The Limitations Of A Physician Assistant

A physician assistant’s duties and responsibilities depend on his training, experience, and state laws. A physician assistant assists his physician. So, it can be said that the physician performs complicated procedures while the PA performs simple and routine procedures. However, the number of physician assistants is rising. Due to this fact, many doctors allow their physician assistants to handle patient cases by themselves. States are loading more responsibilities on PAs. Physician assistants that practice in surgical processes can also conduct medical procedures on their own. As the physician assistant learns more skills, his physician will depend on them more and more. It gets to the point where it is a thin line between what a physician assistant can and cannot do. So, how do you know what is okay for a physician to do and not to do?

A physician assistant is a dependent healthcare practitioner. This says that he must work directly under a licensed doctor. The licensed doctor is responsible for the actions of his physician assistant. He tells what to do every week , according to his skill level and time on the job. A physician assistant is responsible for many things which include the following:

Assess patients A physician assistant can go through a patient’s medical history, ask him questions, conduct a physical examination, create a report and present it to the doctor.

Monitoring patients : He can implement patient health management plans, provide care to patients in hospitals or other facilities. He can also help the doctor in his hospital rounds, and record the patient’s progress.

Analyzing patients: He can conduct and analyze lab, cardio, radiology and other procedural results.

Performing therapeutics : Treat patients: PAs can administer injections and immunizations. They can suture and care for wounds and manage medical conditions brought about by trauma or infections. They can assist while the doctor manages complex and life-threatening conditions. They can supervise and direct blood withdrawal in a DUI/DWI case.

Counsel patients: PAs can direct patients to stick to their prescribed treatment plans. They also have the ability to give patients information about basic health, emotional problems and healthy guidelines.

Refer patients: Physician assistants have the authority to move patients to other healthcare practitioners and social organizations if they think it is beneficial for the patient.

What a physician is not allowed to do:

Physician assistants are not allowed to do other specialized requests for professions such as optometry or radiologic technology. They cannot sign a death certificate, but can make a death pronouncement.

How the law places limitations on the physician assistant’s practice range.

The range of practice is just in concept only. Even the theory is vague because it says that these services are “included” within the PA’s scope of practice. For example look at the law in North Carolina that puts restrictions on a physician assistant’s scope of practice. Other states too would have laid down similar rules. Before we get into what a PA can or cannot do, you must know that no PA can perform any healthcare duty if his license is inactive or not current. Now, here’re the limitations :

Drug prescriptions written by a PA must contain his identification number issued by the state. The PA’s doctor has to write down instructions concerning indications and contraindications in reference to drug prescriptions. If the physician assistant does not get this information in writing, then he does not have the authority to initiate the drug prescription. The PA’s doctor must also give the PA a written policy for prescribing drugs. If the physician assistant does not get this written directive, then he cannot issue the drug prescription. If he does, he will be in violation of law. The state can do a lot to limit a physician assistant’s ability to initiate drug prescriptions. Therefore every PA must check the state laws before writing a prescription.

A PA can compound and dispense drugs if the action is performed under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist and as per the regulations laid down by the state’s Board of Pharmacy.

A physician assistant can ask for certain hospital and healthcare facilities if his direct supervising physician as written down precise directives on how it should be done. If it is a complicated matter, then the physician assistant’s supervising doctor has to look at the written order during a specified time that has been set by the state. The hospital, healthcare facility or doctor’s office that will provide treatment should have written rules set in place that state that physician assistant orders should be verified. They must confirm that these requested orders are advantageous for patients. The state might also come up with limitations on the types of tests that physician assistants can request.

All PAs are required to maintain a current and active license, an active registration with the state board, and have a current Intent of Practice filed with the state board.

Now, it is easy to understand how a physician assistant can do all of the functions that are within his scope of practice. This is only acceptable if it is approved by his supervising doctor and follows the state’s rules. The bottom line is that the things that a physician assistant is authorized to do can be summarized as the following:

(a) State Regulations

(b) The range of the physician assistant’s functions described overall and by the state

(c) His physician authorizes this actions and it is okay with the state.

Also, the physician assistant has requests that have to be confirmed by the checks and balances system that is setup by different medical offices, hospitals and other healthcare offices. Simply put, this is what physician assistants are able to do , as well as restrictions.

For more information about the limitations of a physician assistant, please visit: Physician Assistant Salary

Tags: education, Employment, Limitation, Physician Assistant