Unlicensed Person giving injections

[AnnaRN]

I am an RN and I recently went to my MD office to get an injection of Prolia. He used to have an RN (his wife) there to do vitals and give injections. The RN is no longer there and he now has his secretary's daughter, who is 18 and a recent high school graduate, there to do vitals, go over the med list and give injections. She told me the doctor showed her how to do it because she had no experience what so ever. Now she is doing everything the RN used to do! She is untrained and unlicensed. It made me uncomfortable but I let her do it since I was there and able to supervise my own injection! Does anyone know if this is legal? I live in California. 

[amoLucia]

Does Calif recognize the job title of 'medical assistant'?? Since the doc 'trained' her, she's prob a MA in the office. And then that'd be OK.

And welcome to AN.

[socal212, CNA]

Any time I've been to the doctor or urgent care, I've never had an RN take my vitals or give me injections.  It's always been an MA.

[caliotter3]

Historically the Medical Assistant job was created by the medical profession to provide cheap and available labor.  Doctors train and take responsibility for Medical Assistants under their supervision.

[amoLucia]

OP - long gone are the days of the old 'Mom & Pop' type of doctor office.

Had a GP years ago, his wife was his office nurse. She had been a classmate of mine in nsg school. Loved them both!

[AnnaRN]

She is not a MA. I asked her. She is the secretary's daughter and just graduated high school. She has never worked in the medical field in any capacity.

I have worked with MA's and my other doctors use them exclusively. I also have never had a RN do my vitals etc.

[amoLucia]

She must have some kind of job description. She's got to be on  the payroll.

I don't think every MA has to have some type of certificate. Just the commercial schools hand them out. I'm guessing.

Have you checked out Calif's BON regs for anything covering MAs?

You know, at 18, she's prob just so naïve that she doesn't even KNOW she been working as a MA.