Posted by Guest Blogger on Thu, Mar 08, 2012 @ 12:05 PM
When’s the last time that you've taken a good look at the industry that you're in? If you happen to be in the healthcare industry, it’s a good idea to stay ahead of the pack by making sure that you keep up with the latest and greatest changes. For example, doctors attend school for a maximum of 20 years, yet they never stop taking classes and learning because things in their field continue to evolve on a daily basis. If you are working as a Pharmacy Technician, Cardiographic Technician, or even a Phlebotomist, you will need to take continuing education credits to become recertified. Why does this need to happen? Healthcare is an ever-changing field and new methods and ideas are constantly on the horizon.
Every year, healthcare professionals are required to take continuing education courses to keep their minds fresh with the latest technologies and procedures. Although there are many great industries from which you can choose, professions in the healthcare industry will always be in demand. As we see many industries around us fade away due to technology updates, the healthcare industry is here to stay for as long as mankind continues to evolve. We will always need someone to take care of the sick.
With that said, you never want to be caught off guard when it comes to your career, especially if you're just starting off. With the economy the way it is and so many people looking for employment, there’s always someone out there who thinks they’re better, and ready to step into your position, if given the opportunity. So, you always want to stay on top of your game. A lot of the times, taking classes can be done in the evening after you get off of work. This way, it does not interfere with your work schedule. There are also weekend classes that you can take. The main thing is that you stay up to date and current with what's going on in your industry, so that no one gets the opportunity to surpass you.
If you're in one of the professions that's constantly changing, your employer is aware of this, and will be ahead of you as it relates to ensuring that you receive the proper training. Many local community colleges offer healthcare refresher courses that count towards Continuing Education Credits. Some can be a full on course and some can also be one hour webinars and all you’ll need is the presenter’s signature. Take the proactive approach and research your local community colleges and see if there are any relevant courses that pertain to your specific field. MK Education partners with various colleges and offers many programs that qualify as CE credits.
Here's to your success in your future endeavors. Now, go and get your learning on!
Posted by Guest Blogger on Tue, Mar 06, 2012 @ 12:27 PM
Imagine walking into your office and there is no place to sit or stand. There is so much waste and junk cluttering the entire space that it makes it virtually impossible to function. Now imagine that instead of your office that is cluttered with waste, it is your body. People who cannot remove waste products in their blood are called dialysis patients. In the United States, there are over 200,000 people who use dialysis techniques on an ongoing basis (www.medicinenet.com). Hemodialysis Technicians (Patient Care Technicians) are the professionals who care for dialysis patients.
The dialysis process basically removes waste, excess water and other fluids from the kidney when it is suffering from renal failure. The technician also operates dialysis machines and equipment during dialysis treatments under the supervision of a nurse or other healthcare professional. Several other duties include recording patient information and measuring a patient's vital signs before, during and after dialysis under the supervision of a doctor or nurse.
As a Hemodialysis Technician, you have an opportunity to help make significant changes in your patients’ lives. You will be interacting with the same patients at least three times a week. Treatments usually last anywhere from 2 ½ to 4 ½ hours and during that time, Hemodialysis Technicians check the blood pressure frequently and keeps an eye on the dialysis machine to ensure that the proper amount of fluid is being removed from the patient’s body. Patients are able to do other work or even sleep throughout the entire treatment. Not only can you keep an eye on the machine, but you can also make the patient’s visit more enjoyable! This is an ever evolving career that continuously is growing due to the high volume of dialysis patients.
Certification and licensing is a requirement for hemodialysis technicians in all states and require that prospective state-certified technicians be first certified by the Board of Nephrology Examination for Nurses and Technicians (BONENT).
BONENT is a National exam accepted in every state however each state has its own requirements. Please look into your own state requirements for more specific information.
How do I get started?
Well for starters my personal recommendation is to look in to BONENT’s website and look under approved programs to find an approved program in your area. MK Education also offers an approved BONENT program which is currently not listed in their website but do partner with many colleges nationwide, you may also want to look at the listing of colleges there as well to see if there are any colleges they partner with near your area.
Posted by Miranda Redfield on Tue, Feb 28, 2012 @ 11:54 AM
Fido is man's best friend, but what happens when Fido gets sick? What happens when you see a stray dog hurt on the side of the street? As much as your heart desires, you cannot just pick up an injured animal off the street and begin caring for them. It becomes even harder when the animal that is sick, is your own. If you love to help animals, perhaps consider getting training as a Veterinary Assistant. Even though the puppy that you love to snuggle up with is cute and cuddly, you have to remember that they ARE animals and can become vicious in a heartbeat. It is best to leave it to a professional to care for your injured pet.
The number one concern for ALL Vet Assistants is safety and being careful not to get any infections or diseases animals could potentially have. There are various ways to avoid infection, but the best way is to GET TRAINED from a PROFESSIONAL!!! Most errors are preventable in a medical setting when the worker has been properly trained. Various community colleges across the United States can help with animal care training. MK Education partners with some of those colleges and has been developing and offering Veterinary Assistant training for over 5 years. 
Here are some of those tips you would learn in the classroom on avoiding infections on the Job!
1. Wear protective latex gloves.
2. Keep the animal’s head pointed away from your face.
3. If the animal is showing aggression put a muzzle on it to prevent it from biting you.
4. Keep all pets on a leash or caged when not giving them direct attention.
5. Make sure soap and water are on hand as washing the wound for 5 minutes directly after being bitten is the best option.
Below are some links that contain facts about Veterinary Assistants. Help the animal lover in you do more by finding out more information about becoming aVeterinary Assistant!
http://careerplanning.about.com/od/occupations/p/vet_assistant.htm
http://careerplanning.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=careerplanning&cdn=careers&tm=25&f=10&su=p284.13.342.ip_p554.21.342.ip_&tt=11&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.bls.gov/oco/ocos168.htm
Posted by Sangini Brahmbhatt on Thu, Feb 23, 2012 @ 10:51 AM
In 2009, President Barack Obama, planned to convert all medical records to be electronic by 2014. The recent growth of this profession has had individuals learning the intricacies of the duties of an Electronic Health Records Specialist. Having medical health records going digital, Electronic Health Record specialists are posed with the question, “Will the quality of electronic records be better than that of paper notes, or will there be a loss of medical diagnostic information?”
EHR specialists will need to take the time to be accurate when inputting the patient’s data to prevent medical diagnostic errors. Shifting records to electronic systems will aide in the efficiency and convenience of patients’ allowing for easy access to their medical records, test results, and personal information.
The back-end of building EHR systems is contingent on having designers build systems that can be streamlined in various formats. The flow of information from doctors to patients should be documented in ways to facilitate easy tracking for the future.
An EHR specialist will not just be inputting data from print to computer, but will also aide in follow-up duties for clinicians. Electronic documentation will also help patients monitor and educate themselves with their own symptoms. EHR specialists will also help in preventing potential diagnostic errors. The computerization of medical records will constantly be evolving with the technological trends.
If you are in the healthcare career field, the tools that you learn as an EHR specialist will add to your skillsets. If you are breaking into the healthcare career field, this growing profession holds great potential. Visit http://mkedu.org/electronichealthrecords.html for more information on the programs in your area.
For more information please take a look at the link below as it will give a thorough description of a being an Electronic Health Records Specialist:
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos103.htm
Posted by Guest Blogger on Wed, Feb 15, 2012 @ 09:35 AM
No matter which healthcare program or type of certification you wish to take, all healthcare professionals will be required to learn and understand HIPAA. So, what is HIPAA? HIPAA is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.
This privacy act is in place to keep patient’s health information confidential. This patient information is known as Protected Health Information (PHI). So whether you are a phlebotomist, pharmacy technician, or a medical coder and biller, you need to keep all patient information protected at all times. PHI is any information that can be used to identify a specific patient. Protected Health Information includes:
- Any information transmitted or maintained in electronic form or any other form
- Any information about a patients past, present, or future physical or mental health
- Any information about treatments the patient will undergo
- Any information about how the patient pays or will be paying for their medical care
So, what are the consequences that you can face is you break HIPPA regulations? You could be:
- Terminated by your employer
- Face civil ramifications: Health and Human Services can impose fines of $100 – $25,000 per violation
- Face criminal ramifications: Federal Department of Justice can impose a fine of $50,000 and up to one year in jail to anyone who discloses PHI
- In addition, any person who obtains PHI and attempts to sell it for personal gain or harm can face a fine up to $250,000 and up to 10 years in jail
As you can see, the consequence of breaking HIPAA regulations can be very severe. So, make sure you do not leave patient health information laying around for others to see. If you are speaking with a patient, make sure you use a lower tone and speak away from other customer or patients.
As a healthcare professional, what can you do to ensure HIPPA is not violated in your work place?
For more information about HIPAA check out: http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/
Posted by Kent Tse on Mon, Feb 13, 2012 @ 09:40 AM
As children, we are taught that "an apple a day will keep the Dentist away". So what do we do? We eat tons of apples so we don’t ever have to see the man in the white coat with drills! Then we grow up and realize that having a nice smile is one of the best things you could ever hope for. The Dental Assistant is the Dentist’s partner in crime during your check-ups. What exactly does a Dental Assistant do? How can YOU become certified? How can you turn your childhood fear into a prosperous career?
Dental Assistants are the happy faces that perform a variety of patient care, office and lab duties. Other duties include the sterilization and disinfecting of the instruments required to treat each patient as well as obtaining a patient’s dental records. They are the gatekeepers to your perfect smile because they have to first make you smile and feel comfortable with their extraordinary people skills. If you’re not relaxed, how can you lower your guard to get a proper cleaning? Being comfortable in the hands of your healthcare provider can be the difference between a successful visit and a terrible one.
Interested? Where can you get certified as a Dental Assistant? How can taking this first step propel you into an exciting and rewarding career? Many community colleges offer short term training courses that give you the necessary tools to be a viable candidate to work at a Dental office. Not only will this be a great career, but it can also be a great stepping stone for someone who is interested in taking it a step further and becoming a Dentist. MK Education partners with several colleges across the nation to help bring more smiles to everyone! If you are interested, take this opportunity to learn more about becoming a Dental Assistant. Do you think you have what it takes to become a Dental Assistant? Take a look at the websites provided below and find out! Take that first step towards success!
http://mkedu.org/dentalassistant.html - Dental Assistant Program overview
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos163.htm - Bureau of Labor Statistics (great overview)
http://www.dentalassistant.org/ - American Dental Assistant Association
http://www.ada.org/dat.aspx - Dental Admissions Test
Posted by Kent Tse on Thu, Feb 02, 2012 @ 03:24 PM
Choosing a career is one of the most important decisions you can make in life. Often times, we think about the fame and fortune that we can acquire in the future because that is what the media portrays. Those of us living in the real world understand the importance of choosing the right career path so that we can maintain the lifestyle that we are accustomed to. Taking that first step can be the difference to just finding a job and finding a career.
Healthcare is an industry that will always be in demand because people will always get sick and need medical attention. But how do you know which one is right for you? Do you have good hand to eye coordination? Do you want to help make a positive impact on someone’s life? If so, consider a career as a Pharmacy Technician.
A great way to help you decide if a career in Pharmacy is right for you is to take a Pharmacy Technician Training Course. You will be able to gain real world experience and get a glimpse of a day in the life of being a Pharmacy Technician or even a Pharmacist. There are a number of courses out there ranging from 12 week programs to almost 2 year programs. No matter what your plans are for the future (becoming a Pharmacist or Pharmacy Technician), I would still recommend the shorter courses. The Pharmacy Technician program at MK Education properly educates our students to be a top contender against those who come out of longer courses. Also, if you are considering becoming a Pharmacist, a Pharmacy Technician Program will give you a strong foundation for what you will be learning in Pharmacy school. 
The field of pharmacy is a stressful one, with the lives of people in your hands, but it is a very rewarding one. MK Education’s Pharmacy Tech program has been running for a long time with a high success rate. Becoming a certified Pharmacy Technician opens up many doors in the healthcare realm because you can take that certification and work anywhere from hospitals to law firms. Pharmacies are often the place people go when they want medical advice and Pharmacists are willing to give it! Take this opportunity to go a little deeper and find out more about the Pharmacy Technician program for yourself and see if it is the correct choice for you. Feel free to leave any questions in the comment section and we will gladly get back to you!
Some good sources of information can be found on the following websites:
www.mkedu.org
http://www.pharmacytechnician.org/en/cms/?443
https://www.ptcb.org//AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home1
http://www.nhanow.com/pharmacy-technician.aspx
Posted by Kent Tse on Wed, Jan 11, 2012 @ 04:42 PM
‘Tis the season to be a Cardiographic Technician! Wait, what? Old Man Winter brings joy to many with snowfalls and school cancellations. Whether you love to snowboard, ski, or just like to have a good old-fashioned snowball fight, there are still dangers that lurk amidst all that joy. There is a slight increase in the number of heart attacks that occur in the winter than in the summer.
According to an article on WebMD, a significant drop in temperature may trigger heart attacks in elderly people. There have been cases where elderly people have went out shoveling snow in their driveway and had a heart attack due to the cold temperatures causing arteries to tighten, restricting blood flow and reducing the oxygen supply to the heart, all of which can set the stage for a heart attack. Not only does the chance for a heart attack increase in the winter, but the symptoms between men and women differ as well. Women’s symptoms are not as predictable as with men. Here are some of the symptoms.
The women's major symptoms prior to their heart attack included:
Major symptoms during the heart attack include:
We know that in an economy like this, certain industries are suffering more than others. One industry that will never be nonexistent will be the healthcare field. After reading this article, there is clearly a demand for Cardiographic Technicians, and MK Education offers courses that prepare you for the Certified Cardiographic Technician exam. If you are reading this article, chances are that you know someone who had a heart attack, so take this opportunity to get trained as a Cardiographic Technician today!
Some more facts courtesy of the Women’s Heart foundation website
http://www.womensheart.org/content/heartattack/heart_attack_facts.asp
Posted by Kent Tse on Thu, Jan 05, 2012 @ 04:36 PM
How can you find the time to get
certified in the healthcare field and not have it disrupt your day-to-day activities? As a former high school athlete and work out junkie in college, juggling time for school and recreation has always been an issue. I remember an old military adage that I was always told when training, the 7 P’s: Proper pre game preparation prevents p*** poor performance. I always repeated this phase when I was ready to hit the gym or team practice. Remembering the 7 P’s will mentally prepared for any challenge thrown your way. This comes in handy when you are one of the many Americans who are juggling school, work, and family. Whether you are a travelling
Phlebotomist,
Medical and Coding Billing specialist, or
Pharmacy Technician, the tips suggested will aid in keeping you ahead of the rest and help you accomplish your professional goals.
Keep up with industry trends
- Stay up to date with competitors via social media and blogs
- Don’t use your own company as a guinea pig, check out other competitors via social media websites and blogs to see what business models have worked for them and what haven’t
Network more regularly
- We live in an age of technology, use it to its fullest potential
- Build relationships with teachers and fellow students
- Talk to your coworkers about your training
Go back to school and renew any certificates that may have expired
- What used to suffice 5 years ago don’t anymore
- Staying on top of your studies is key to an ever-changing market
- Information for healthcare classes can be found on mkedu.org
Practice good TIME MANAGEMENT
- Have a set schedule created and follow it
- Organize your tasks and prioritize
Surround yourself with positive people and be realistic
- Have the support from people who are closest to you
- When the sky is the limit, you still need to make sure that the goals you set out for yourself are tangible
- Know when to say no, do not stretch yourself out too thin
So the next time you feel overwhelmed with the stresses of school and work, just think about your old gym teacher kindly reminding you to stay ahead of the game. How will you incorporate these tips into your lifestyle? What do you struggle with the most when it comes to work and school?
Posted by Kellie Fry on Wed, Dec 21, 2011 @ 10:34 AM
You can recite every drug and its generic counterpart, you aced anatomy and physiology, but you still can’t seem to get the hang of your new healthcare career? When it comes to healthcare, great customer service skills are essential to your job. Whether you are a Pharmacy Technician or a Phlebotomist, you need to know how to make your patients or customers feel comfortable and secure.
Missed the customer service portion of your healthcare training course? Well, here are some tips to help you shine in your healthcare career!
Tip #1. Your patients may not seem excited to be in the hospital or pharmacy, but you should.
Ever hear the old adage, attitude is everything? When it comes to a career in health, this saying definitely holds true. Patients who just heard some bad news or aren’t feeling their best will appreciate a happy face, even if they don’t always show it. And remember, smiling is contagious. Not to mention, just the act of smiling and laughing makes YOU happier!
Tip #2. Keep your surroundings in mind.
Have you ever had to buy an embarrassing item at the grocery store and have your credit card declined or your check bounced? Those situations are uncomfortable enough without a sales person to broadcast it to the entire store. If you have to talk to a patient about something they may be self conscious about, make sure to do so quietly and privately.
Tip #3. Be sensitive to a patient’s weight.
No matter how big or small your patient is, they may very well be self-conscious about their weight. Ask patients to write down how much they weigh, rather than shout it out.
Tip #4. Greet every patient as soon as the walk in the door.
Doctor and Dental offices can seem intimidating to some people. Greeting patients, even when you are busy will not only make them feel important but will begin to put them at ease.
Tip# 5. Repeat or verify basic information whenever possible.
This doesn’t mean shout personal information across the room. But it is important to make sure every piece of information you have is accurate and spelled correctly. A misspelled name or address might not seem like a big deal to you, but small errors can leave patients nervous about what other mistakes are being made behind the scenes.
Good customer service is vital in ensuring your patients have the best experience possible. Do you have any great healthcare customer service tips? When have you WOWed one of you patients with excellent customer service?