2022 South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 40 - Professions and Occupations
Chapter 47 - Physicians And Miscellaneous Health Care Professionals
Section 40-47-196. Delegation of tasks.

(A) Specific tasks may be delegated to a CMA by a physician, physician assistant if authorized to do so in his scope of practice guidelines, or advanced practice registered nurse if authorized to do so in his practice agreement. The scope of practice guidelines for a physician assistant and the practice agreement for an advanced practice registered nurse must address what tasks may be appropriately delegated to a CMA, provided, however, that the following tasks must not be delegated to a CMA by a physician assistant or advanced practice registered nurse:

(1) administering controlled medications, intravenous medications, contrast agents, or chemotherapy agents;

(2) injecting neurotoxin products, neuro modulatory agents, or tissue fillers;

(3) using lasers or instruments that results in tissue destruction;

(4) placing sutures;

(5) taking radiographs or using any ionizing radiation unless the CMA is also a certified limited practice radiographer;

(6) analyzing, interpreting, or diagnosing symptoms or tests;

(7) triaging patients; and

(8) performing a clinical decision-making task by means of telemedicine.

(B) A physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse may delegate specified tasks to a CMA pursuant to the following requirements:

(1) the task must be delegated directly to the CMA by the physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse, and not through another licensed practitioner;

(2) the task must be performed when the physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse delegating the task is in such close proximity as to be immediately available to the CMA if needed;

(3) the physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse delegating the task must determine that the task is within the training and competency of the CMA and will not pose a significant risk to the patient if improperly performed;

(4) the task must not involve the verbal transmission of an order or prescription to a licensed person if the licensed person requires the order or prescription to be in writing; and

(5) the CMA must wear an appropriate badge identifying the CMA's status, which must be clearly visible to the patient at all times.

(C)(1) A physician or physician assistant, pursuant to the physician assistant's scope of practice guidelines, may delegate nursing tasks to UAP under the supervision of the physician or physician assistant. Such nursing tasks include, but are not limited to, the following:

(a) meeting patients' needs for personal hygiene;

(b) meeting patients' needs relating to nutrition;

(c) meeting patients' needs relating to ambulation;

(d) meeting patients' needs relating to elimination;

(e) taking vital signs;

(f) maintaining asepsis; and

(g) observing, recording, or reporting any of the nursing tasks enumerated in this subsection.

(2) APRNs may delegate nursing tasks to UAP pursuant to Section 40-33-42.

HISTORY: 2022 Act No. 171 (S.613), Section 5, eff July 15, 2022.