The PA scope of practice is determined by which of the following?

• A. State
• B. Practice
• C. Federal
• D. Facility

Answer: (B)

The ability of a PA to perform tasks is defined by the practice setting in which they operate. This means the rules that actually govern what a PA can do come from the practice environment—primarily the state practice acts and the supervising physician agreements and protocols in that setting. Federal requirements set broad standards and accreditation basics, but they do not define the day-to-day scope of practice for a PA. A facility can shape how care is delivered through policies, but those policies cannot expand authority beyond what the state- and practice-act framework allows. So the safest, most accurate way to describe scope of practice is that it is determined by the practice—the combination of state regulations and the specific supervisory and clinical protocols in use.