MA vs Med tech vs LPN

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Specializes in Mental Health and Substance Abuse.

Hello all,

I am an ambulatory care manager in NJ and I have a question regarding scope of practice. This is the first time working in Jersey so I am trying to learn the lay of the land.

Can someone guide me to the state regulations on scope of practice for a medical assistant and a LPN?

Also, I have a MA on staff and I want to increase her scope of practice but not sure what additional training she would need. Anyone know of any technical training or certification courses that a MA could attend to become certified in giving IMs like vaccines, or assisting with medication passes? Are they permitted to do these things in NJ?

Thank you

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I do not believe that the practice of MAs is regulated by any state. They have no specific scope of practice. In a nutshell, they work under the licensure of the physician(s) who are physically present in the clinic, and therefore, are permitted to do virtually any skills that the physician has trained them to do.

Since LPNs are nurses with a defined scope of practice, I'm sure that you could find the nurse practice act on the website for the NJ Board of Nursing.

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Specializes in Mental Health and Substance Abuse.

Thank you for replying. I guess my confusion comes in as how can an MA pass meds and do IMs without come sort of certification? I know people use MAs in these capacities but it just seems like there has to be more to this. If I as a RN train a MA to place and read a PPD, as long as the MD on site states that is OK then we are good? I thought there would be a certification course of some sort of training they would need to take part in.

Does anyone reading this use MAs in this capacity in the state of NJ?

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