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Committee advances bill allowing nurses to delegate tasks to certified medical assistants in clinics
Summary
House Bill 327 would explicitly allow nurses licensed under the nursing chapter to delegate nonclinical-judgment tasks to formally trained, certified medical assistants. The Senate Health Committee sent the bill to the floor with a due-pass recommendation after testimony and questions about scope and definitions.
The Senate Health Committee voted to send House Bill 327 to the floor with a due-pass recommendation after Representative Healy said the bill clarifies that nurses may delegate certain tasks to certified medical assistants in provider offices.
Representative Healy, who sponsored the bill, said medical assistants historically were supervised by physicians and that current practice increasingly places advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) in lead roles at clinics. “This bill simply puts it into code that a nurse can oversee a medical assistant in this setting,” she said, adding that the change helps “everyday process, everyday organization, working in the medical clinics.”
Committee members asked how the bill differs from existing delegation rules. Senator Blaylock said delegation is “so important” and asked why the change needed to be placed in statute. Representative Healy replied that medical assistants do not fall under the existing nursing code or IDAPA nursing rules and that the bill fills a gap by specifying that certain non-nursing staff with formal training may perform delegated tasks.
The bill text clarifies that delegation may cover duties that the individual has received formal training to perform and that the individual is certified by a national organization acceptable to the board. Representative Healy emphasized that delegation is limited to tasks that do not involve the exercise of independent clinical judgment; a delegatee may obtain vital signs, labs or other information but would not make clinical decisions based on that information.
Robert Vandermeer, who identified himself as a supporter, testified in favor of the bill and described common practice in clinics where physicians are not always present and nurses rely on medical assistants for hands-on duties. “Nurses delegate to nursing assistants, physicians delegate to medical assistants, but the physician might not be there,” Vandermeer said. “Nurses… should be able to delegate; they’ve got a pretty high license.”
Senators asked for reassurance that the bill would not restrict existing delegation practices. Representative Healy said the language was intentionally broad so organizations that already maintain detailed delegation lists would not be constrained, while smaller practices would gain clear authority to use medical assistants.
Senator Keiser moved, and Senator Blaylock seconded, that the committee send House Bill 327 to the floor with a due-pass recommendation. The motion passed with no public opposition recorded.
