What Is the CMA Scope of Practice? Overview and FAQ

Certified medical assistants (CMAs) help different members of the care team with basic medical tasks and provide support to patients. In order to keep patients safe, CMAs are expected to stay within the CMA scope of practice and only carry out duties that they’re properly trained to do.

If you’re a facility leader, it’s important to stay up-to-date on practice regulations and enforce appropriate care protocols for your CMAs. In this article, we’ll provide an overview of what CMAs are authorized to do in their roles so that you can build a better culture of safety at your facility.

Scope of Practice for CMA: FAQs

It’s important to note that the requirements to become a medical assistant differ by state. In many states, medical assistants are referred to as “unlicensed assistive personnel” because this role does not require formal education — although receiving certification is often encouraged. We’ll provide more details about how this impacts the scope of practice for CMAs in the FAQs below.

What is the CMA scope of practice?

In the healthcare industry, scope of practice guidelines broadly refer to what each type of health professional can and cannot do in their roles based on their level of competency. Since medical assistants typically aren’t required to obtain formal education, their scope of practice is limited to basic medical and administrative tasks. These tasks might include:

• Taking vital signs.
• Maintaining patient records.
• Scheduling appointments.
• Assisting doctors with exams.
• Collecting lab samples.
• Providing patient support.

What regulations shape the CMA scope of practice?

Medical assistants provide help to a range of healthcare staff, including physicians, nurse practitioners, podiatrists, and nurse midwives. Because of this, their scope of practice is shaped by a combination of state laws and guidelines from professional organizations.

The American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) is the leading professional organization for medical assistants, playing a key role in consolidating and enforcing state-by-state regulations. At the state level, each medical and nursing board outlines specific tasks that can and cannot be delegated to a CMA. AAMA scope of practice laws by state can be found on the organization’s resource center for employers.

How does the CMA’s scope of practice differ by state?

Differences in the medical assistant scope of practice by state are primarily found in supervision and delegation rules. For example, Georgia allows medical assistants to administer medications by injection when a licensed provider is on the premises. However, the Illinois Nurse Practice Act prohibits registered nursing professionals from delegating medication administration to unlicensed assistive personnel working in most types of facilities.

CMA vs. CNA scope of practice: What’s the difference?

Certified nursing assistants (CNA) are another type of assistive personnel that primarily assists with nursing care. While CMAs and CNAs both play supportive roles on a care team, there are some key differences in their scope of practice.

CNAs are mainly supervised by licensed nursing professionals, generally focusing more on bedside tasks, such as aiding patients with bathing and feeding. Conversely, CMAs work with a range of healthcare providers, often taking on more clinical and administrative duties, such as drawing blood and managing patient appointments.

Medical assistant vs. medication aide scope of practice: What’s the difference?

Certified medical assistants are sometimes confused with certified medication aides. However, medication aides have a much more specialized role than medical assistants, focusing primarily on administering medications. Medication aides are CNAs who receive additional training and certification. Therefore, they work more closely with nursing professionals than with other members of the care team.

What happens if a CMA steps outside of their scope of practice?

If a CMA accepts a task that they’re not properly trained or qualified to do, this can place patients at risk of harm and could lead to serious professional and legal consequences. Both the CMA who performs a task beyond their scope of practice and their supervisor may lose their credentials and even face a malpractice lawsuit.

To help prevent these risks and keep patients safe, facility leaders should institute care protocols that reflect appropriate state regulations. It’s also important to understand how the role of the CMA differs from that of other assistive personnel so that proper delegation guidelines can be enforced.

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Legal Disclaimer: This article contains general legal information, but it is not intended to constitute professional legal advice for any particular situation and should not be relied on as professional legal advice. Any references to the law may not be current, as laws regularly change through updates in legislation, regulation, and case law at the federal and state level. Nothing in this article should be interpreted as creating an attorney-client relationship. If you have legal questions, you should seek the advice of an attorney licensed to practice in your jurisdiction.