Need help with a question.

[CMAqueen]

Hello!

I've been all over the internet and still can't find out what I need to know. I'm hoping that one of you may be able to help me.

The American Association of Medical Assistants recently added IV therapy to the list of clinical skills that it requires MA programs to teach. I know that MAs are not legally able to start IVs in every state. I'm in Indiana and I haven't been able to find out if MAs are allowed to start IVs here. I've been to the sites for professional licensing and the Indiana government site with no luck. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[callmedoc]

Hey CMA queen,

I don't know if this helps but I'd thought I'd explain what I knew to your message. I'm a certified MA as well as you and from what I understand you need to be certified in IV therapy as a technician before you can legally start a line without a doctors order. I was an EMT in Washington and in order to transport patients or even start a line we needed to be IV techs in order to do that. I don't think taking a class without being certified does it. I hope that helps out. I guess if you had the tools to do it and a patient critically needed it then "Why not?" but legally you probably need the license and certification to do it

[CMAqueen]

Thanks for the reply callmedoc! I didn't even think about the possiblity of starting an IV without a doctor's order. You know we MAs don't do ANYTHING without a doctor's order. I just didn't know if it was allowed at all. I suppose that it's up to the physican, the policy of the office, and the training of the individual MA. I don't even know if there are laws that govern the scope of practice for MAs.

[mom2michael, MSN, RN, NP]

Did you happen to try the state board of nursing website or the nurse practice act for Indiana? I know many states will list exactly who is allowed to start an IV and what training is required. Where I live, RN's can start an IV, LPN's with an IV cert class. An EMT-B is not allowed to start an IV but an EMT-P can in an emergent situation. MA's are not allowed to start IV's regardless of training.

Good luck in your search!!!

[EricJRN, MSN, RN]

Does the AAMA do program accreditation now? Back when I was an MA, they did not.

[soliant12]

A paramedic can start an IV for any reason they deem necessary not just for emergencies

but an EMT-P can in an emergent situation. Good luck in your search!!!

[CMAqueen]

Does the AAMA do program accreditation now? Back when I was an MA, they did not.

Yes, the AAMA does program accreditation. The school where I instruct just went through the accreditation process and the AAMA came in to do a site survey in Feb. We passed with flying colors!

I did find out for sure about MAs starting IVs. In Indiana MAs may do anything that the physician allows them to do. Since the MA is working under the physician's licnese, the responsibility to insure patient saftey belongs to the physician. This is in private practice that I'm talking about. Hospitals and other institutions have their own set of policies.