2011 Louisiana Laws
Revised Statutes
TITLE 37 — Professions and occupations
RS 37:1360.31 — Services performed by physician assistants

§1360.31. Services performed by physician assistants

A.(1) A physician assistant performs medical services when such services are rendered under the supervision of a supervising physician. A physician assistant may have multiple supervising physicians in no more than five medical specialties or subspecialties, provided all of the physician assistant's supervising physicians are properly registered with the board in accordance with the provisions of this Part. A physician assistant may perform those duties and responsibilities that are delegated to him by his supervising physician. A physician assistant is considered to be and is deemed the agent of his supervising physician in the performance of all practice-related activities, including but not limited to assisting in surgery and the ordering of diagnostic and other medical services. A physician assistant shall not practice without supervision except in life-threatening emergencies and in emergency situations such as man-made and natural disaster relief efforts.

(2) A physician assistant may inject local anesthetic agents subcutaneously, including digital blocks or apply topical anesthetic agents when delegated to do so by a supervising physician. However, nothing in this Part shall otherwise permit a physician assistant to administer local anesthetics perineurally, pericurally, epidurally, intrathecally, or intravenously unless such physician assistant is a certified registered nurse anesthetist and meets the requirements in R.S. 37:930.

B. The practice of a physician assistant shall include the performance of medical services within the scope of his education, training, and experience, which are delegated by the supervising physician. Medical services rendered by a physician assistant may include but are not limited to:

(1) Obtaining patient histories and performing physical examinations.

(2) Ordering or performing diagnostic procedures as delegated by the supervising physician.

(3) Developing and implementing a treatment plan in accordance with written clinical practice guidelines and protocols set forth by the supervising physician.

(4) Monitoring the effectiveness of therapeutic intervention.

(5) Suturing wounds as delegated by the supervising physician.

(6) Offering counseling and education to meet patient needs.

(7) Making appropriate referrals.

(8) Prescribing certain drugs and medical devices to the extent delegated by the supervising physician, provided the physician assistant has completed a minimum of one year of clinical rotations during his training and has practiced for a minimum of one year under a supervising physician. Drugs which may be prescribed are those listed in Schedules III, IV, and V of R.S. 40:964 and legend drugs, which are defined as any drug or drug product bearing on the label of the manufacturer or distributor, as required by the Food and Drug Administration, the statement "Caution: Federal law prohibits dispensing without a prescription."

C. The activities listed above may be performed in any setting authorized by the supervising physician including: clinics, hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, patient homes, nursing homes, other institutional settings, and health manpower shortage areas.

Acts 1993, No. 662, §1, eff. June 16, 1993; Acts 1995, No. 879, §1; Acts 1997, No. 316, §1; Acts 2004, No. 10, §1.