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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 SignsWhen 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 ExamsThe doctor performs most physical exams, but a medical assistant will often get asked to help. Some common procedures you might be involved with include:
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 ProceduresThe 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 ProceduresMedical 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:
Get Ready for an Exciting CareerJust 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 are key players on the healthcare team, providing direct patient care and helping doctors, nurses, and specialists do their jobs well. Without their help, physicians wouldn’t be able to focus on their top priority: patient care. As a Medical Assistant, you will handle a wide variety of duties on both the clinical and administrative sides of the office—but there is also a list of duties that you aren’t allowed to perform. What a Medical Assistant Can DoDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, Medical Assistants were often called on to perform responsibilities they hadn’t done before. In many states, their scope of practice expanded to include testing patients for COVID and administering vaccines. While these duties may or may not become a routine part of your responsibilities, you can expect to continue to learn new tasks and procedures as the medical profession evolves. Here are just some of the usual duties that you can expect to perform now as a Medical Assistant:
This list does not cover every responsibility that you’ll have, but it does provide a comprehensive overview of what you could expect to do each day. What a Medical Assistant Can’t DoAlthough your list of responsibilities is long, there are still some duties that you won’t be allowed to carry out. These duties are not within your scope of practice and will need to be performed by medical professionals who have the proper training:
State-Level Scopes of PracticeJust as job duties can vary from facility to facility, they can also vary state to state. Each state board offers its own scope of practice for the profession, so the duties you can’t perform in one state may be allowed in another. For example, in California, you can perform additional supportive services such as skin tests or blood draws if you’ve received proper training from your employer. And in Montana, a physician may delegate invasive procedures to you as long as they provide onsite supervision. The key is to know and understand the guidelines for Medical Assistants in your state. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Medical Assistants are among the fastest growing occupations in this decade. One of the reasons for this is an aging population that requires regular care for chronic health conditions. In order for physicians to take on more patients, they’ll need more Medical Assistants to handle other important tasks that keep the practice running smoothly. The best way to learn more about what Medical Assistants can and can’t do is through formal training. At Charter College, we offer a Certificate in Medical Assistant that will give you the hands-on training you’ll need for an entry-level job in the field. Classes are enrolling now. Call 888-200-9942 or fill out the form to learn more. A career in medical assisting is both rewarding and challenging. All careers in health care, but especially those in medical assisting, are growing much faster than the average growth in jobs. This is also a lucrative career that doesn’t require extensive training. With just an associate’s degree, you can be prepared to earn more than $45,000 per year. Of course, before you take the plunge and make the commitment to earn your degree, you need to know what this career is all about. Here you’ll find the top medical assistant duties that you will be doing every day on the job. Medical Assistant Duties That Require Anatomy and Physiology KnowledgeIn training to become a medical assistant, there are a number of courses you’ll need to take, ranging from academic science classes to hands-on clinical work. To get basic medical knowledge, your degree program will include courses in anatomy and physiology. Daily medical assistant duties require that you have this background knowledge: Clinical Lab Procedure Medical Assistant DutiesMedical assistant duties cover a lot of different areas of basic medical practice, and that includes clinical lab procedures. Most doctors’ offices include a lab, either on site or in an off-site location. The purpose of a lab is to test samples from patients to help make diagnoses. Medical assistants may have duties in the lab, which include taking samples from patients, like urine or blood samples. Other lab duties may be preparing the samples for testing, running the tests, maintaining lab records, communicating results with nurses and physicians, and notifying patients of test results or reminding them of upcoming tests that need to be done. Medical Assistant Duties in CPR and Medical EmergenciesThe only type of medical assistant duties that you can expect won’t occur on a regular basis are emergency care duties. In most medical settings, emergencies are not common, but they can happen. Medical assistants, like other professionals in a doctor’s office or clinic, need to be prepared to handle these emergencies. You can expect to take coursework as you train to become a medical assistant that will teach you basic emergency medical care like first aid and CPR. Emergency duties may include helping a patient who has been hurt, who has stopped breathing, or who has lost consciousness. Part of your duties in one of these types of situations is also to alert a nurse or physician immediately. Exam Room Procedure Medical Assistant DutiesThe real hands-on work that medical assistants do involves working directly with physicians and patients. These medical assistant duties involve working in the exam room and assisting the physician with anything he or she needs. This may include helping with sutures, handing the physicians the necessary tools during a procedure. Some procedures can be done by the medical assistant without the physician in the room. These vary by what each state allows, but they may include giving shots, drawing blood, administering diagnostic tests, or removing stitches. Medical assistants are also generally responsible for preparing the patient for the physician’s examination, including taking and recording vital signs, asking the patient preliminary questions, and escorting the patient to the exam room. Pharmacology Medical Assistant DutiesPharmacology is a big part of medical care and refers to anything related to medications. Only physicians and certain other specialists may write prescriptions, but often the medical assistant duties in a doctor’s office include medications. For instance, as a medical assistant you may need to administer medications to patients, explain to them how to take or use medications or medical devices, and record the medications that a patient is already taking. Medical Assistant Duties Involving PhlebotomyMedical assistant training includes learning how to draw blood, an important skill that is used often in physicians’ offices and clinical labs. This is called phlebotomy and it is a regular part of most medical assistant duties. In this role you may need to draw blood from patients for a number of tests. This can be done in the doctor’s office or in a clinical lab. In some clinics and offices, drawing blood is done by a dedicated phlebotomist. In smaller offices, though, it is likely to be the duty of the medical assistant. Administrative Medical Assistant Duties and SpecialtiesIn addition to the clinical and procedural medical assistant duties, you can expect to perform some administrative tasks as well. Some medical assistants only do clinical or administrative work, but in most offices, they perform both types of duties. Administrative duties include: Depending on specialty, other medical assistant duties may include more advanced work. Some medical assistants continue their education beyond the basic training to specialize in pediatrics, surgery, and other fields. These medical assistants may have more duties including things like placing intravenous lines, creating educational materials for patients, manage billing or payroll, helping patients with power of attorney, or playing a more hands-on role in procedures. Some of these advanced duties may come from having a more advanced education, but you also may learn to do them through on-the-job training. Now that you have a better understanding of the daily and regular medical assistant duties, you can make an informed decision about your future career. Were you born to be a medical assistant? If so, let us show you what kinds of medical assistant programs are available to help you start your journey toward becoming a dedicated medical professional, making a difference in the lives of patients. Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linkedin Which of the following is the medical assistant's responsibility when preparing the patient for physical examination?One of the medical assistant's responsibilities when preparing a room for a patient's physical examination is to gather the instruments and supplies needed.
When preparing a patient for physical examination the medical assistant is responsible for all of the following except?When preparing a patient for a physical examination, the medical assistant is responsible for all of the following except: providing refill prescriptions as needed.
Which of the following is a role of a medical assistant during a physical exam?The medical assistant's role includes putting the patient at ease, performing the initial interview, documenting the patient history, taking vital signs and body measurements, assisting the physician in the exam, and making sure instruments and supplies are available for the exam.
How do you prepare a patient for a physical exam?You should gather the following paperwork before your physical examination:. list of current medications you take, including over-the-counter drugs and any herbal supplements.. list of any symptoms or pain you are experiencing.. results from any recent or relevant tests.. medical and surgical history.. |
Which of the following is the medical assistants responsibility when preparing the patient for physical examination?
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