Things Medical Assistants Can Not Do!
Limitations
In conjunction with their professional responsibilities all
medical assistants must realize that they are subject to
certain limitations within their scope of practice. These
standards of practice are based on the quality and amount of
their education, training, experience, local regulations, and
guidelines regulating the medical assistant. The responsible
medical assistant will recognize, accept, and demand that these
limitations are respected, and strictly adhered to where ever
they work.
MAs Working Within Their Scope of
Practice
Every medical office should have an organized
plan that outlines the duties of every staff member in the
medical office, especially their medical assistants, which
should also address patient assessment and triage procedures,
and emergency situations. Performed under the supervision of
medical doctor, opthalmologiest, podiatrist, surgeon, or other
licensed health care practitioner a medical assistants is
allowed to do the following:
 Prepare and file medical
records and patient charts.- Maintain medical records
using standard filing systems.
- Perform inventory control
and ordering supplies.
- Maintain and adjust medical
office equipment.
- Manage a petty cash
drawer.
- Post service charges and
payments.
- Gather community
resources.
- Prepare and maintain
appointment books.
- Sterilize, wrap, and
label instruments.
- Prepare the examination
room.
- Record body measurements
and vital signs.
- Prepare patients for
their physical examinations.
- Assist with therapeutic
procedures.
- Assist during simple
surgical procedures.
- Prepare and administer
medications as ordered.
- Draw up liquid medications
and administer (most of) them as ordered.
- Collect and preserve bodily
fluids, blood, and
other specimens.
- Perform simple STAT
screening tests on collected
specimens.
- Answer phones, and
relay patient's requests and questions.
- Type business
correspondence.
- Transcribe dictated
documents.
- Repeat and explain doctor's
instructions (i.e. patient
education).
- Respond to medical office
emergencies, administer CPR, and basic first
aid.
Medical
Assistants Can Not:
 Independently diagnose
or treat patients.- (never!) assess, plan,
and evaluate patients, or their care (nor can it ever
be delegated).
- Perform arterial
punctures.
- Perform tests that
involve the penetration of human tissues except skin
tests, and venous and capillary blood collection.
- Administer intravenous
(IV) medications. Only professionals that are
certified or licensed to do so are allowed to do
this.
- Independently provide
medical treatment, analyze test results, advise
patients about their condition, or treatment regimen,
or perform medical care decision making.
- Administer any
anesthetic agent, except a topical numbing agent to
the skin, such as an EMLA® patch, or cream.
- Independently prescribe
or refill medications.
- Practice physical
therapy, except technical supportive services, which
utilize concepts of physical therapy under the
supervision of a licensed healthcare
professional.
- Do clinical skills which
require health professional
licensure.
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