Medical Office Practices
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
    Unit 1. 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
    		•

    Unit 2. 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
    		•

    Unit 3. 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

    Unit 4. 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
    		•

    Unit 5. 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
    		•