Risk eTips: Medication Administration by Medical Assistants
Summary
TLDRThe script highlights the crucial role of Medical Assistants (MAs) in California medical offices and the associated risks due to their limited formal education in pharmacology. It emphasizes the importance of training, competency in safe medication administration, and the supervisor's role in minimizing medication errors. The video suggests clear policies, medication safety practices, and direct supervision to prevent errors, improve patient safety, and reduce medical liability.
Takeaways
- 🚑 Medical assistants (MAs) play a crucial role in medical offices and clinics but may also pose a risk due to limited formal education in pharmacology.
- 📚 It's important for physicians to understand the full scope of practice for MAs as outlined by the Medical Board of California.
- 📄 Hiring MAs should involve checking for a certificate of training from a respected institution and ensuring competency in pharmacology and safe medication administration.
- 💉 Additional training is necessary for MAs who will be administering injections or inhalation medications to ensure safety.
- 📋 Implementing clear office policies and procedures that emphasize medication safety is crucial to prevent errors.
- 🚫 MAs should not call in new or changed prescription refills due to their unlicensed status and limited pharmacology knowledge.
- 🔑 Best practices include using chart alerts for drug allergies, storing similar-looking or sounding drugs separately, and labeling syringes properly.
- 👀 Supervisors must be present on-site whenever an MA is administering medication to ensure correct dosage and administration.
- 🛡 Direct supervision by a qualified healthcare provider is essential for MAs to provide patient care within their scope of practice.
- 💊 Verifying the 'five rights' of medication administration (right medication, right dose, right patient, right time, right route) is a supervisor's responsibility.
- 🛑 Medication errors are preventable with well-trained MAs, adherence to protocols, and comprehensive procedures in place.
Q & A
What is the primary responsibility of medical assistants (MAs) in a medical office or clinic setting?
-Medical assistants are primarily responsible for administering medications, as well as carrying out a variety of routine tasks that keep the medical office running smoothly.
Why might medical assistants represent a source of risk for medical practices?
-Medical assistants may represent a source of risk because they are unlicensed individuals with limited formal education in pharmacology and safe medication administration, which can lead to medication errors.
What does the review of CAPS closed claims data reveal about medication errors?
-The review reveals that medication errors occurred in nearly half of the claims where a medical assistant was directly responsible for a patient's injury.
What is the first step to minimize the possibility of a medication error by a medical assistant?
-The first step is to be familiar with the medical assistant's full scope of practice as described by the Medical Board of California and to hire individuals who can provide a certificate of training from a respected institution.
Why is additional training necessary for medical assistants who will be giving injections?
-Additional training is necessary to ensure that medical assistants can safely administer injections, such as Kenalog or vaccines, and handle inhaled medications.
What are some office practices that emphasize medication safety?
-Office practices that emphasize medication safety include developing and implementing clear policies and procedures, utilizing chart alerts for patient drug allergies, storing look-alike sound-alike drugs separately, labeling syringes, and limiting distractions when giving medications.
What are the restrictions on medical assistants regarding calling in new or changed prescription refills?
-Medical assistants may not call in new prescriptions or any refill prescriptions that have changes.
What is the supervisor's role in ensuring safe medication administration by a medical assistant?
-The supervisor must be on the premises at all times when the medical assistant is providing patient care and should verify that the right dosage of the right medication is given to the right patient at the right time via the right route.
What are the conditions under which a medical assistant can provide patient care?
-A medical assistant can provide patient care under the direct supervision of a physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or nurse midwife, who must be on the premises at all times.
How can medical practices reduce their medical liability risk?
-Medical practices can reduce their medical liability risk by ensuring that well-trained medical assistants act within their scope of practice and adhere to comprehensive medication administration procedures and protocols.
Where can one find more information about medical assistance and medication administration?
-More information can be found on the websites of the Cooperative of American Physicians and the Medical Board of California.
Outlines
💊 Medication Administration Risks and Safety
This paragraph discusses the critical role of medical assistants (MAs) in administering medication in California medical offices and clinics. It highlights the risks associated with MAs, who are unlicensed and may have limited pharmacology education, and emphasizes the importance of training and competency in safe medication practices. The paragraph also underscores the supervisory responsibilities of physicians and other healthcare providers to ensure medication errors are minimized, including verifying correct dosage, patient, timing, and administration route. It calls for implementing medication safety protocols and practices, such as clear policies, refill guidelines, chart alerts for allergies, and minimizing distractions during medication administration.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Medical Assistants (MAs)
💡Medication Administration
💡Pharmacology
💡Medication Errors
💡Scope of Practice
💡Training Certificate
💡Injections
💡Medication Safety
💡Supervisor
💡Direct Supervision
💡Medical Liability
Highlights
Medication administration is a common responsibility of medical assistants.
Medical assistants (MAs) play a vital role in routine tasks and office operations.
MAs represent an underappreciated source of risk in medical practices.
Many physicians are unaware of the limited formal education MAs have in pharmacology.
Caps closed claims data shows medication errors in nearly half of the claims where an MA was involved.
Be familiar with the full scope of practice for MAs as described by the Medical Board of California.
Hire MAs with a certificate of training from a respected institution.
Ensure MAs demonstrate competency in pharmacology and safe medication administration.
Provide additional training for MAs who will be giving injections or administering inhalation medications.
Develop clear office practices that emphasize medication safety.
Implement policies and procedures including refill guidelines to prevent medication errors.
Utilize chart alerts for patient drug allergies to enhance medication safety.
Store look-alike sound-alike drugs separately to avoid confusion.
Label syringes and administer medication to only one patient at a time to ensure accuracy.
Limit distractions when administering medications to reduce the risk of errors.
Understand supervisor responsibilities to ensure MAs provide care under direct supervision.
A supervisor must verify the right dosage, medication, patient, and route each time.
Medication errors are preventable with well-trained MAs and comprehensive procedures.
Safe medication administration improves patient safety and reduces medical liability risk.
For more information, visit the Cooperative of American Physicians and the Medical Board of California's websites.
Transcripts
[Music]
medication administration is commonly
the responsibility of medical assistants
and many California medical offices and
clinic settings while mas play a vital
role in carrying out a variety of
routine tasks that keep your office
running smoothly they may also represent
an underappreciated source of risk for
your practice unfortunately many
physicians don't understand that mas are
unlicensed individuals with limited if
any formal education in pharmacology and
safe medication administration in fact a
recent review of caps closed claims data
reveals that medication errors occurred
in nearly half of claims where an ma was
directly responsible for a patient's
injury so how can you minimize the
possibility that your ma will make a
medication error first of all be
familiar with your mas full scope of
practice as described by the Medical
Board of California hire individuals who
can provide a certificate of training
from a respected institution and
demonstrate competency in pharmacology
and safe medication administration if
your MA will be giving injections such
as Kenalog in vaccines and administering
inhalation medications it is essential
that you provide them with additional
training required to do this safely next
employ office practices that emphasize
medication safety develop and implement
clear policies and procedures that
include refill guidelines keep in mind
MAS may not call in new prescriptions or
any refill prescriptions that have
changes other recommended practices
include utilizing chart alerts for
patient drug allergies storing
look-alike sound-alike drugs separately
labeling syringes giving medication to
only one patient at a time and limiting
distractions when giving meds last but
not least understand your
responsibilities as supervisor an MA can
only provide patient care under your
direct supervision or under the
supervision of a physician assistant
nurse practitioner or nurse midwife you
or this
vizor must be on the premises at all
times when the ma is providing patient
care so before an MA administers any
authorized medication a supervisor
should verify that the right dosage of
the right medication is given to the
right patient at the right time via the
right route each and every time
medication errors are preventable
when well-trained medical assistants
under your direct supervision act within
their scope of practice and adhere to
comprehensive medication administration
procedures and protocols the less likely
a medication error will occur safe
medication administration improves
patient safety and reduces your medical
liability risk for more information
about medical assistance and medication
administration please visit the
cooperative of American physicians and
the Medical Board of California's web
sites
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