Medical Procedures Study Guide for the Medical Assistant test

Safety

All medical facilities strive to protect the safety of the patients and everyone who works there. Consciously following certain safety procedures can help protect all those who are involved in a medical setting.

Safety Equipment

Know proper handling of safety equipment, including gait belts, walkers, hospital beds, and lock wheels.

Correct Body Mechanics

The use of proper body mechanics is essential to preventing injury. Review correct body mechanics for transferring patients and lifting.

Safety Mechanisms for Sharps

Sharps are required to have certain safety mechanisms. These may include mechanisms to cover a needle after the device is used. Review appropriate methods for sharp safety and disposal.

Environmental Precautions

Environment precautions include monitoring patients for falls, monitoring for faulty equipment, and isolation precautions. Review environmental safety precautions.

Emergencies

Know how to respond appropriately in emergency situations. Assess patients for instability. Know who to call for assistance in emergencies.

Assessment and Screening

Review signs and symptoms of emergency situations (seizure, diabetic shock, stroke, heart attack, and others). Know the symptoms that are more common in specific age groups and be familiar with treatment and triage algorithms and flowcharts.

Identifying and Responding to Emergencies

These are types of emergencies that could easily occur in a medical office. You should be aware of the signs and symptoms of all of them, as well as the appropriate procedure for a medical assistant to use in each case.

• bleeding/pressure points

• burns

• cardiac and respiratory arrest (CPR and BLS)

• foreign body obstruction

• choking (Heimlich maneuver)

• diabetic ketoacidosis

• insulin shock

• bone fractures

• poisoning

• seizures

• shock

• cerebral vascular accident (CVA)

• syncope

• vertigo

• wounds

• cold exposure

• heat exposure

• joint dislocations/sprains/strains (RICE protocol)

• asthmatic attack

• hyperventilation

• animal bite

• insect bite

• concussion

Office Emergency Readiness

Medical offices have specific protocols for emergencies. Crash carts and emergency access to medications should be available.

Equipment

Equipment such as crash carts, defibrillators, and medications are available in office settings. Review the supplies stocked in a crash cart. Be familiar with use of a defibrillator (AED).

Plan

Review the correct process for CPR and the Heimlich maneuver. Know how to operate an automated external defibrillator (AED). Most facilities will have an evacuation plan or emergency plan posted.