Medical Ethics Case Study

Who Can Prescribe Medicine?

Does Jerry's medical training qualify him to issue this refill order? Why or why not?

Generally, LPNs and medical assistants are qualified to dispense medication prescribed by a physician ("Medical assistant, 2011). A medical assistant is a trained medical professional who works under the supervision of a board-certified physician ("Medical assistant, 2011). Typically, a medical assistant's work is administrative, but it may also include clinical duties ("Medical assistant, 2011). The administrative duties performed by a medical assistant might include scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, greeting patients, and such. Clinical duties that may be performed by a medical assistant include taking vital signs, preparing patients for exams, drawing blood, and administering medication ("Medical assistant, 2011)..

In Jerry's case, the medical office includes a receptionist who normally takes telephone calls. This tends to indicate that the office administrative duties may be delegated to the...
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