Medical assistants perform a mix of both administrative and clinical duties. While they don’t diagnose patients, prescribe medications or do surgery, they are expected to be able to perform some procedures and assist the physician or nurse as needed. If you’re thinking about starting a career as a medical assistant, it’s important to know ahead of time what type of procedures you’ll be asked to do. It varies based on the healthcare setting, of course, but here’s a general overview. As a student at the Prism Career Institute, you’ll be taught what you need to know about all of the following medical assistant procedures.
Vital Signs
When a patient comes in, one of the first things you’ll do is update their medical record and check their vital signs. This information helps paint a picture for the doctor of what the patient’s current health status looks like. You’ll check the patient’s pulse, respiration, pulse oximetry, blood pressure and body temperature. Depending on why the patient has come in, you may also conduct other basic tests and collect samples, such as urine samples, throat cultures and blood samples. Then, you’ll help prepare the patient for any exams they might be scheduled to have that day.
Physical Exams
The doctor performs most physical exams, but a medical assistant will often get asked to help. Some common procedures you might be involved with include:
- Gynecologic exams
- Eye and ear irrigation
- Newborn screening tests
- Pediatric exams
- And more
While medical assistants may help with exams, the doctor will be the one to interpret the results and prescribe treatment if necessary. You’ll be available to educate patients on exams, as well. For example, medical assistants in Ob-Gyn clinics can teach women how to perform self breast examinations on their own at home.
Non-Invasive Procedures
The majority of procedures you’re expected to do are non-invasive. This includes performing tests, such as electrocardiograms to check cardiac function, urine tests to check whether or not a patient is pregnant, and invasive blood glucose measurements. You’ll also frequently have to administer immunizations and medications, including pills, powders, injections and eye drops. Additionally, it’s common for medical assistants to care for various injuries and wounds. This involves removing sutures and staples, changing dressings and applying ice bags. If a patient has to use medical devices, such as walkers and crutches, you’ll be there to help them learn what to do.
Invasive Procedures
Medical assistants have the training to assist with some invasive procedures, too, should the physician need them to. For example, you might get to help perform some minor office surgeries used to treat things like boils, cysts, infections and in-grown toenails. Other procedures you might assist with include:
- Biopsies
- Incision and drainage
- Colposcopies
- Emergency medical procedures
- Phlebotomy procedures
- And more
Get Ready for an Exciting Career
Just by looking at this broad spectrum of clinical duties, you can tell that life as a medical assistant can be very rewarding and fulfilling. Everyday will bring something new and you’ll continue to gain new knowledge and skills. When you enroll in the Medical Assistant Program at Prism Career Institute, you’ll get to learn about all these procedures and much more to make sure you’re completely prepared. Not a student yet? Apply online today and get your career off the ground.
Medical Assistants play an important role in the many various types of health care offices around the world. These esteemed professional play an important role in assisting the doctor to ensure timely, efficient, quality care for patients which gives the doctors more valuable time to spend with their patients. Our extensive medical assistant course at our medical school in Miami, Florida is specifically designed to educate our students to become qualified in their field.
Among the many important responsibilities of a qualified Medical Assistant, four very important responsibilities are handling office management duties such as booking appointments and other reception needs, maintaining records management, performing specialized medical tests including urinalysis and collecting blood specimens, and preparing patients for physical examinations and minor surgical procedures.
Reception and Maintaining Records Management
Often the medical assistant is the first face a patient sees when entering the doctor’s office. A qualified medical assistant is not only adequately trained in intake procedures but also expresses compassion when dealing with patients. Upon processing the patient’s payment whether it be a cash paying patient or a payment with insurance, the medical assistant must correctly charge the account and take record of the payment.
Additionally, they must ensure that the patient’s records are up to date with the correct address, phone number, and insurance information if applicable. They must maintain privacy laws by ensuring they securely protect the patient’s private information. Additionally, they must be able to answer the incoming phone calls from the office and handle the appointment booking.
Performing Specialized Medical Tests
Upon calling the patient to be seen by the doctor, medical assistants are responsible for taking the patient’s vitals and recording them such as their blood pressure, temperature, weight, pulse, and oxygen levels. Additionally, these practice staff members must perform urinalysis testing and draw blood work to be delivered to the laboratory.
Patient Preparation
Patient preparation is a large part of being an efficient medical assistant. When the patient enters for a physical examination, the knowledgeable medical assistant must know how to provide them with the appropriate materials provided by the office such as office gowns and adequately direct the patient in the preparation process. For example, if the patient is going in for an x-ray they may tell them to remove all metal jewelry and provide them with blankets to cover the extremity being examined.
If the patient is going in for a minor surgery, the medical assistant may help the patient prepare by prepping the area with iodine and removing hair from the surrounding area if necessary, apply local anesthetic for
numbing the area and administering any I.V. antibiotics or sedatives. Additionally, the can administer the sedatives as a shot if an I.V. is not being used.
The Doctors Best Friend
A qualified medical assistant who performs all the duties in a timely fashion ensuring accuracy and maintaining a comfortable atmosphere for the patient relieves a lot of stress of the doctor. At FVI School of Nursing and Technology our medical assistant courses are designed to cover all facets of this career and produce graduates that are well qualified to perform their job duties. Our staff is readily available to answer all of your questions and help you see if this is the career for you.
Our classes are flexible and our courses are offered in medical assistant programs in Miami. This highly respected field of work has good career growth opportunities in various medical health settings. To learn more about this exciting career, please give us a call today. We look forward to speaking with you and helping you get started in the field of your dreams.
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