In: Nursing
Explain who a medical assistant might adapt care to address the developmental stages of life
Any professional in a medical setting needs to be able to deal with people in a productive manner. Often, the clients you encounter will be under a great deal of stress regarding their health. Many people also have a high level of anxiety produced by just being in a doctor’s office or a clinic setting. Even medical professionals operate under a certain level of stress, induced just by the nature of the job, and this can affect the style of communication.
Age and developmental stages are assessed to determine if the client is at the expected level of growth and development, to plan care that is age and developmentally appropriate and to modify care as based on the age related characteristics and needs of our clients. These assessments include the physical, cognitive and psychosocial stages of growth and development.
Some skill are have to present as medical assistant to care and assist medical problem.
1. Communication Skills
You must be able to translate medical lingo into layman's terms for the patient. For example, if a doctor tells you to report the results of a specific test to a patient, you must be able to paraphrase the doctor's words using language that the patient will understand.
2. Outgoing
You need to be proactive when meeting new people, and you must be able to interact professionally with people throughout the day. For example, you may go into a patient's room to deliver medication. You will need to introduce yourself and see how that patient is doing. Next, you may need to take a phone call, then communicate with a new doctor in the hallway. This may be difficult for more withdrawn people.
3. Good Listener
Listening is essential in the medical field. Throughout the day, you will need to listen carefully to the needs and concerns of several patients. Nurses and doctors will give you detailed instructions to follow, and you will need to remember all of these things to ensure that no essential detail is forgotten.
4. Compassionate
When patients are experiencing pain, be there to comfort and support them. Even though you may have several patients suffering all at once, you need to go into each room with the attitude that your whole focus is on the patient in that room.
5. Nonjudgmental
You must never gossip nor hold negative feelings towards those who practice a different lifestyle than you do. For example, you have to be professional and caring whether you are treating a victim of drunk driving or the drunk driver himself. You are in this profession to heal, not to harm, and certainly not to judge.
6. Self-Controlled
Dealing with death and undesirable test results on a daily basis, a medical office can be an emotional place. Especially when patients blame you for their problems, it may be easy to get angry, upset, or frustrated. As a medical assistant, however, you have to have the self-control to maintain a professional composure no matter what you face.
7. Organized
Consider a day in which you will need to take care of multiple patients, fill out necessary paperwork, and communicate with several other people. All of these tasks need to be done at a certain time of the day, and no one can be forgotten. This is a typical day as a medical assistant. Multitasking and efficient organization are key.
8. Adaptable
You need to be able to bounce back and forth between patient interaction and administrative tasks. You also need to be able to treat all of your patients precisely how they will feel most comfortable. Thus, you must have an adaptable personality.
9. Problem Solver
You will face patient questions and insurance problems every day. When a supervisor cannot be found, you may have to address difficult issues on your own. Solving problems without making excuses is essential to your work.
10. Following Directions
There is no room for disobeying or forgetting the instructions of doctors and nurses. Everything that you do is under their authority. Even if a doctor prescribes a treatment with which you personally disagree, you must follow those instructions. As you can see, getting a medical assistant associate degree isn't everything. You also need to develop characteristics that will complement what you learn in school. If you don't have all of these traits yet, you can get there. You do have the power within you to make all of these traits your own and become a great medical assistant.
Part of understanding your patients and how you can serve them better is to get a clear picture of what the varying stages of development are for each individual. Taking a developmental psychology class that intensely focuses on how humans grow and change over the span of their life will open your eyes to a better level of treatment for each person you treat.
By studying the varying ways that human psychology applies to how people live and progress, registered nurses have the opportunity to become the very best in their field. You never know what age or stage your next patient will be, and you always want to be prepared with the very best level of care you can provide.
Medical assistants (MAs) are at the front line of patient care and play an integral role in achieving practice goals such as increased patient satisfaction, improved quality, and enhanced team-based care. You can enable MAs to contribute in a more meaningful way to the practice team through professional development training.
Some stages to adapt care to address developmental stages of life .
1. Be an early bird
Plan to arrive at work 10 to 15 minutes early every day. You will need this time to put your belongings away and get ready for your work day. This gives you time to review the list of patients who are scheduled and to check on the day’s supplies. It helps you avoid the feeling of having to “hit the ground running” the minute you step in the door. By arriving just a little early, you can start off your work day feeling calm and organized.
2. Stay positive
Work is called “work” for a reason — it’s hard work! Every day there may be tasks that you don’t enjoy, changes that you weren’t expecting, or problems that arise. But rather than griping or complaining, take a positive approach. Remember that handling problems is simply part of the job. Try to focus on the parts of the job that you do enjoy rather than the negative aspects. With a positive attitude, you will find that you inspire the others around you.
3. Carry your own weight
As a medical assistant, you will be part of a healthcare team in a medical office or a hospital setting. Others on your team might include nurses, office staff, physicians, and other medical assistants. They are all counting on you to do your job. If you shirk your responsibilities, someone else will have to pick up your slack. Make sure you take your responsibilities seriously and put forth your best effort to fulfill your duties. As a team member, you should also be proactive. If you see a need that isn’t being fulfilled, see where you can help. This kind of approach helps make you a valuable member of your team.
4. Be respectful to anyone and everyone
Medical offices and hospitals are busy places. In the course of serving patients throughout the day, healthcare professionals can get stressed and hurried. Despite this, try to stay polite and respectful to everyone throughout the day. Showing respect to others will result in receiving their respect in return. This includes everyone you work with, from the newest employees to the head honchos. And most of all, it includes patients—even those who may test your patience. Being a respectful person is a career skill that should stay with you for your entire career.
5. Keep up your education
In a field like medical assisting, you need to be sure that you keep up with your learning. New technologies and medications are being created, and you want to be sure to stay on the cutting edge. Be sure to attend continuing education classes.