Can Medical Assistants legally give medication injections in Massachusett?

Published

like Flu shot, TB skin test, Tetorifice, MMR ?

Can Medical Assistants legally give medication injections to patients without the doc actually being in there?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Family Medicine, Outpatient Pediatrics, IBCLC.

In the primary care office where I work (which is in Mass), MA's can give the Flu vaccine ONLY. A doctor doesn't have to literally be standing there, but there are several in the building.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OR-ortho, neuro, trauma.

When I was working as a MA in a primary care office I gave all of those you mentioned (any immunization was ok) and B12.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Sub-Acute/Psychiatric/Detox.

Pharmacists can now give flu vaccine injections and other vaccinations in some cases.

The CMR and MGL are hard to search. I can't even find the law that says LPNs can't do IV push. Not that I would ever do that.

Look at it this way the Flu Clinics only hire LPNS and RNs. No Medical Assistants as far as I know work them at least in the capacity of giving injections.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I believe the law changed during the "Swine" flu outbreak to allow them. But has since been recanted.

So according to law, your answer is NO.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Interested in Pediatrics, ER.

The law surrounding practice as a Medical Assistant is pretty fuzzy, I think. In most offices the MAs simply do whatever the MD tells them to - the understanding being that the MD is ultimately responsible for anything his/her MAs do. I don't know the law but I do believe that technically the MD should be on the premises and supervising during injections.

I'm not sure how the law might delineate between giving immunizations and administering actual medications. I've been an MA for about a year now and our MDs do have us give medication injections.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

in my state, the MA must be licensed as a Health Care Assistant and the provider (MD, DO, PA, ARNP, MidWife) must sign a medication delegator list that is submitted with the application and the renewal which includes the medications the MA are allowed to give with the provider "physically present and immediately available". If they are not licensed by the Department of Health, they are not allowed to give or administer ANY medication even topicals or inhaled. Period!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

When I worked for Internal medicine doctors I gave all injections including steriods (testosterone, medrol)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion