Month: March 2017

EKG technicians play a vital role in providing quality healthcare for vulnerable patients. By administrating and interpreting EKG tests they ensure that patients receive the proper care they need for heart problems. Below you can learn how you can become an EKG technician in as little as six months.

Day-to-Day Duties of an EKG Technician
EKG technicians have a varied work day. Their primary duty is to perform diagnostic electrocardiograms. This involves positioning and applying electrodes to the correct position on the body. EKG technicians are also required to interact with patients which involves reviewing their records and instructing the patient prior to the procedure beginning. During the procedure the EKG technician must monitor the patient and be alert to any findings that are abnormal. The EKG technician will ensure that the electrocardiogram has been administered correctly and then deliver the results to the physician for analysis.

Training to Become an EKG Technician
Becoming an EKG technician begins with obtaining a high school diploma. At high school it is best to focus on subjects that will provide a good grounding for your EKG technician studies. This includes mathematics, biology, English and computer skills. Taking emergency medical training or first aid courses can also provide useful background knowledge.

People skills are also important as an EKG technician. Being an EKG technician goes beyond being able to implement and interpret and EKG test. You must be able to deal with patients in a calm and personable manner while instilling trust.

Before deciding to undertake a career as an EKG technician you want to be sure that this is the right choice for you. If possible visit your local hospital and ask if an EKG technician would be willing to discuss their job with you. An EKG technician will be able to talk you through their day to day responsibilities and explain the benefits and disadvantages of their profession.

Six-Month EKG Technician Diploma Programs
An EKG technician diploma will allow you to qualify as an EKG technician in as little as six months. This certificate is sufficient for you to start your career as an EKG technician.

Some EKG technician certification programs will require you to attend class in person for your entire studies. Others offer a hybrid program which allow you to pursue part of your studies online and some in person. This provides a flexible study approach which suits people who may have work or home life commitments which make full time in person study difficult.
Given the short time frame to earn your EKG technician certificate you should expect a relatively heavy work load. The EKG technician certification is primarily composed of two different parts. These are class study and a practical work.

Course work for your EKG technician certificate will include course on how to perform and interpret an EKG, how to read Electronic Health Records (EHR) and cardiovascular anatomy study.

The practical component of the course will be where you put the material that you have already learned to practice. Here you will work with medical staff in a clinical setting helping real patients. This will give you the practical skills of an EKG technician that you will require in order to do your job.

With an aging population and increasingly sophisticated medical technology the demand for EKG technicians will only increase in the future. Thanks to the introduction of the six month EKG technician certificate joining this interesting and fulfilling career is a faster process than ever before. If you are looking for a varied, exciting job where you can make a real difference to people’s lives, then a career as an EKG technician may be right for you.

Connect with Your Kids – Study Together as You Earn Your Online Degree.  The Family That Studies Together Stays Together

Getting an online education can help better your life and open new doors, but it can also be stressful to balance school with your other responsibilities. If you have children, it’s important to look after their success without detracting you from getting your medical assistant or nursing degree online. If your kids are in school, too, it’s easy to blend your schedules so that you all have time to study, succeed in school, and bond as a family.

1. Decide on an official daily homework and study time.
Since you all have studying to do, it’s best to do that studying all at the same time so that you can have more time to play together later. Sit down with your children and discuss what time works best for everyone. Whether it’s right after school, before bedtime, or first thing in the morning, commit to spend that time studying with your kids.

2. Set up a study space in your home.
Whether it’s in your office, kitchen, or a child’s bedroom, find a space big enough for everyone to study. That way, you will be right there when your kids need help with their homework, and it won’t distract too much from your own studies. Set up the space with all the necessary tools and supplies, including extra pencils and paper, so you won’t have to get up in the middle of studying to find what you need.

3. Implement incentives for the children and yourself.
Kids often need a little extra motivation to keep them focused on the task at hand. At the beginning of each study session, tell your kids about a reward they will get when their homework is finished. It could be a special snack, a visit from a friend, half an hour of TV time, or whatever else you decide. Make sure to reward yourself, too to keep yourself on track.

4. Establish appropriate study time activities.
Chances are, your children will have less homework and studying to do than you will. If this is the case, establish with your kids what kinds of activities they can engage in when their homework is finished. These activities should be quiet, like reading a book or drawing a picture, so that they do not distract you from your studies.

5. Encourage siblings to help each other.
If you have more than one child, encourage the older siblings to help the younger children. If they can’t come to a solution on their own, then they can ask you for help. This helps establish sibling bonding, and it also offers fewer distractions to you as you study.

Getting your nursing or medical assistant degree online and taking care of your family are two big responsibilities that can seem overwhelming at times, but proper time management can keep you from getting stressed out. By studying together as a family, you can be more involved in your children’s lives, and they will be more interested and involved in your studies, too. By working together towards a common goal, you can all grow closer as a family and excel in your various education pursuits.

 

Online Learning: No Longer Solitary Endeavor for Nursing Students

With the recent boom in online schooling options, you may be considering completing your degree using this method. This is an excellent choice, as it is now possible to earn your nursing degree online through our school, or even pursue training to become a medical assistant. Yet, you may worry that this route will be a lonely experience, as you won’t have the face-to-face interaction which is found in a traditional classroom. Fortunately, online learning doesn’t have to be a solitary endeavor, and in fact there are several techniques you can use to make your time a rewarding – and social – experience. To help you discover how you can go back to school online, yet forge valuable relationships with your professors and peers, let’s examine this topic in more depth below.

Online Discussion Groups
When pursuing your online health education, discussion groups are at the top of the list as an opportunity for interaction with others. Here you’ll have a chance to talk about topics which you are covering in your course material, and to hear the insights and opinions of your classmates. In fact, some students find that this online venue is superior to an in-person meeting, as you can focus on the topics that interest you while excluding the ones that do not. Further, this interaction is available around the clock, making it easier for you to engage in a conversation about your studies any time of the day or night. This benefit is not available in a traditional setting, as you have to attend a meeting or class at a specific time, which may or may not fit your busy schedule.

Chat Rooms
If you are craving more give and take, chat rooms are the perfect outlet for you to take advantage of. Here you can carry on a real-time conversation, making this a useful way to ask questions, collaborate on projects or even get to know your fellow students on a personal level. As you complete multiple classes with some of the same students, you will begin to build a base of friends which you’ll see again and again. Over time, you’ll have a list of people that you can chat with about your homework, current test or assignment and even discuss how your life in general is going as well.

Email
While email is not as instantaneous as a chat room environment, this is an excellent option to use when pursuing either our medical assistant degree online or nursing degree program. Why is this? When you want feedback and insight from your professors, email is a convenient solution, as you can ask questions or make comments to them directly. This will allow you to develop a relationship with your instructors, which will work to enrich your educational experience in a very meaningful way.

A school’s online health education doesn’t have to be a solitary endeavor, as there are many options for you to make friends and have social interaction. In fact, the online environment can lend itself to building relationships in an even greater way than the traditional classroom, as you will have access to other students 24/7.

Unique Work Settings Engage Medical Assistants

With the medical field projected to grow in the future, you may be considering a career as a medical assistant. This is an outstanding choice, as your job prospects are likely to be excellent, and you can complete your medical assistant degree online through our school. Yet, before going through the necessary training and testing, you may wonder about what your work setting is likely to be.  There are many unique work settings to engage new medical assistants.  To help you understand what types of environments medical assistants work in today, let’s cover private doctor’s practices, group practices, hospitals, research facilities and nursing homes in more detail below.  You can choose one which fits your needs and temperament well, ensuring that you find a new and rewarding career.

Private Practice
This is where many medical assistants find employment, working for a doctor who has their own private practice. In this setting you will be interacting with patients, meaning you should have a friendly and engaging disposition. Making patients feel at ease is an important part of the job, as you will have to conduct short interviews where you’ll glean and record their medical history and document their reason for visiting the doctor. You’ll be responsible for obtaining their height, weight, blood pressure and temperature as well.

Group Practice
Much like a private practice, here you will interact with patients directly, the only difference being that you will work for several doctors instead of one. Group practices typically share the same focus, whether that is a certain specialty or simply a complement of general practitioners. You’ll need to be able to multi-task and change gears quickly, as you’ll have many different bosses to answer to in this setting. Again, your duties will be similar to a private practice, as you’ll take vital signs and ask questions concerning a patient’s medical history, along with scheduling tests and even return appointments.

Hospitals
In terms of medical assisting, this is where the most action is, so it is a good fit if you are an energetic person who loves a fast-past environment. A hospital is likely to provide more variety in patient care, and to deliver challenges on a daily basis. Here you’ll be seeing a wide gambit of patients, and responsible for providing short term care. The specialty which you pick will determine what your specific duties are likely to be, depending upon what focus you choose. For example, you may work on the bariatric floor, caring for patients after surgery or preparing them to undergo a procedure. In contrast, if you are on a maternity ward, you’ll have a very different set of tasks to carry out. Here you’ll often be asked to fill out paperwork in regards to the patient, perhaps schedule procedures and field questions from patients about their prescribed medications.

Research Facilities
In contrast, research labs are much less hectic, having a much quieter atmosphere. If you are more introverted and detail-oriented, this is likely to be a better fit for your needs. Here you’ll be responsible for keeping track of laboratory specimens, filling out the appropriate forms and even getting them ready for the lab technicians to carry out testing.

Nursing Homes
Conducting short interviews with patients won’t be a normal part of your routine in a nursing home setting. Here most patients will be long-term in nature, meaning that you’ll be entrusted with watching over different needs. For example, wound dressing and bandaging could be among your duties, along with monitoring the vital signs of your patients. However, nurses typically are in charge of these, and you’ll often have more responsibility in the front office of the nursing home instead.

With good employment prospects and convenient online allied health education available from our school, the timing for becoming a medical assistant has never been better. As the above list demonstrates, you will have a variety of options to choose from when it comes to your work setting. You can choose one which fits your needs and temperament well, ensuring that you find a new and rewarding career. There are many unique work settings to engage new medical assistants.  So, why not pursue your medical assistant degree online through our school now, to start building a brighter future today?

Sell Yourself Properly During Healthcare Job Search

Positions in the health care industry continue to be in high demand, but employers still have a nice-sized pool of candidates to choose from, giving them the freedom to be picky. Knowing how to sell yourself during a healthcare job search is one way to ensure you get in a lot faster.

Many rightly consider searching for a job a full-time job in and of itself. In fact, it’s quite similar to having a position in sales. There are some principles salespeople hold strongly to in order to be successful that can also help guide those seeking a healthcare job to achieve their goals. Read on to learn what these principles are and how to leverage them to your advantage.

1. Know Your Product
In order for a salesperson to convince potential customers to buy, they must first have an in-depth knowledge of the product they’re promoting. It’s the only way they can convincingly explain the features and benefits of ownership.

When you’re seeking a position in healthcare, the product you must know is yourself. It’s not just about your skills and credentials, but the total package. Remember that there are many graduates of the same medical program you attend, equipping them with the same education and level of experience that you get.

Why should an employer choose you over them? What special things to do you have to offer? This is information that you would do well to be able to express clearly.

2. Know Your Customer
Businesses are ever looking for ways to gain more insight into who their potential customers are. It’s not rare for a company to spend a vast sum of money on market research. They make such large investments because they know that knowing their target market better can lead to more sales and customer loyalty.

Whenever seeking a position at any firm, research that company first. This is true whether you’re seeking to work at a fortune 500 company, or a small doctor’s office. Having insight gives you an edge because you can use the information to present yourself as a stronger candidate.

3. Be the Solution
Salespeople are known for their ability to convince potential customers to become buyers by presenting a product as the solution needed. These professionals know their customers want to walk away from the transaction better off than when they came. They know they won’t make sales if the product being promoted can’t be presented as the best solution.

Many medical facilities are flooded with business and they recruit only out of dire need. They need more than just a warm body to take up space and be on the payroll; they need workers that can ease some of the burden and resolve issues.

Knowing your customer well helps you to be a successful candidate. Fulfill the reason for the employer’s search; for instance, they may be seeking a tech-savvy allied health professional. Hiring the right candidate allows them to provide patients with better care while making their working environment a more pleasant place.

4. Be Likable
One of the biggest stereotypes of salespeople is that they have big, toothy smiles. They work hard to make their potential customers perceive them as friends. They know that being likable makes convincing someone to buy a much easier thing.

HR personnel have long confessed that the hiring decision often boils down to simply whether they like the candidate or not. It may seem like an injustice, but less qualified job seekers often get positions when competing against candidates with more impressive credentials simply because the hiring manager liked them better.

In the healthcare industry, it’s vital to fit in well with the team because it makes teamwork go smoother, which is important to providing the best patient care. Therefore, employers are justified for choosing one qualified candidate over another simply because of likability.

The source of your training is key to entering the job market prepared.
Learning how to successfully conduct a job search in the medical field can take just as much training as learning medical terminology, anatomy, phlebotomy, and so on. For this reason, be sure to choose a health program that gets you just as prepared for the job search as for the career itself.

Best Healthcare Jobs for Retirees

Baby boomers are the generation that really does believe age is nothing but a number. Thanks to active lifestyles and medical advances, baby boomers intend to continue to play and work longer than any previous generation. Nearly half of baby boomers say that they will continue to keep working until at least age 66, according to a recent Gallup poll. One in 10 baby boomers say they never intend to give up working.

Why Retirees Expect to Continue Working
Part of this is a desire to continue contribute, stay active and because they simply enjoy their jobs. However, another reason is financial. Because of the 2007 Global Financial Crisis (GFC), many baby boomers are facing retirement with far less saved than expected. To supplement their income many retirees are considering at least part-time work.

Job Opportunities in the Health Care Industry
For retirees looking for work, some of the best opportunities can be found in the health care industry. This is largely because of the same demographic trends which are seeing more people working in retirement… namely, the huge number of baby boomers entering their golden years. It is estimated that over the coming decades an incredible 10,000 people will cross the 65-year-old threshold every single day. This will create a huge demand for medical care services.

Advantages of Working in Health Care
The advantages of working in health care for retirees go beyond simply the fact that these jobs are in demand and tend to pay relatively well. There are also some other key reasons why retirees may want to consider taking a job in this industry. First, many of the educational requirements for health care jobs can now be meet through online training courses. This is very useful for people who are already engaged in full time work or who may feel uncomfortable in a class room setting with younger students. An online associate degree or diploma can be earned relatively quickly and from the comfort of one’s own home.

Second, retirees are closer in age to the patient that they will be working with. This makes it easier for them to relate to them and communicate effectively. Third, many healthcare jobs can be worked part-time which make them suitable for retirees who may not want a full-time job in an office. Finally, working in healthcare is an opportunity to do work that really helps people. This makes it perfect for retirees looking for meaningful work.

Types of Jobs in the Healthcare Industry
There are a wide range of job opportunities in the health care industry for retirees. In fact there are hundreds of different areas in which retirees can specialize. Included among these are massage therapists, school nurses, and medical coding specialists.

For retirees looking to continue work the home health care industry is one of the best places to look. The demand for health care workers of all types will rise in the coming years due to the aging population. There are also a huge number of different jobs, many with flexible working hours, which means that there is likely to be something appropriate for any retiree.

Earn Degree Online, Start Health Workforce Career

Because health care is one of the biggest industries in the United States, there are many career paths that you can choose in fields such as nursing, medical assisting, healthcare management and massage therapy. You can become a dental technician, a nurse assistant, health unit coordinator (UHC), patient care technician, EKG technician or even a pharmacy technician. Depending on what your interests are, you might be more inclined for one profession than the other.

How Much Can I Earn with A Health Education?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ estimate from 2009 indicated that an American household was spending around $3,000 per year for health care services. Since then, healthcare costs have risen. The average annual salary for allied health care workers is situated between $40,000 and $50,000. Of course, some jobs will bring even higher income, but it depends on your degree, what part of the medical field you’ll be working in, how many hours you will be working and so on.

Earn a Degree Online
If you want to start a career in the health field, you don’t need to put your life on hold. For a majority of people, it’s hard to handle multiple responsibilities at a time. So if you want to continue working and not spend less time with your family or neglect your friends, distance learning is a great option. Depending on the type of online health program you choose, you can be done with school and hold a degree or diploma in less than a year.

Benefits of Distance Learning
There are many benefits that come with online health education. Study time is extremely flexible because all of your courses are online. You could study during your lunch break or late at night after you’ve tucked in your children. Also, if your job requires you to travel from time to time, you don’t have to worry about your study. All you need is a computer and a decent internet connection. Think about all of the time and money that you will save by eliminating commuting from the equation.

Most people who look into online health education worry about not being able to interact with other students or with instructors. But online schools have platforms that allow you to be part of a community and talk to others whenever necessary. These online schools also offer a variety of programs at the end of which you get a degree or a diploma, so take a look and see what is best for you. Becoming a part of the healthcare industry has never been easier.

Medical Assistant Career Profile

Would you like to help others and assist physicians in providing care for their patients? Certified medical assistants perform a diverse range of administrative and clinical tasks in the offices of physicians and other medical practitioners. It’s a quickly growing field, and job outlook is pretty positive. Online schools offer preparation for a medical assistant career through certificate and associate degree programs.

Medical Assistant Job Duties and Tasks
Medical assistants may be responsible for either administrative or clinical tasks, or a combination of both. Whether a certified medical assistant performs only clinical duties, only administrative duties or a combination of the two depends upon the size and location of the practice and the practitioner’s specialty. In small medical offices, medical assistants typically undertake many different duties, tackling both clinical and administrative duties and reporting directly to the physician. However, in large practices, certified medical assistants usually specialize in a particular area, working under the direction and supervision of a department administrator.

Administrative duties can include: scheduling appointments, greeting patients, answering telephones, updating medical records, filling insurance paperwork, arranging outside services, keeping financial records, keeping inventory and ordering supplies and equipment.

Some of the clinical tasks that medical assistants may be required to perform include: interviewing patients to obtain medical information, recording vital signs and statistics, recording patients medical history, explaining treatment procedures, diets, medications and doctor’s instruction to patients, collecting and preparing laboratory specimens, preparing and administering medications as directed by a doctor, preparing treatment rooms by keeping them neat and clean, providing prescription information to pharmacies and authorizing drug refills, assisting physicians with examinations, setting up lab equipment, performing routine lab tests, giving physiotherapy treatments, changing dressings on wounds, operating x-ray, electrocardiogram and other medical equipment to administer routine diagnostic tests, cleaning and sterilizing instruments, and disposing of contaminated supplies.

Work Environments for Medical Assistants
Medical assistants may work in a variety of healthcare settings, including: private clinics, hospitals, outpatient care centers, nursing homes, and residential care facilities. The job typically involves interacting with many other people and handling several responsibilities at once. Medical assistants get the opportunity to develop lasting relationships and the satisfaction of helping people get better. Most of them work a standard 40-hour week, but there are others who work part-time, weekends or evenings.

Medical Assistant Job Outlook
With medical assistant job growth projected to 31% (which is faster than the average for all occupations), the job outlook for this career is excellent. The need to provide basic patient services to allow doctors to administer treatment as well as the addition of medical group practices are some of the reasons behind the projected increase in demand for medical assistants.

Career Paths for Medical Assistants
Becoming a medical assistant is the first step toward an entry-level position in the healthcare field. Certified medical assistants can move their career forward through additional training to qualify for advanced roles, such as office manager and clinical supervisor positions. They may also qualify for positions in other healthcare fields, such as health services management, public health, social work, clinical laboratory testing, nursing, and medical assistant education.