 Show Ethics plays a role in the decisions and actions of medical assistants while caring for patients. Patients have certain rights that a medical assistant must adhere to. These patient rights include the right to life, right to privacy, right to autonomy, and right to the means to sustain life. The medical assistant also has duties to uphold while administering patient care. These ethical duties include do no harm, do the best possible, be faithful to reasonable expectations, be a patient advocate, tell the truth, and give each person a fair share. The medical assistant will need to adhere to professional ethics and know that professional ethics supersede personal ethics and morals. However, some conflicts may arise between a medical assistant’s religious or personal beliefs and what science deems is needed. Through a medical assistant’s career, their ethical and moral decisions will evolve, but should not supersede patient’s basic rights. Patient RightsA right is a claim that is expected to be honored. In respect to medical assistants, a patient has the right to life, right to privacy, right to autonomy and the right to the means to sustain life. These rights should be in the forefront of all actions and decisions made by the medical assistant. Right to Life - For medical assistants, they may not harm patients as this may threaten their lives. However, we must consider that advances in medical care have helped keep people alive who could not recover their health. This sustaining of life can come at the cost of prolonged suffering. Each medical professional has their version of ethics when it comes to a patient’s right to life however a medical assistant can leave this ethical dilemma up to the patient to decide about their own body and their reproductive decisions. Right to Privacy - The fourth amendment of the Bill of Rights assures the patients right to privacy from search and seizure without a warrant. HIPPA also offers patients the right to privacy and was established to offer patients’ personal protection of health information. All information held in any form, including digital, paper or oral must be kept private for patient confidentiality. This information includes:
Right to Autonomy - The patient has the right to make independent decisions about their health care based on their values and concerns, without constraint or coercion by others. Informed consent is needed by a patient or their family based on the understanding of a medical procedure and the possible outcomes. However, the patient must have the mental capacity to reason and consider alternatives. Right to the Means to Sustain Life - At a minimum, every person should have access to goods and services that are necessary to sustain life and preserve human dignity. Medical Assistant DutiesA duty is a commitment to act in a certain way based on moral principles or a professional code of conduct. With regard to the medical assistant, their duties include doing no harm, doing the best possible, being faithful to reasonable expectations, being a patient advocate, telling the truth, and giving each person a fair share. Do No Harm - This is found in the Hippocratic Oath, and is taken to mean that medical benefits should outweigh adverse effects. Do the Best Possible – the concept of beneficence or doing the best possible for the patient. Be Faithful to Reasonable Expectations – Patients can reasonably expect to be treated with dignity, treated by medical professionals who honor their agreements and treated by competent providers. Be a Patient Advocate – an advocate is someone who intercedes on behalf of another. A medical assistant should suggest appropriate referrals to the physician. They should make sure that all insurance forms are complete and follow up if additional insurance information is needed. Tell the Truth – medical assistants and other medical professionals should proactively provide truthful information. Give Each Person a Fair Share – The medical assistant should offer medical supplies and education to all. However, when considering an emergency room, serious conditions take precedence. Professional EthicsWhile medical assistants are working, professional ethics should supersede personal ethics and morals. The process of making ethical decisions can be broken into steps. Step 1: Gathering Information – the medical assistant needs to gather information about the situation’s background, the facts related to the problem, who is involved and the laws or policies that relate to the situation. Step 2: Identify Conflicting Values – conflicts may involve high values, or the conflict may be that a person wants to save time or avoid a hassle. The medical assistant should not just go with the flow, not following established procedures because they don’t want to step on any toes. The reasonable expectations of the patient should be first and foremost in the medical assistant’s actions. Step 3: Determining Relative Importance of Conflicting Claims – the medical assistant will need to get clarification of the goals and weigh the conflicting values. Step 4: Exploring Alternatives – if the medical assistant has established that the values are more important, they should consider the possible outcomes. The medical assistant should identify as many alternatives as possible, predict the consequences of each action and project whether the goals will be met. Step 5: Choosing and Justifying One Alternative – the medical assistant can analyze different hypothetical situations and come to a personal framework for ethical decisions, so they are not left to analyze each situation individually. There are a few ways to justify a decision by:
Step 6: Implementing the Decision – the final step is to put the ethical decision into practice. However, the medical assistants’ ethical framework can evolve over time based on real world situations. Ethical ConflictsMany medical assistants may have personal codes of conduct or religious beliefs that contradict the ethics and morals set forth by traditional medical practices. Reproductive Issues – Religion and personal morals play a role in the ethical decisions about birth control and abortion. Stem Cell Research – in this research, cells are taken from fetal tissue and are able to mature into different types of tissue. Ethics is considered during stem cell research because live human embryos may parish during research activities. Genetic Engineering and Cloning – genetic engineering is the making, altering or repairing of genetic material whereas cloning is the reproduction of genetically identical cells. The ethics behind this practice include the argument that we may not know all the side effects of manipulating genetic material. Refusing or Withholding Treatment – The 1990 Patient Self-Determination Act puts forth that the duty of the hospital, nursing homes and HMOs need to inform patients of their right to request refusal of treatment. This act also gives a patient the ability to create an advanced directive of requested treatment if they are not able to make these decisions. Does this discussion about medical ethics interest you? Ready to start your new and exciting career as a medical assistant? The &Medical Assisting program at Daymar College is designed to prepare current and future employees for the fast-paced changes encountered in the health care industry, and to help develop training, skills and attitudes necessary to excel in medical assisting. This medical assisting program is appropriate for entry-level positions in doctor’s offices, hospitals, home health agencies, and other allied health organizations.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), medical assistants are the backbone of medical facilities since they perform administrative and clinical tasks required to take care of patients. Medical assistants play a vital role in the healthcare industry, providing services for both medical professionals and patients. They can assist with basic medical tasks such as taking vital signs, administering medications per a physician’s orders, or gathering medical history. They also help on the office side of medical clinics by scheduling appointments, billing insurance, and processing paperwork. Becoming a medical assistant can be a much quicker path than pursuing a medical degree or nursing degree. Generally, those pursuing a nursing degree need to complete at least four years of postsecondary school, while doctors complete 12 or more years to receive their medical degree. Medical assistants, however, only need to earn a high school diploma, and in some cases, they complete a medical assistant program to become certified medical assistants (CMAs). Much of the training to become a medical assistant can actually take place through on-the-job training. This is a rapidly growing career. The BLS (2021) reported that positions in this field would increase 19 percent between 2019 and 2029, adding 139,200 jobs nationwide. Wages for this field vary based on place of employment, years of experience, education completed, and certifications held. On average, the 710,200 medical assistants working in the US earn $36,930 per year (BLS May 2020). Overall, many find a career as a medical assistant to be extremely rewarding. For those considering pursuing a future in this field, it is important to fully understand all aspects of the medical assistant’s role. This guide provides a general overview of the medical assistant career, exploring the scope of work, specializations, common employers, work environment, and certification and licensure.
Medical assistants perform administrative and clinical tasks in various healthcare-related locations, providing professional assistance to healthcare personnel. Medical assistants may be responsible for various tasks based on location, employer, and a number of other factors. According to the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), some typical duties include taking patients’ vital signs, as well as recording patient health histories and any relevant personal information. Clinical medical assistants may also administer injections and prepare blood or other samples for testing, whereas administrative medical assistants will utilize patient information to create medical records. It is important to note that medical assistants should not be confused with physician assistants, who have a different role in the healthcare industry. Comparatively, physician assistants—unlike medical assistants—have the ability to diagnose and treat patients under the supervision of a physician. Medical assistants have a more limited scope of practice, focusing instead on more administrative and basic clinical tasks.
Medical assistants have the opportunity to select a specialty if they work in a larger medical facility or are employed by a specialty clinic. Specialization may allow for greater efficiency in the workplace as medical assistants focus their entire practice on one area. The following list outlines common areas of specialization for medical assistants: Clinical Medical AssistantsClinical medical assistants may perform basic tests in a laboratory, sterilize medical equipment, and even dispose of medical supplies that have been contaminated. In some cases, these individuals may have additional duties such as preparing patients for x-ray procedures, drawing blood, or even removing stitches when necessary. Administrative Medical AssistantsOn the other hand, administrative medical assistants manage the administrative tasks within a healthcare facility. This may include recording patient information, filling out insurance forms, scheduling patient appointments, and even answering phone calls to schedule patients or provide test results. Obstetric Medical AssistantsObstetric medical assistants work specifically in the office of an obstetrician. They work closely with obstetricians and other medical personnel within the department of obstetrics and gynecology, often helping with breast exams and minor obstetric surgery, and even caring for pregnant women who visit the office. Ophthalmologic Medical AssistantsOphthalmologic medical assistants help ophthalmologists—i.e., those whose practice focuses specifically on the treatment of their patient’s eyes. These medical assistants may administer eye medication or, on occasion, even help with minor eye surgery.
While the responsibilities of medical assistants may vary, the most general day-to-day tasks below are outlined according to the medical assistant’s specialty. Those working in a clinical setting may be required to:
By contrast, those who have an administrative focus can expect to:
Naturally, the day-to-day tasks of a medical assistant will vary depending on several other factors, including their place of employment. For example, an obstetric medical assistant may need to assist the obstetrician with caring for pregnant women or administering breast exams. In contrast, a chiropractic medical assistant may help the treating doctor with various chiropractic treatments. Because the responsibilities of a medical assistant differ by specialty, those pursuing a career in this field should ultimately be prepared to take on any tasks requested by the healthcare staff to whom they are providing assistance.
The pace of work for a medical assistant can vary widely. Some work environments can be extremely fast-paced, while others can be relatively moderate or even slow, depending on where the individual works. Clinical medical assistants in a public hospital may be on their feet throughout the shift, constantly performing tasks required by healthcare personnel. The stress of this type of work environment can be further compounded if the hospital is a central hub within the area and receives patients on a consistent basis. On the other hand, an administrative medical assistant in a small, private clinic may have a much less arduous routine. Medical assistants who work in emergency care facilities open 24/7 may be asked to work various full-time shifts, including nights, weekends, and holidays. However, those who work in smaller, specialty clinics may work a more traditional full-time shift (e.g., 8 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday). While others, especially those in a clinical setting, may instead work three 12-hour shifts each week, with the possibility for additional overtime.
Kimmy Gustafson is a freelance writer with a passion for sharing stories of bravery. Her love for world-traveling began when her family moved to Spain when she was six and since then, she has lived overseas extensively, visited six continents, and traveled to over 25 countries. She is fluent in Spanish and conversational in French. When not writing or parenting she can be found kiteboarding, hiking, or cooking. |
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