You Will Learn How To

• Asepsis in the Medical Office
• Measure Vital Signs
• Assist at Examination and Treatment
• Administer Common Clinical Testing
• Define regulations related to the administration of medication
• Describe procedures regarding patient medication, drug classification, dosage and common methods of administration

Topics Covered

Asepsis in the Medical Office

• a) Common pathogens
• b) The chain of infection
  • Causative agents
  • Pathogenic reservoirs
  • Transmission of infection
  • Entry ports
• c) Medical/surgical asepsis
• d) Infection control methods
  • Handwashing and gloving
  • Sanitization
  • Chemical disinfection
  • Autoclaving
  • The sterile pack
  • Contaminated material procedures
  • Good housekeeping
  • Universal precautions
  • Isolation systems

Measuring Vital Signs

• a) Height/weight measurements
• b) Temperature
  • Factors affecting temperature
  • Temperature measurement sites, including oral, rectal, axillary and tympanic
  • Care and use of common clinical thermometers
  • Normal temperature values
  • Hypothermia, fever and hyperthermia
  • Recording and reporting temperature
• c) Pulse
  • Factors affecting pulse rate and character
  • Pulse sites: radial, apical, others
  • Normal pulse values according to age
  • Recording and reporting pulse readings

• d) Blood Pressure
  • Systolic and diastolic blood pressure
  • Using blood pressure equipment
  • Recording and reporting blood pressures
• e) Respiration
  • Counting
  • Respiratory patterns
  • Normal respiratory rates and patterns
  • Recording and reporting respiratory rates and patterns
  • Common disruptions

Assisting at Examination and Treatment

• a) Preparing / updating the patient chart
• b) Preparing the room and patient
• c) Instruments for routine procedures
• d) Minor surgery tray
• e) The sterile field
• f) Assisting the physician
• g) Post-procedural patient assistance and cleanup
• h) Dressings and bandages

Common Clinical Testing

• a) Visual acuity
  • Near vision acuity chart
  • Snellen eye chart
• b) Principles of audiometry
• c) Sonogram principles
• d) Radiographic principles
  • Functions
  • Safety
  • Patient preparation
  • Care and handling of radiographs

Orientation to Medication

• a) Basics of pharmacology
  • Legal requirements
  • Terms and abbreviations
  • Prescriptions
  • labeling
• b) The apothecary system
• c) Calculating dosage
• d) Drug classification and types
• e) Understanding methods of administration
  • Oral medications
  • Mucous membrane medications
  • Topical medications
  • Prenatal medications
• f) The 6 rights of drug administration
  • Right Patient
  • Right Drug
  • Right Dose
  • Right Route
  • Right Time
  • Right Documentation