As unlikely as it may seem, there are still some physicians who leave their "nurse" (medical assistant) in charge of the office when they are gone. Specifically, one physician allowed the medical assistant (MA) to obtain the chief complaint, perform a urinalysis, and give an antibiotic pursuant to standing orders from the physician, who was not present.
Initially, there are two problems with this practice. First, medical assistants cannot perform any non-invasive technical support service without the physician's presence on the premises. Second, a medical assistant should never be called a "nurse." A medical assistant is an unlicensed individual who can only work under the supervision of the physician. The word nurse should only pertain to licensed nurses.
The Medical Board of California provides the following statement regarding medical assistants:
Medical assistants are unlicensed individuals who perform non-invasive routine technical support services under the supervision of a licensed physician and surgeon or podiatrist in a medical office or clinic setting. The supervising physician and surgeon or podiatrist must be on the premises in order for the medical assistant to perform those non-invasive technical support services.
For more information related to what a medical assistant may legally do in a physician's office and to review commonly asked questions about medical assistants, visit this site.
Authored by
Ann Whitehead RN,JD
Vice President Risk Management & Patient Safety Department
(Originally published 11/10/10)
If you have questions about this article, please contact us. This information should not be considered legal advice applicable to a specific situation. Legal guidance for individual matters should be obtained from a retained attorney.