Conflicting information has been circulating about whether South Carolina nursing law permits licensed nurses—including advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), such as nurse practitioners (NPs)—to delegate tasks to medical assistants.
Nevertheless, South Carolina law specifically authorizes licensed nurses, including NPs, to delegate certain nursing tasks to knowledgeable and competent unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP), such as medical assistants, who are working under appropriate nurse supervision.
Administration of medication, however, is a task licensed nurses cannot legally delegate to UAP (such as medical assistants) under South Carolina nursing law.
Review the supporting evidence in the January/February 2020 Public Affairs article, “NP Delegation in South Carolina,” on the AAMA website.
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