Published
It would be wise for the MA to consider his/her scope of practice in accepting this title. He/she should consult the American Association of Medical Assistants. This article may help. Archived Public Affairs Articles :: AAMA - The American Association of Medical Assistants
It cites the Illinois Nurse Practice Act which basically says anyone who is not a nurse should not “use any title, sign, card or device to indicate that such a person is practicing professional or practical nursing unless such person has been licensed” to be one and can face a large fine.
Even if this is solely an administrative title, it gives the general public that this person is an RN. Even though MD’s can delegate many things to MAs, the family practice group should consider the liabilities on their organization of giving a MA a title that implies that he/she is a nurse. As for yourself, consult the Board of Nursing in Illinois on how to protect yourself while you while this is being sorted out. Please post the outcome, I am interested in learning what happens.
The title was can a MA legally supervise a registered nurse? Interesting question. She should call her state's BON and ask:
Is it legal for an MA to be given the title of nurse manager and to supervise RNs in a doctor's office?
Nurse and Doctor are protected titles in my state and it is a felony to misrepresent yourself as either one without the diploma or degree.
She could also write to a nurse attorney like "Ask Donna" at Nursing Spectrum. Sounds like a poorly run office and not somewhere that I would want to work.
I think it is all about titles. My boss is a non-nurse and she can supervise me just fine. She has expertise that I need and I provide the nursing knowledge. I think she is a "managed care manager". She'd never call herself a nurse or nurse manager because that isn't accurate.
No one should call themselves a nurse anything if they aren't.
One can certainly be a manager and supervise nurses without ever having taking a nursing class in one's life. The question is, is it legal for that person to be called a nurse manager rather than office manager, staff manager, etc? I don't know the answer to that, but I tend to think that title is OK if that person does not perform any of the duties that are specifically, by law, only to be performed by nurses. Then again, I think the doctor would be best off coming up with a new title for the position.
mkol
3 Posts
I'm a BSN RN in Illinois at a 5 physician family practice. The doctor in charge of the practice just named an MA as the "Nurse Manager"? Is this legal? Recourse?