Delegating To MA

[OKAPRN]

Hi Everyone!

I am new to AllNurses, but wanted to ask a specific question and could not find anything on the web.

Problem: I am at a clinic that has an Medical Assistant. She is drawing blood, putting in the note, and it is being sent to me in order to sign. In Oklahoma, where I practice, it is not allowed for the APRN to delegate to or supervise anyone that is unlicensed.

So, am I allowed to sign her notes? Or is this not in conjunction with the Board of Nursing?

Thanks in advance!

[Jules A, MSN]

I'd get with your state's NP organization and BON for clarification but it is my understanding that no, NPs can't delegate to MAs. Not that it isn't done all the time but I don't think its kosher.

[staphylococci, NP]

I second Jules. Check with your state BON. Back in my home state, the collaborating physician had to be physically onsite for the NP to delegate any tasks to the MA. Here in California, supervision of MAs must be included in the NP's standardized procedures for it to be within the NP's scope of practice.

[JenWieder]

I used to be a MA. Here in Montana the board of medical examiners oversees MAs and only allow delegation from doctors or podiatrist (not that I didn't follow direction from our fantastic NPs). The board of nursing here also does not allow for nurses to delegate to unlicensed personnel. I'm sure the clinic I worked for had some kind of work around and nobody had to review my charting anyway. I did work pretty closely with the medical director of the clinics to ensure that my scope and role were very clear and we did have an understanding of standing standard of care orders that I was too follow. It mostly would have been an issue had the satellite clinic been staffed by an NP because NPs in Montana are not required to have a physician overseeing them. Either way, it was a push for me to return to school for my very own nursing license.