Hi all, I have a question about physician's orders and I figured this is a good place to go! :)
I started a new position today, and a person who I was introduced to as a medical record's organizer plopped a stack of physician's orders in front of me for me to "second sign". Their policy is that two people are to verify physician's orders and two people are to initial each order in the MAR to verify the order is correct and safe.
I couldn't read the signature on the orders, so I asked one of the other nurses whose signature I was "second verifying". They told me it was the MA who noted the orders and that this MA also sometimes fills out the MAR for you to second verify as well.
I was further informed that this person is not even certified as a medical assistant, and that this person's highest education level is high school. This person also happens to be the nursing director's offspring.
I figure it's not really my duty to necessarily verify this person's credentials, but if this person is on the schedule as an MA then I figure I am safe to treat this person like an MA, which does not include seconding this person's noted physician's orders.
Is it even legal for an MA to note physician's orders or to transcribe them to the MAR? Anywhere? I thought this was the exclusive domain of the RN, nationwide. I didn't notice that any of the orders were verbal orders; they were all hand-written by the doc. So that takes some of the danger out of the equation, but I am a little confused as to how to deal with this. Perhaps I am mistaken and with the proper inservicing and training the MA can note orders? I sure know that in the N-Clex world it is only the RN who may note orders, period.
It really gets under the skin of the nurses I worked with, and even though this person has been nothing but pleasant to me it really irked me as well. I worked my little tail off in school for years to be licensed to note and transcribe physician's orders!
What do you think?
I did not second the MA's noted physician's orders.