This module covers general information and skills that cut across many aspects of the daily task of a medical assistant. Topics covered include scope of practice, effective communication, conflict resolution, and infection control. Medical assistants are the front line of a medical office and represent the providers both as a clinical assistant and a personal face. Therefore, medical assistants should understand their role in the practice fully and have the necessary skills to manage patients.

• Faculty: Barbara Ayd
• ID: Pr-024888

Specific activities across a broad set of skills will test the knowledge of a medical assistant as they follow a visit of a 56-year-old male patient to an outpatient clinic due to a complaint of indigestion. The medical assistant welcomes the patient and proceeds through the rooming process with a focus on rating the patient’s pain and reviewing his medications. The medical assistant also collects appropriate vital signs including blood pressure and heart rate. After the provider’s assessment, the medical assistant carries out an order to obtain an electrocardiogram. At the end of the visit, an emergency situation occurs and the medical assistant rapidly jumps in to manage.

• Faculty: Barbara Ayd
• ID: Pr-024890

Specific activities across a broad set of skills will test the knowledge of a medical assistant as they follow a visit of a 32-year-old female patient to an outpatient clinic due to a complaint of a sore throat. The medical assistant welcomes the patient and proceeds through the rooming process with a focus on reviewing the patient’s allergies and measuring height and weight. The medical assistant also collects temperature to provide relevant information for the provider. After the provider’s assessment, the medical assistant carries out an order to collect a rapid strep test and throat culture.

• Faculty: Barbara Ayd
• ID: Pr-024892

Specific activities across a broad set of skills will test the knowledge of a medical assistant as they follow a visit of a 15-year-old young male patient to an outpatient clinic due to an asthma attack. The medical assistant welcomes the patient and proceeds through the rooming process with a focus on reviewing the patient’s medications and measuring height and weight. The medical assistant also collects appropriate vital signs including heart rate, respiratory rate, and a pulse oximeter reading. During the visit, the patient loses consciousness and the medical assistant jumps into action to provide emergency management.

• Faculty: Barbara Ayd
• ID: Pr-024893

Specific activities across a broad set of skills will test the knowledge of a medical assistant as they follow a visit of a 20-year-old male patient to an outpatient clinic for an athletic physical exam. The medical assistant runs through a few tests including visual acuity and urinalysis. The patient also receives an intradermal injection to test for tuberculosis.

• Faculty: Barbara Ayd
• ID: Pr-024894

Specific activities across a broad set of skills will test the knowledge of a medical assistant as they follow a visit of a 2-month-old female infant patient to a pediatric clinic for a wellness check-up. The medical assistant welcomes the mother and patient and proceeds through the rooming process with a focus on measuring length, weight, and head circumference and plots the measurements on a growth chart. The medical assistant also collects vital signs of heart rate, respiratory rate, and rectal temperature to provide relevant information for the provider. After the provider’s assessment, the medical assistant carries out orders to administer vaccines.

• Faculty: Barbara Ayd
• ID: Pr-024895