New Nurse questions Illinois nrsg monitoring

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Hi, My name is Kellie, I have been a nurse for 18 years in Illinois. I currently work in a Physicians office. Can anyone tell me if they know what parameters a medical office assistant works in. What I have found is that they can do ANYTHING a physician directs them to and takes responsibility for. Does this include IV's? Illinois Prof. Board of Reg tells me it is not under their jurisdiction. Just looking to see if anyone has any other info.. GLad to meet you folks.... Hope to get to know you all better and exchange some info in here.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Geriatric, Behavioral Health.

Moved to General Nursing Discussion forum.

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Each state can set different requirements and rulings, but as a medical assistant in a private physician's office, they are functioning 100% under the physician's license. And any issues occur, it is 100% under them.

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Specializes in tele, stepdown/PCU, med/surg.

Just what Suzanne said....of course make sure the MAs are telling anybody that they are a "nurse."

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interesting (actually frightening) article in in regards to illinois medical assistants:

http://newssearch.looksmart.com/p/articles/mi_qa4079/is_200303/ai_n9166755

nothing in this act shall be construed to limit the delegation of tasks or duties by a physician licensed to practice medicine in all its branches to a licensed practical nurse, a registered professional nurse, or other personnel. [emphasis added.]

what bothers me about this article is that it seems to be saying there is really not any restrictions to the practice of medical assistants. lpns and rns have limitations on their practice but not medical assistants in illinois?????:angryfire :angryfire

here is some info on the stults case mentioned in the article:

http://www.state.il.us/court/opinions/appellatecourt/1997/2nddistrict/july/html/2960946.txt

this person referred to herself as a "pediatric nurse" on her resume and then is "shocked" when her qualifications came into question.

stults testified that when raak asked her for her

license she was shocked and she wondered whether everyone at the

clinic had thought that she was a nurse.

according to this person:

on cross-examination, stults explained that a pediatric nurse

and a registered nurse were two different things.

really? i thought a "pediatric nurse" would be an rn with more specialized training in pediatrics, not a medical assistant that worked in a pediatric clinic/doctor's office.

the huge problem with this case is that there is no illinois statute regarding the duties that medical assistants may perform.:angryfire :angryfire

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Does a medical assistant have to be certified or can a nurse who's license has been suspended be a medical office assistant until she is reinstated in Illinois?

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Not all states require certification for medical assistants. Some are trained on the job. I don't know about Illinois.

Does a medical assistant have to be certified or can a nurse who's license has been suspended be a medical office assistant until she is reinstated in Illinois?

As to whether a nurse whose license has been suspended would be able to work as a medical assistant, I doubt it. I can't see this being OK with the Illinois SBON. If Illinois does require medical assistants to be certified, a nurse would actually not have the qualifications of a medical assistant. Medical assistants and nurses ARE NOT the same thing. Another isssue would be why the license was suspended, and I doubt the Illinois SBON would endorse/approve of a nurse who's license is suspended working as a medical assistant. If you know someone who is considering this, I would recommend they contact the SBON about this.

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Specializes in Urgent Care.
Does a medical assistant have to be certified or can a nurse who's license has been suspended be a medical office assistant until she is reinstated in Illinois?

A quote from the above referenced legal document...note this is from the court

"We find no Illinois statute that defines what a medical

assistant is or designates what functions a medical assistant is

able to perform. In fact, we find nothing in the Medical Practice

Act of 1987 (225 ILCS 60/1 et seq. (West 1996)) or the Nursing Act

that recognizes "medical assistants." Consequently, Stults'

argument that Illinois law permits medical assistants to perform

some of the same functions as nurses is without support."

I think Illinois would be a pretty scary place to be an MA right now.

Also they say...."Accordingly, we find that if the legislature intended for medical assistants to perform some of the same functions as nurses, it

would have done so....Therefore, because no statute provides that medical assistants may perform some of the same functions as nurses, Stults' performing the various nursing duties, even as a medical assistant, was in

violation of the Nursing Act."

I know there is some overlap of what an MA and nurse may do. but this courts interpetation in Illinois would seem to say that if an MA does anything that is listed as allowed by the nurse practice act then they are quilty of practicing nursing w/o a license. Thats pretty radical and if I was a MD in Illinois I think I would not employ any MA as long as that is the courts view.

I would say the lawmakers in Illinois need to review and clarify medical assisting in their state. This courts decision would seem to place all MA's in the state in jeopardy if they do anything beyond clerical work. and wouldnt a MD also be assuming a HUGE liability if he did ask an MA to do ANYTHING beyond clerical work.

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a quote from the above referenced legal document...note this is from the court

"we find no illinois statute that defines what a medical

assistant is or designates what functions a medical assistant is

able to perform. in fact, we find nothing in the medical practice

act of 1987 (225 ilcs 60/1 et seq. (west 1996)) or the nursing act

that recognizes "medical assistants." consequently, stults'

argument that illinois law permits medical assistants to perform

some of the same functions as nurses is without support."

i think illinois would be a pretty scary place to be an ma right now.

also they say...."accordingly, we find that if the legislature intended for medical assistants to perform some of the same functions as nurses, it

would have done so....therefore, because no statute provides that medical assistants may perform some of the same functions as nurses, stults' performing the various nursing duties, even as a medical assistant, was in

violation of the nursing act."

i know there is some overlap of what an ma and nurse may do. but this courts interpetation in illinois would seem to say that if an ma does anything that is listed as allowed by the nurse practice act then they are quilty of practicing nursing w/o a license. thats pretty radical and if i was a md in illinois i think i would not employ any ma as long as that is the courts view.

i would say the lawmakers in illinois need to review and clarify medical assisting in their state. this courts decision would seem to place all ma's in the state in jeopardy if they do anything beyond clerical work. and wouldnt a md also be assuming a huge liability if he did ask an ma to do anything beyond clerical work.

mas apprently fall under the illinois medical practice act, which has been ammended since the stults case, which in turn means the decision in the stults case is no longer valid law in illinois:

the illinois medical practice act was amended by the illinois general assembly august 13, 1998. section 54.5(d) of the act now reads as follows:

nothing in this act shall be construed to limit the delegation of tasks or duties by a physician licensed to practice medicine in all its branches to a licensed practical nurse, a registered professional nurse, or other personnel. [emphasis added.]

based on this amendment to the medical practice act, the american association of medical assistants and the illinois society of medical assistants argued that the additional statutory language permitted illinois physicians to delegate certain clinical procedures to "other personnel," which would include medical assistants. it was further asserted that appropriately competent and knowledgeable medical assistants could be delegated medication administration by the supervising physician(s). quite importantly, since the illinois legislature amended the medical practice act after the stults case, the decision in that case was no longer valid law in illinois.

http://newssearch.looksmart.com/p/ar...03/ai_n9166755

in essence, physicians can delegate to medical assistants. as i stated previously, what bothers me is that there seems to be no limitations or standard of practice defining what mas in illinois are allowed to do.

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Not all states require certification for medical assistants. Some are trained on the job. I don't know about Illinois.

As to whether a nurse whose license has been suspended would be able to work as a medical assistant, I doubt it. I can't see this being OK with the Illinois SBON. If Illinois does require medical assistants to be certified, a nurse would actually not have the qualifications of a medical assistant. Medical assistants and nurses ARE NOT the same thing. Another isssue would be why the license was suspended, and I doubt the Illinois SBON would endorse/approve of a nurse who's license is suspended working as a medical assistant. If you know someone who is considering this, I would recommend they contact the SBON about this.

I am attempting to contact the SBON in regards to this issue but haven't received a response. One more question....how about a nurse who's license has been suspended (for controlled substances) practicing as nurse assistant?

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Hello. I am new on this site. Does anyone out there know how I can start a new thread? Someone named Thunderwolf said to click on "Forum Tools", but there is nothing that says that on my yellow bar. Thanks for any help.

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Hello. I am new on this site. Does anyone out there know how I can start a new thread? Someone named Thunderwolf said to click on "Forum Tools", but there is nothing that says that on my yellow bar. Thanks for any help.

There is actually a new thread icon located at the bottom of the screens. Since I am new here also , I am not the greatest to help but that is how I have started mine. Go to which ever forum you want to start a new thread in for example General nursing.....then find the new thread icon and click....You will do fine.:nurse:

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