H02 Medical Office Management 2
Directions:
Be sure to save an electronic copy of your answer before submitting it
to Ashworth College for grading. Unless otherwise stated, answer in
complete sentences, and be sure to use correct English, spelling and
grammar. Sources must be cited in APA format. Your response should be at
least two and one-half (2 ½) double-spaced pages; refer to the
“Assignment Format” page located on the Course Home page for specific
format requirements.
In Lessons 1 through 4, you
learned foundational information on the clinical competencies of
medical assistants. You learned about infection control and vital signs,
assisting the physician with physical examinations and various medical
specialties, laboratory tests, and specimen collection. For this written
assignment, the concepts learned from Lessons 1-4 will be applied.
Please review the learning objectives for Lessons 1-4 prior to beginning
work on this assignment.
Complete Parts A, B, and C for this assignment.
Part
A:Sheila Meyer, a medical assistant in Dr. Ryan’s large cardiovascular
practice, is taking the medical history of Edna Helm, an obese elderly
woman with congestive heart disease. Edna states, “I’m always short of
breath, and I perspire all the time. I guess I’m gaining weight, but the
funny thing is that only my legs seem heavier. My heart is pounding
when I lie down at night; it even seems to stop sometimes. I’ve even
started to wear red nail polish to hide the funny blue color of my
nails.
Edna gives you a copy of her medical history from an
out-of-state physician. The medical history indicates that she has had
the following conditions, tests, and procedures:
Conditions | Tests | Surgical Procedures |
Positive Babinski sign Allergic rhinitis Aortic insufficiency Ascites Gastritis Osteoarthritis | Holter monitor testing Radioimmunoassay test Protein bound iodine test Glucose tolerance test | Basal cell carcinoma removed in 1992 Sebaceous cyst removed in 1982 Meniscectomy in 1978 Rhytidectomy in 1970 |
Using
correct medical terms, chart Edna’s presenting symptoms. Define each of
the procedures and conditions listed on her medical record. Your
response should be one (1) page in length.
Part B:Victor Krenz is
assisting Dr. Connors with the fifth cataract surgery for the day. The
patient is Kathy Wall, a diabetic patient, whose condition has been
stable enough for her to undergo a surgical procedure. Victor has
performed a six-minute surgical scrub on his hands before each of the
five procedures. Dr. Connors indicates that he is in a hurry to get back
to his office for a heavy afternoon schedule of patients. After both
Dr. Connors and Victor are scrubbed, gowned, and ready to begin the
operation, Victor feels a slight prick on the tip of his gloved finger
as he moves the sterile syringe and needle on the tray. Dr. Connors, who
does not notice the accidental needlestick to Victor’s glove, states
again that he is in a hurry to finish this procedure. Victor knows that
it will delay the surgery if he has to change gloves. He also knows that
his hands have had a surgical scrub five times that morning and that
they are clean.
Provide detailed answers for each of the following questions. Your response should be one-half (1/2) page in length.
- Can Victor justify not changing into new gloves?
- What could happen to Ms. Wall as a result of Victor’s needlestick?
- How should Victor handle this situation?
Part
C:José Menendez is an elderly patient of Dr. Juárez, a board-certified
urologist. José has a history of recurrent UTIs dating back more than 10
years. When he becomes symptomatic, he has been instructed to call Dr.
Juárez’s office and schedule a urinalysis. Dr. Juárez’s receptionist has
just received a call from Mr. Menendez. He says he knows he is supposed
to come in for a urine test but that he just wants a prescription
phoned in to his pharmacy instead. The receptionist asks Emilia, Dr.
Juárez’s medical assistant, to take the call from Mr. Menendez.
Emilia
listens as Mr. Menendez recounts that he is experiencing
dysuria—painful, burning urination. She asks him to come in for a
urinalysis, explaining that, as per standing orders, a clean-catch
midstream specimen needs to be collected. Mr. Menendez repeats to Emilia
that he does not want to come in to the office. “Why can’t you call in a
prescription for Bactrim? That is what I took last time, and it
helped.”
Provide detailed answers for each of the following questions. Your response should be one (1) page in length.
- What is your response?
- Should
the responsibility for this call have fallen on Emilia, or should the
receptionist have either handled the call herself or passed it on to Dr.
Juárez? - What, if anything, could or should Emilia say to Mr. Menendez to persuade him to come in for the urinalysis?
- Might
the cost of the procedure be a factor in the reason why Mr. Menendez
does not want to have a urinalysis, and, if so, what, if anything, can
Emilia do or say about the cost? - Is it appropriate in this case, given the patient’s extensive history, to indeed call in a prescription for Bactrim?
- If not, how should Emilia handle Mr. Menendez’s request for his prescription?
- If so, what procedure should Emilia follow to arrange for a prescription?
- How should this telephone call be charted?
- What, if anything, should Dr. Juárez be told about the conversation with Mr. Menendez?
Grading Rubric
Please refer to the rubric on the next page for the grading criteria for this assignment.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
This assignment requires applying the clinical competencies of medical assistants learned in Lessons 1 through 4. Part A involves charting the presenting symptoms of a patient and defining the conditions and procedures mentioned in her medical history. Part B requires providing detailed answers to questions involving a case of accidental needlestick during surgery. Part C deals with handling a patient’s request for medication over the phone.
Answer to Part A:
Edna Helm’s presenting symptoms can be charted as follows:
– Dyspnea (shortness of breath)
– Diaphoresis (profuse sweating)
– Unintentional weight gain
– Pitting edema in lower extremities
– Palpitations and irregular heartbeat
– Cyanosis in nails
The conditions and procedures mentioned in her medical history are:
– Positive Babinski sign: a neurological sign indicating damage to the upper motor neuron
– Allergic rhinitis: inflammation of the nasal cavity due to an allergic reaction
– Aortic insufficiency: leakage from the aortic valve in the heart leading to reduced blood flow to the body
– Ascites: accumulation of fluid in the abdomen
– Gastritis: inflammation of the stomach lining
– Osteoarthritis: degenerative joint disease leading to stiffness and pain in joints
– Holter monitor testing: a diagnostic test to evaluate heart activity over a period of time using a portable device
– Radioimmunoassay test: a diagnostic test to measure the presence or quantity of a substance in blood or urine
– Protein bound iodine test: a diagnostic test to measure the level of thyroid hormones in blood
– Glucose tolerance test: a diagnostic test to evaluate how well the body metabolizes glucose
– Basal cell carcinoma removed in 1992: a type of skin cancer
– Sebaceous cyst removed in 1982: a benign growth in the skin
– Meniscectomy in 1978: surgical removal of the meniscus in the knee joint
– Rhytidectomy in 1970: a cosmetic surgical procedure to remove wrinkles
Answer to Part B:
Victor cannot justify not changing into new gloves because the risk of microbial contamination cannot be ruled out even after a surgical scrub. The needlestick could transmit infections such as HIV, hepatitis B or C to the patient. Victor should inform Dr. Connors immediately and change his gloves. Dr. Connors should evaluate if a delay is necessary and whether the surgery can proceed safely with Victor using new gloves.
Answer to Part C:
Emilia should explain to Mr. Menendez that a urinalysis is important to determine the type of antibiotics that would be most effective for treating the infection and prevent antibiotic resistance. She should also explain that Dr. Juárez’s standing orders require a clean-catch midstream specimen which cannot be obtained over the phone. Emilia can inform Mr. Menendez about the costs involved and whether his insurance covers the procedure. She can also suggest alternative options to reduce the costs. Prescribing Bactrim over the phone is not appropriate in this case as Mr. Menendez’s symptoms need to be assessed first. Emilia should tell Dr. Juárez about the conversation with Mr. Menendez and document it in the patient’s chart.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, this assignment dealt with applying the clinical competencies of medical assistants to various scenarios. It required charting presenting symptoms, defining medical conditions and procedures, handling emergency situations during surgery, and managing patient requests for medication. These tasks require effective communication, good clinical judgment, and adherence to medical protocols.
