Are you thinking about pursuing a career as a medical assistant and not sure what medical assistant skills you need to be successful in this role? Medical assistants are vital to the success of various healthcare practices. They help physicians and other providers by performing administrative and clinical tasks in the office or clinic setting. Medical assistants skills may include being organized, detail-oriented, and knowledgeable in healthcare procedures, practices, and protocols. They are compassionate individuals who have a heart for helping. When becoming a medical assistant it is important to have characteristics that make you a good fit for the role. It is also important to train in a well-rounded program that can help set you up for success. Below we have outlined a checklist of 5 technical skills you’ll need to succeed as a medical assistant to give you a glimpse of what a program might offer you.
Learn how you could become a vital member of a healthcare team with medical assisting courses!
Taking and Recording Vital Signs
The first important skill in our medical assistant skills is taking patients’ vital signs. It is important for medical assistants to be able to take vital signs since these measurements are critical for the physician’s assessment of the patient. Some vitals that medical assistants should be able to measure include temperature, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure. Although technological advancements make taking vitals easier and quicker, it is still important to be able to manually check a patient’s blood pressure.
Drawing Blood
Another important skill that medical assistants should master as part of their medical assistant career training, is the ability to draw a patient’s blood. Drawing blood requires clinical knowledge, a steady hand, and a calming demeanor.
To draw blood, medical assistants will need to locate an appropriate vein on a patient. Once located, you need to access it with a needle and draw the blood into a vacutainer. This can be a difficult process in certain circumstances which is why mastery of this skill is important for an opportunity to have a successful career! Having practiced drawing blood in your medical assistant training classes gives you the opportunity to have hands-on experience before entering the workforce.
Performing EKGs
The ability to perform tests such as EKGs accurately is another critical skill to gain in medical assistant career training. EKGs (ECGs) or Electrocardiograms measure electrical activity in the heart which relays helpful information to the doctor. Being able to perform an EKG properly is an important skill that could help in a medical assistant’s career path. Accurate EKGs performed by medical assistants can lead to an accurate diagnosis for patients.
Providing Basic Wound Care
Medical assistants also contribute to patient care by providing patients with basic wound care. This may include removing sutures and applying simple dressings. Being able to provide basic wound care is another skill that could be necessary for medical assistants to master.
Removing sutures can be a tricky business. Sutures are sometimes embedded deep in the skin and might also be tied closely to the skin which requires maneuvering. In your medical assistant training classes, you could gain knowledge of sterile or sanitary procedures. These procedures are vital to dressing a wound and essential to prevent infection.
Scheduling Appointments
Being able to manage the front desk of a medical office or practice may also be a vital part of a Medical Assistant’s job! This administrative skill is essential in order to guarantee that a medical office runs smoothly and efficiently!
Medical Assistant training program at Dorsey College
It’s time to consider taking the first step to becoming a Medical Assistant! At Dorsey College, we offer Medical Assistant career training that is designed to help students learn the skills they might need for employment as a medical assistant. Graduates of the Dorsey Schools Medical Assistant program may go on to further advancement in the medical field, by becoming a certified Medical Assistant.
Best of all, the medical assistant training program at Dorsey College is designed to be completed in just one year. Enroll in the Medical Assistant career training program at Dorsey College today and get one step closer to possibly becoming a medical assistant!
