1. Unit 19 Medical Assistant Skills

2. 19:1 Measuring/Recording Height and Weight
Use: to determine if a person is overweight or underweight
Must be accurate
When measurements are done
Daily weights
Observe safety factors
Most patients are very weight conscious
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3. Measuring/Recording Height and Weight (continued)
Wide variety of scales
Recording weight
Pounds and oz in infants
Pounds in adults
Kg other countries: Kg x 2.2= pounds
Adult weight scales
Infant weight scales
Recording height-
Feet and inches in US
Conversion to cm= Inches x 2.5cm
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5. Measuring/Recording Height and Weight (continued)
Tape measure for infant height
Basic principles for measuring height and weight on clinical scale
Same scale, same time of day, morning is best, same amount of clothing, void bladder, balance scale
Basic principles for measuring height and weight of infants
Every 2 months. Abnormal growth patterns may indicate nutritional deficiences or genetic disease
Height, weight, chest circumference, head circumference on an infant are taken frequently because of rapid growth in an infant.
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Length in an infant
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7. Head/chest Circumference
Importance of head :
Microcephaly
Hydrocephalus
Fetal alcohol syndrome
Congenital defects
Chest
Heart and lung over or underdevelopment
At about 1-2 yoa head and chest circumference are equal
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8. 19:2 Positioning a Patient
Patient must be positioned correctly for variety of examinations, tests, and procedures
Wide variety of positions used
Patient may be on a bed, examination table, surgical table, diagnostic table, or treatment table
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9. Positioning a Patient (continued)
Reassure patient
Horizontal recumbent or supine position
Prone position
Sims’ or left lateral position
Knee-chest position
Fowler’s positions
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10. Positioning a Patient (continued)
Lithotomy position
Dorsal recumbent position
Trendelenburg position
Jackknife (proctology) position
Basic principles for positioning patients
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12. 19:3 Screening for Vision Problems
Vision screening tests
Visual Acuity is the ability to perceive and comprehend the sense of sight.
Types of Snellen charts (E, Shapes, Letters
Interpretation of readings on Snellen chart
20/20 means at 20 feet you can see characters that are 20 mm high
Snellen chart tests only for defects in distant vision – hyperopia
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13. Screening for Vision Problems (continued)
Terms or abbreviations OD, OS, OU
Basic principles for screening vision with Snellen chart
Near sightedness testing uses the Jaeger system where patient uses a printed card inches from the face
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14. Jaeger Eye Chart Example
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EYE terms
Myopia- nearsightedness, defect in distant vision
Hyperopia- farsightedness, defect in close vision
Presbyopia- Occurs with age, lens does not accommodate to near and far, loses close vision, far not generally affected
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Color Blindness
There are three main kinds of color blindness, based on photopigment defects in the three different kinds of cones that respond to blue, green, and red light. Red-green color blindness is the most common, followed by blue-yellow color blindness. A complete absence of color vision —total color blindness – is rare.
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18. Test for color blindness- Ishihara Color plates
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19. 19:4 Assisting with Physical Examinations
Large variety of physical examinations are performed
Major types of examinations
EENT
GYN- Papanicolaou (Pap smear)
General or complete physical: Xray, ECG, HT/Wt
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Assisting with PE
Techniques used during the examination
Auscultation and percussion
Palpation
Equipment used for examination (p 707)
Cervical spatula laryngeal mirror
Opthalmascope otoscope
Reflex or percussion hammer
Sigmoidoscope speculum
Sphygmomanometer stethoscope
Tongue depressor tuning fork
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22. Preparation of the Patient
Ht/Wt
Vital signs
Vision
Audiometric screening
Blood tests
ECG
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23. Assisting with Physical Exams (continued)
Be prepared to assist as needed
Handing instruments to doctor
Positioning patient
Observe standard precautions
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24. 19:5 Assisting with Minor Surgery and Suture Removal
Done in medical, surgical, and other health care facilities
Various types of procedures done, for ex.
Removing warts, cysts, tumors, growths
Biopsies, suturing wounds, incising and draining
Instruments and equipment
Strict sterile technique used to prepare surgery tray
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Instruments
Scalpel
Surgical scissors
Hemostats
Tissue forceps
Splinter forceps
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Instruments cont…
Towel Clamp
Retractors
Suture removal scissors
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27. Assisting with Minor Surgery and Suture Removal (continued)
Will be expected to assist as needed
Sterile dressings available to use
Suture removal:
Keep in mind infection is always possible
Patients are often fearful and apprehensive
Specimens
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28. Assisting with Minor Surgery and Suture Removal (continued)
Observe standard precautions
Basic principles of assisting with minor surgery and suture removal
Skin Prep prior to surgery:
Shaving
Cleansing area with antiseptic soap
(suturing video)
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29. 19:6 Recording and Mounting an Electrocardiogram
Electrical conduction pattern in the heart
Waves and what they show
Twelve-lead ECG
Electrodes
Lead markings
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30. Recording and Mounting an Electrocardiogram (continued)
Basic parts of ECG machine
PQRST pattern
Reassure patient
Mounting ECG
Basic principles for recording and mounting
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31. 19:7 Using the Physicians’ Desk Reference (PDR)
Provides essential information about drugs and medications currently in use
Need to know how to use PDR
Published yearly with periodic supplements
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32. Using the Physicians’ Desk Reference PDR (continued)
Physicians’ Desk Reference for Nonprescription Drugs
Sections of the PDR
Utilization of PDR
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33. 19:8 Working with Math and Medications
Medication: a drug used to treat or prevent a disease or condition
Extreme care is required while handling any medication
Only authorized persons can administer medications
Check legal requirements in your state
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34. Working with Math and Medications (continued)
Forms of medications
Routes of administration
Safety rules to observe when working with medications
Report all mistakes immediately
Concentrate while handling any medication and avoid distractions
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35. Working with Math and Medications (continued)
Six rights to observe when giving medications
Right medication
Right dose or amount
Right patient
Right time
Right method or route of administration
Right documentation
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Roman Numerals
Used for some drugs and solutions, and used at times while ordering supplies
Key symbols: I, V, X, L, C, D, M
Any number can be formed
Rules of using Roman numerals
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37. Converting Metric Measurements
Metric system used in many health care fields
Basic units: gram, liter, meter
Based on unit of tens
Rules of converting metric measurements
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38. Household or English System of Measurement
Common system used in the United States
Many different units of measurement
Conversion of household to metric
Conversion of metric to household
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