Arizona House Bill Allowing Medical Assistants to Place Urinary Catheters

Medical Assistants in Arizona just got an expanded scope, and we have a lot of questions.

But the primary question isn’t just what’s allowed. It’s: “Is this an appropriate change?”

We know Arizona’s healthcare system is under strain. Staffing shortages continue across every discipline, especially in rural areas. So when House Bill 2025 was signed into law, expanding what medical assistants (MAs) can do, the move was met with both curiosity and caution.

Under the new law, medical assistants may now place and remove urinary catheters—a clinical task that previously required a higher license level. They can perform this after appropriate training and under general supervision, which means a physician or provider doesn’t need to be in the room during the procedure.

Is This a Step Forward—or a Risk?

For some, this expanded scope is a welcome relief. It frees up time for physicians, nurse practitioners and registered nurses and gives support staff more meaningful work. But others are asking tougher questions:

• What happens if something goes wrong? Catheter placements, while routine, are not risk-free. Urinary tract infections, trauma, or misplacement could lead to adverse outcomes.
  
• Who holds the liability? Will supervising providers be held responsible for MA actions under general supervision? How will this affect malpractice insurance and risk management protocols?
  
• Is training consistent—and rigorous enough? The law allows training to be delivered in-house, as long as it meets certain standards. But who’s checking? Without a centralized, standardized certification process, is quality uniform across employers?
  

Is This the Right Procedure to Prioritize?

Our question is if this is the right place to start in terms of expanding areas of practice. Are catheter placements the next frontier for MA scope, or are there other pending areas that are lower risk and higher impact? 

Some of the community voiced suggestions for the following areas:

• Expansion in scope of allowed EHR/EMR completion
  
• Wound care support in outpatient settings
  
• Expanded telehealth roles, especially in triage or patient education

In other words, are we choosing scope expansions that match Arizona’s most urgent gaps in care delivery?

What This Means for Employers and Recruiters

Whether you support the change or not, here’s what you should be doing now:

• Review your MA training protocols. Make sure they meet both the letter and the spirit of the law.
  
• Talk with your legal and risk teams. Know how this impacts liability for your clinical staff and your organization.
  
• Update your job descriptions. MAs with expanded scope can be a strategic asset—especially in underserved regions—but clarity matters.
  
• Gauge staff comfort levels. Not every MA will feel ready for this. Not every provider will feel confident delegating it.

Final Thought: A Necessary Shift, or a Short-Term Patch?

Arizona’s expanded MA scope is one answer to a much larger workforce problem. But is it the right answer, or just the fastest one? As the law rolls out, employers, educators, and regulators alike will need to balance access, safety, and accountability.

Link to AZ Bill: www.azleg.gov/legtext/57Leg/1R/laws/0021.pdf