Mildred Elley Blog

Interested in knowing what a medical assistant is and what they do on a day-to-day basis? Want to know the job outlook for medical assistants? Ready to learn how to become a medical assistant and where you can find a medical assistant program in New York or Massachusetts? Becoming a Medical Assistant can be a rewarding career where you work in a team that is dedicated to helping their patients.

Interested in a career in healthcare? Considering becoming a Medical Assistant or Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)? There are many similarities and differences between medical assistant careers and LPN careers. Both are very rewarding in their own way.

There are many different medical assistant specialties that are available outside of family practice and primary care physician’s offices. If the medical assistant has an interest in a specific field of medicine, they may be able to move into a specialty after graduating from a career college and obtaining a little bit of experience as a medical assistant. The medical assistant specialties include cardiology, dermatology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, geriatrics, neurology, obstetrics and gynecology, ophthalmology, orthopedics, otolaryngology, pediatrics, pulmonary medicine, and urology.

It is fair to say that a highly effective network administrator is not made overnight. It takes a career college certification and some on the job experience to become a professional network administrator. There are many skills that make a highly effective network administrator. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics there are four main skills that are important qualities for a network administrator. They include analytical skills, communication skills, multitasking skills and problem-solving skills.  We have added three additional skills that supplement those four main skills, they include critical thinking skills, computer skills and innovation skills.

A cardiovascular exam is the most basic non-invasive procedure used to assess the heart and blood vessels. In preparation of the cardiovascular exam, the medical assistant will want to obtain vital information including weight, blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and body temperature. In addition, the medical assistant should prepare cardiovascular history for the physician to review. The medical assistant will obtain a complete list of the patient’s medications with current dosage. This includes any over-the-counter medications, or herbal and vitamin supplements. The medical assistant will find out whether the patient smokes, drinks alcohol, exercises, and whether they have a family history of heart disease.

There are many skills that make a highly effective cosmetologist. When clients get their hair and nails done, they want to work with a cosmetologist that has mastered these skills. The client puts a lot of trust in their cosmetologist and wants them to be educated, creative, good with people, great at customer service, an active listener, have a positive attitude, possess stamina and dexterity, have good grooming habits and master time management.

Medical Assistants that are also phlebotomists will need to draw blood for two main reasons: to help identify if a patient is ill and to collect many units of red blood cells from heroes that donate blood.

1 out of every 3 adults in the United States has high blood pressure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). High blood pressure often has no symptoms. If untreated, it can cause heart attack and stroke. The medical assistant should learn how to take vital signs in an effort to identify when a patient’s vital signs are abnormal. It may save a life.

Interested in improving your communication skills? For a medical assistant, improving communication skills with patients involves both verbal and non-verbal communication. As a medical assistant it should be the goal to use communication that creates a comfortable atmosphere for patients. Even bad news should be communicated with some positivity. A medical assistant shouldn’t mumble, speak sharply or avoid eye contact. The medical assistant should look into the patient in the eyes when speaking to them and listen carefully. The medical assistant should also be aware of their nonverbal communication, giving a positive and open signal to patients and colleagues.

According to the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), 87 percent of individuals view massage as being beneficial to overall health and wellness. 89 percent of consumers surveyed believe that massage can be effective in reducing pain. 71 percent of consumers agree that massage therapy should be considered a form of health care. What does this mean? Massage therapy is considered mainstream and good for one’s health. The demand for massage therapy and its benefits will continue to grow, as well as the demand for more professional massage therapists.