical community. They are, however, different; they are not interchangeable.


Good Luck


Michael

[jjjoy]

What I understand from the above posting is that NURSES aren't allowed to delegate such activities to CMAs or to supervise them in such activities... but it sounds like some of those activities CAN be delegated to CMAs by PHYSICIANS if "supervised" by physician... and I can imagine some MDs being very liberal in their definition of "supervise."

No wonder it's so confusing!

[irish6363]

Stirring the pot here but in California alot of the schools for MA's do not require a HS diploma....????? just a thought.

[pagandeva2000]

Originally Posted by jjjoy

What I understand from the above posting is that NURSES aren't allowed to delegate such activities to CMAs or to supervise them in such activities... but it sounds like some of those activities CAN be delegated to CMAs by PHYSICIANS if "supervised" by physician... and I can imagine some MDs being very liberal in their definition of "supervise."

No wonder it's so confusing!

This is how vague explainations can cause a great deal of trouble. As you said, it does appear that the physician delegate such a task to a CMA. Now, if the nurse is aware of such a practice, knows that the CMA is probably not trained or should perform such a act, BUT THE NURSE DID NOT DELEGATE THIS TASK, just how LIABLE is that NURSE if there is a negative outcome?? How does that nurse explain to the BON that she did not delegate or supervise the skill, but, KNEW this was happening??

And, I can see the MD saying that he had the licensed nurse train and supervise this person in court, to complicate things (because he wants to cover his bum) even further.

[irish6363]

Do MA's need to be certified to work as an MA ? Or is that up to the individual employer ? Also do they need to have a Department of Justice check as well as an FBI check done before they can work with any patients or have access to any type of prescription medications for patients ? Here in California I think they are not required. You can take your classes and receive your diploma and start working once you find an employer, I guess the certification is not required by any laws in this state. Not sure though.

[pagandeva2000]

Originally Posted by irish6363

Do MA's need to be certified to work as an MA ? Or is that up to the individual employer ? Also do they need to have a Department of Justice check as well as an FBI check done before they can work with any patients or have access to any type of prescription medications for patients ? Here in California I think they are not required. You can take your classes and receive your diploma and start working once you find an employer, I guess the certification is not required by any laws in this state. Not sure though.

The thing that is confusing is that certification for MAs is not regulated. Some programs are three months, 6-12 months and others are associate degree programs; and the education is varying, due to the lengths of the programs. Some states seem to say that only Registered or Certified Medical Assistants can be hired, others are more lax. Because of this, it may be harder to check on their history as it would be for licensed or certified personnel.

[unitek1963]

Sounds like the MA's are more screwed up than we are! Are the RN's the only group out there that seem to have everything well in hand or am I missing something here??

Originally Posted by pagandeva2000

The thing that is confusing is that certification for MAs is not regulated. Some programs are three months, 6-12 months and others are associate degree programs; and the education is varying, due to the lengths of the programs. Some states seem to say that only Registered or Certified Medical Assistants can be hired, others are more lax. Because of this, it may be harder to check on their history as it would be for licensed or certified personnel.

[pagandeva2000]

Originally Posted by unitek1963

Sounds like the MA's are more screwed up than we are! Are the RN's the only group out there that seem to have everything well in hand or am I missing something here??

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_assistant

Reading this will certainly make you wonder, simply because it showed to me that being certified or registered as a Medical Assistant is voluntary. It may be that some areas are requiring it, but it is not nationally mandatory.

[unitek1963]

Gee, I wonder if the MA students at my school realize that they really DIDN'T have to pay $20,000 to have Unitek give them a certificate??

Originally Posted by pagandeva2000

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_assistant

Reading this will certainly make you wonder, simply because it showed to me that being certified or registered as a Medical Assistant is voluntary. It may be that some areas are requiring it, but it is not nationally mandatory.

[pagandeva2000]

Originally Posted by unitek1963

Gee, I wonder if the MA students at my school realize that they really DIDN'T have to pay $20,000 to have Unitek give them a certificate??

I took an MA course 15 years ago for $300, a three month course. Took phlebotomy for the same price. CNA was about $500. I was able to work at an agency for medical assistants and did not have to worry about the high tuition these students had to pay. I was not certified or registered as a Medical Assistant, but certified as a Phlebotomist and Nursing Assistant. Got plenty of jobs because of my clinical experiences as both.

The cheapest program I saw in a community college for Medical Assisting was $2500. It is a 4 month course that also included mandatory clinical time for about a month in a doctor's office. I would suggested interested people to do that, but not for more...and that is because it was held at a community college that has a decent reputation. I also think they would be sure to at least have licensed instructors teaching them.