Informative Facts (Notes from Tuesday, January 28th)

Informative Facts: 

• A pathogen is a disease or infection. 
• Infectious diseases have a variety of ways of occurring. Extra Note: To learn more about infectious diseases (pathogens) and how they may spread, >>check this out.<< It is a site leading to that of South Australia's health topics but they can be good examples.
• Code blue is a code used in the hospital to call for the emergency team and the trauma/emergency physician. It is a top priority duty and any other assignments you were working with at the time must be properly and safely set aside before going to assist the doctor--remember to do so quickly. As an author on this site, what I mean by properly and safely is the following: Remember HIPAA? If you're working with a patient's information in any form, don't leave their information out in the open and let others see it. If you're in an office setting, within a vicinity that deals with code blue, make sure that anyone in the office with you is to step outside while you're gone. 
• Code red is a code that deals with a fire situation.
• There are a few differences between the psychologist and the psychiatrist. A vital difference is that a psychiatrist can prescribe medications to a patient whereas a psychologist cannot.
• OSHA: AKA Occupational Safety & Health Administration; They are the administration that protect medical assistants. Note: If you desire to learn more about OSHA, here's their >>site.<<
• STAT is a term that requires you to do something immediately.

Scope of Practice: 

• Remember to refer to the handout entitled "What Medical Assistants Can and Cannot Do" -- If you do not have it, do not worry, there were not enough copies. By Monday (February 3rd, 2014) there should be a tab that allows you to see pages to the document.
• S.O.A.P. is going to be appearing in our field quite often. This is the acronym for: Subjective Objective Assessment Plan. Medical Assistants are only responsible for the subjective and objective portions. Refer to the handout titled "Daily Progress Notes: SOAP Note Format" for all the information you should remember.
• Remember that when you refer to a well visit it is referring to your regular physical type of visit. When referring to an office visit the patient is coming in because they are sick.