QMA directed to write orders

ktwlpn, LPN · Dec 22, 2003

Originally posted by nurse62
A few months ago, the DON came out to the unit and addressed the QMA to write several orders. Never addressed the nurses on the floor, only the QMA. Of course, the QMA had to address the nurses to sign the orders, which by the way, the nurses ended up having to rewrite......the nurses were pretty offended by this. Would you be?

is a QMA a medical assistant? What is there scope of practice in your state? I see no reason why they can't write an order and have it co-signed by an RN if that is within their scope of practice...Why did the orders have to be re-written? Were they written incorrectly? Is so then the QMA needs some additional training and if that is the case it should be brought to the attention of the DON....What is to be offended about? Sounds like maybe the DON was delegating tasks appropriately...perhaps the nurses feel that their "toes were stepped on"? Please explain because I just don't get it....thanx

KaroSnowQueen, RN · Dec 22, 2003

In Indiana, a QMA is a Qualified Mediciation Assistant. A nurse's aide who has taken classes and is certified to pass meds in the nursing home. They give po meds, do accu checks, and chart. They cannot give injections, tube feedings or meds per tube, and they certainly cannot take md orders!!

P_RN, ADN, RN · Dec 22, 2003

OK let's see:

1 The doctor talks to the DON and gives an order--->2nd hand information.

2 DON (Hopefully a nurse) instructs someone to write an order....so that's 3rd hand....Doctor--->DON---->QMA

3 The QMA writes the order--->hands it to the nurses so that's 4th hand

4 The nurses re-write the order---> 5th hand.....

What I want to know is why the doctor didn't write the order and if that wasn't possible then WHY DIDN'T THE DON WRITE WHAT SHE WAS TOLD???

That QMA was put in a terrible position by someone who should have known better.

Agnus · Dec 23, 2003

Where I come from only a licensed nurse LPN or RN may take a a verbal or telephone order. And the general rule of thumb is to get the MD to write it if at all possible.

Where I come from Nurses do not accept orders relayed by a medical assistant or a nursing assistant.

It is illegal where I come from. What does your nurse practice act say?

If you are talking about strictly nursing orders and not medical orders those can only be written by an RN in my state. It is not a task that can be delegated to a non RN not even an LPN.