How to Become a Travel Nurse in Florida

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Are you interested in traveling Florida as a traveling nurse? There are many opportunities for traveling nurses because of the demand for healthcare professionals. According to Avant Healthcare Professionals, there will be a deficit of 59,00 nurses by 2035. So, what exactly is a traveling nurse?

What is a Traveling Nurse?

A traveling nurse is employed in short-term roles by healthcare staffing agencies, according to EveryNurse. As a traveling nurse, you will work on a contract basis before transitioning to another medical facility in need. Assignments can vary from hospitals and clinics to assisted living facilities. The standard travel nurse assignment is 13 weeks; however, some are more flexible. So, what does it take to be a traveling nurse?

What Does it Take to be a Traveling Nurse?

For those that want to become a traveling nurse, the first step is to complete a Nursing program. Then you must become licensed by passing the NCLEX exam. Some states may require a state specific license so completing training at a vocational school will allow you to travel in the Sunshine State as a traveling nurse.

Experience as a Nurse

It is important to get some experience as a nurse before you can start traveling. Traveling nurse agencies are looking for candidates with some experience and proven ability to adapt to a new environment. This will help build your confidence, so you are ready when you step into a new hospital with different protocols.

Find a Travel Nurse Agency

The next step is to identify a travel nursing agency that works with nurses of your skill level. There are big and small agencies that work with all types of specialties in many different metro areas. If you find an opportunity at a specific hospital first, you may need to work with the travel nursing agency that manages that hospital. Agencies also have travel nurse recruiters that liaison between you and the hospital, negotiating on your behalf.

Pick an Assignment

You may get the flexibility to choose your assignment. Do you want to work during the day or evenings, weekdays, or weekends? The contract you sign for the assignment will dictate the specifications of the nursing role.

Find Housing

Most travel agencies will have company-provided housing however some offer a stipend and rely on you to find housing accommodations. You can find long-term housing at hotels, Airbnb, and through Facebook. Make sure you understand your situation. For example, Hawaii may pay more for nurses but living expenses may also be higher. Know your options.

Keep Your Nursing License Valid

Each state has a minimum number of hours you must work to keep your nursing license as a traveling nurse. Make sure you understand each state’s requirements, so you are not left without the opportunity to take travel nursing roles. Some states also require an annual number of continued education units in specific areas to maintain licensing.

What are the Benefits of Being a Traveling Nurse?

There are many benefits to becoming a traveling nurse. These benefits include:

Traveling to New Places

Travel nurses can explore the new cities they are assigned to by travel nurse staffing agencies. During the duration of the contract, you can enjoy the food, recreation and nightlife offered by many cities and metro areas. Not only do you see new places, but you also meet new people. People that you may keep in touch with for years to come.

Flexibility

Traveling offers flexibility over a permanent nursing career. You get to choose when and where you work. You can also take off days in between assignments to relax and unwind. This can offer you a better work/life balance.

Increase Experience

By traveling to distant hospitals, you get the opportunity to try new things and learn new skills. You can gain experience and learn new skills that permanent nurses may not be able to achieve. This can help you secure a full-time position in a specialty once you decide to settle down.

Great Pay

Traveling nurses are well-compensated. In addition to competitive salaries, travel nurse staffing agencies may pay for housing and offer health insurance or bonuses to entice traveling nurses to rural locales.

However, make sure you properly calculate your take-home pay because you may be responsible for some additional expenses. While a job may be advertised at a certain rate, it is important to understand the cost of housing, travel and other expenses that coincide with the job opportunity.

Are Traveling Nurses in Demand in Florida?

Hospitals have been counting on traveling nurses to meet temporary needs. Whether nurses are on vacation, the hospital is short due to an outbreak or other circumstance, hospitals will look to traveling nurse staffing agency to fill temporary needs.

The Affordable Care Act has significantly increased the demand for traveling nurses. Millions of people gained access to healthcare coverage, and this left hospitals short staffed. In the interim, hospitals looked to travel nurses to fill the shortage while they attracted and retained full-time staff.

What are Travel Nurse Staffing Agencies in Florida Looking for?

A travel nurse staffing agency is looking for a balance of experience and education. They look for candidates that work in a variety of settings, that posses’ good communication and can adapt to their environment. The specific skills a travel nurse staffing agency in Florida looks for include:

Flexibility

As a travel nurse, you will need to be flexible and adapt to new environments. You will end up working for a variety of supervisors with different temperaments and leadership styles. You must be able to adapt quickly and build effective relationships with fellow colleagues.

A Good Attitude

Travel nurse staffing agencies in Florida interview candidates and look for signs of a positive attitude. Do you have a positive, optimistic outlook? Do you work well with a variety of people that have different characters and interpersonal skills? A successful candidate will be positive and have energy to excel in their station.

Competence

A travel nurse must be in good standing with education, credentials, and licensing. They must be competent in their duties and have a full complement of knowledge and skills to perform nursing duties. It helps to be a self-starter to learn new protocols and get along with new people.

A Team Player

In a hospital, it is a team effort. Everyone must work together to offer positive healthcare outcomes. Sometimes it is important to lead and other times to follow. A good team player understand their role and works toward a common goal.

Final Thoughts

Are you interested in becoming a traveling nurse? Let us help you complete a Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) program and prepare you for the NCLEX-PN exam. We can get you started on your new career path and support you every step of the way.

Practical Nursing Program

The Practical Nursing program at Gwinnett Institute provides training to prepare you to enter the nursing profession as an LPN. After graduating from the Nursing diploma program and successfully passing the NCLEX-PN licensure exam, you will further your career to become a licensed practical nurse.

*While Gwinnett Institute provides test preparation and review assistance to college students, it cannot guarantee any college student will be able to take or pass any type of licensure exam. College students must be mindful throughout their entire training program that licensure is a prerequisite for employment as a nurse and to diligently prepare themselves to meet this important requirement.

Contact us today to learn more about becoming an LPN in Florida at Gwinnett Institute.

Is it Faster to Become an LPN or RN?

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Did you know that you can become a registered nurse (RN) or a licensed practical nurse (LPN) in two years or less depending on how much time you can commit to schooling? Either program brings you a step closer to your career goals. There’s no wrong way to be a nurse, the important part is to get started. Let’s explore your choices.

What Does an LPN Do?

LPNs provide basic bedside care. Their responsibilities include:

Assisting with Activities of Daily Living

Practical nurses help patients eat, bathe, dress, groom and eliminate, performing personal care while making clinical observations about their physical, emotional, and cognitive status.

Taking Vital Signs

LPNs are entrusted to take vital signs, measurements of temperature, blood pressure, heart rate and respirations that reflect a patient’s health.

Monitoring Intake and Output

How much people eat and drink has a significant impact on their health. Practical nurses measure intake and output to monitor fluid and calorie balance.

Administering Medications

LPNs administer low-risk oral, injectable, topical, and inhaled medications, monitoring patients for adverse effects.

Wound Care

Practical nurses clean wounds, apply dressings and change bandages, monitoring patients for signs of infection or healing.

Collecting Biological Samples

LPNs collect urine, sputum, and stool samples for laboratory analysis, using techniques that prevent contamination and ensure valid results.

Inserting Urinary Catheters

When a patient can’t urinate, a common chronic and post-surgical problem, practical nurses insert urinary catheters to drain urine from the bladder.

Changing Ostomy Appliances

Debilitated patients who have ostomies for elimination rely on practical nurses for help changing them. You’ll remove the bag, monitor the skin at the adhesive site and fit a new appliance when needed.

Giving Tube Feedings

Patients with gastrointestinal disorders may require liquid nutrition through a gastric tube. A risk for aspiration, tube feedings require the skill of a nurse to administer.

Assessing for Pain

Pain plays a critical role in how fast patients get back on their feet after an illness or injury. If discomfort affects their mobility, they can’t participate in therapeutic exercises. Practical nurses assess pain through verbal screening and observation, administering analgesics when necessary.

Protecting Skin Integrity

Skin ulcers are a consequence of immobility and poor nutrition. Practical nurses help bedridden or chair-bound patients eat better and change positions more often to improve circulation.

Assisting with Therapeutic Exercises

Physical and occupational therapists prescribe exercises to keep patients fit. Practical nurses assist with range-of-motion and conditioning plans that improve stamina and enhance flexibility.

Managing Medical Equipment

Practical nurses manage medical equipment from oxygen concentrators, ventilators, and CPAP devices to mobility aids, like walkers and wheelchairs.

Providing Emotional Support

A nurse’s hand is often the only hand a patient has to hold. Practical nurses are not only caregivers, but they’re also friends, providing emotional support when the family isn’t near.

Educating Patients and Families

Patients and their families require a lot of teaching when it comes to diagnoses and treatments, knowledge and a good support system can be the difference between success and failure. Practical nurses serve as frontline educators, helping them better understand the doctor’s recommendations.

Supervising Paraprofessional Staff

Patients have an entire team of paraprofessionals, such as nursing and dietary assistants, on their side. Practical nurses ensure they’re following the care plan.

Documenting Care

Documentation takes time away from patients, but it’s crucial for the continuity of care. You’ll record changes in their condition and the care you provide each shift.

What Does an RN Do?

Registered nurses do everything practical nurses do plus high-risk technical tasks beyond a practical nurse’s scope of practice. They manage sicker patients with more complicated needs while assuming most care planning, education, and supervisory duties. Their work includes:

Patient Assessment

Practical nurses gather data, registered nurses decide what to do with it. Using their clinical expertise, they assess patients for responses to treatment and changes in condition.

Care Planning

RNs create care plans, blueprints for nursing care that include interventions and goals. An action plan, it helps nurses provide consistent, around-the-clock care.

Administering Intravenous Medications

In many states, only registered nurses can handle some parts of intravenous therapy due to the risks. Examples include initiating new medications, giving blood transfusions and total parental nutrition (TPN), IV nutrients that bypass the GI tract. Once established, practical nurses may assist with treatments.

Delegation and Supervision

In facilities where both RNs and LPNs are working, registered nurses take the lead. They delegate straightforward tasks to practical nurses while tackling tougher cases.

Practical nurses, for example, can handle minor wound care, while RNs manage deep wounds at risk for complications. Registered nurses, however, are responsible for the outcome of what LPNs under their supervision do, so trust and supervision are necessary.

Education

All nurses are educators. However, RNs have more training, so they’re better prepared to teach patients how to self-manage their illnesses. Registered nurses hold positions as patient navigators, case managers and disease-education specialists.

Management

Registered nurses serve as floor supervisors, unit managers and department leaders, rising through the ranks with experience and continuing education.

What Are the Main Differences between the LPN and RN Roles?

RNs and LPNs are both state-licensed professional nurses, but each has a different role. An LPN provides intermediate bedside care for stable patients who require medical supervision but not acute care. RNs perform more complex nursing tasks plus patient assessment and care planning. Practically speaking, however, the job descriptions are similar.

You’ll find RNs and LPNs working side-by-side with the same patients and doing many of the same tasks, but RNs are better educated. Responsible for the outcome of nursing care, they assume a supervisory role, delegating tasks with predictable outcomes, such as assisting with daily activities, to nursing assistants and practical nurses.

LPNs can work in acute care environments. Contrary to rumors, practical nurses are not being phased out of hospitals. While there’s a nationwide effort to hire more RNs, LPNs fill a valuable niche as bedside nurses as registered nurses assume increasingly complex technical tasks and managerial responsibilities.

Conversely, practical nurses are the primary caregivers in long-term care facilities. RNs offer distance supervision, filling mostly managerial and leadership roles. LPNs work on the floor and serve as charge nurses, directing daily care.

Ultimately, both RNs and LPNs are autonomous caregivers with skills their patients rely on. And though their responsibilities vary, each role offers nurses an opportunity to spread their wings. The differences allow nurses to choose their own path.

Is it Faster to Become an LPN or RN?

You may have guessed by now, but it takes longer to become an RN than an LPN. Practical nurses need at least a diploma, programs take about a year to complete. It takes two or more years to become a registered nurse, you need an associate degree or higher.

RNs with a bachelor’s or master’s degree qualify for greater responsibility than associate-educated RNs, but they hold the same professional license. States set the licensure requirements for nurses, so students get the same core training regardless of the length of the program.

How Do You Become an LPN or RN?

Registered nurses can get their degree from a university, college or vocational school. Some universities offer practical nursing degrees, but most students opt for diploma programs. Cost-effective and lifestyle-friendly, vocational school training is fast becoming the education option of choice for both registered and licensed practical nurses. The benefits can’t be ignored.

The Benefits of a Vocational School Program

There are many benefits to attending a vocational school. These benefits include:

Fast Training

Vocational training is quick but comprehensive. Accelerated programs can be intense, but you’ll be out of the classroom and into the field faster, earning money and gaining experience.

Flexible Schedules

Vocational schools specialize in the needs of adult learners. They know how hard it is to hold down a job and go to school, so they offer flexible schedules and hybrid learning options when possible.

Seasoned Instructors

Vocational school instructors are hired straight out of the field. The goal is to give students the most insight possible into the nursing industry during the short time they’re enrolled. You’ll learn from people who’ve been there and know how to succeed. The tips you’ll glean will help you transition more effectively from the classroom to the workplace.

License Preparation

All nurses take the same licensing exams, the NCLEX-RN for registered nurses and the NCLEX-PN for practical nurses. Vocational programs are shorter, but instructors focuses on the content on these exams. You’ll graduate well-prepared and ready to take the exams.

Career Services

Vocational schools take pleasure in helping graduates find jobs. They partner with local healthcare facilities, so they’re the first to know about choice job openings. Graduates get first consideration.

Final Thoughts

The healthcare industry is growing faster than expected, and the demand for nurses is projected to grow 6 percent in the coming decade, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. If you’re ready for a life change and want a nursing career you can train for in two years or less, call your local vocational school. They’ll help you channel the time and resources you have into the program that’s best for you.

Practical Nursing Program

The Practical Nursing program at Gwinnett Institute provides training to prepare you to enter the nursing profession as an LPN. After graduating from the Nursing diploma program and successfully passing the NCLEX-PN licensure exam, you will further your career to become a licensed practical nurse.

Registered Nursing Program

The Associate of Science in Nursing degree program provides training to prepare you to enter the profession as a registered nurse (RN). Upon successful completion of the nursing training degree program and demonstrated nursing competence, you will be eligible to apply to take the NCLEX-RN licensure examination.*  

*While Gwinnett Institute provides test preparation and review assistance to college students, it cannot guarantee any college student will be able to take or pass any type of licensure exam. College students must be mindful throughout their entire training program that licensure is a prerequisite for employment as a nurse and to diligently prepare themselves to meet this important requirement.

Contact us today to learn more about becoming an LPN or RN at Gwinnett Institute.

Should I Get a Medical Billing and Coding Diploma or Degree?

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Medical coding is a vital component of the healthcare system. Skilled medical billing and coding specialists review medical records, translate clinical data into easy-to-read invoices, and secure reimbursement from insurance providers. Every healthcare facility needs talented professionals to complete billing and coding tasks, whether a single physician operating a private practice or a vast hospital system.

This multi-faceted career requires adaptable critical thinkers who can process complex information while adhering to rigorous regulatory standards. As a result, the industry offers rewarding work and career stability to attract high-quality individuals.

The best way to become a medical billing and coding specialist is with a formal training program. Vocational schools provide comprehensive instruction focused on real-world application to ensure graduates can succeed from their first day on the job. Potential specialists can pursue a billing and coding diploma or degree. Each track offers distinct advantages depending on your career goals and focuses.

What Does a Medical Billing and Coding Specialist Do?

Medical billing and coding specialists provide vital administrative support to clinical practitioners in a variety of healthcare settings. They also help maintain document compliance to promote patient safety. You will compile and manage patient information in electronic medical record systems, conducting audits for completeness and compliance.

Medical Billers and coders primarily generate health insurance claims by converting narrative healthcare data from patient charts into standardized invoices using the ICD-10, CPT, and HCPCS coding systems. As a medical billing and coding specialist, you will uphold ethical compliance regarding healthcare claims and follow patient privacy and HIPAA confidentiality guidelines.

You will most likely work in a conventional office setting within a clinical facility or remotely at an off-site facility. Depending on your employer, you may specialize in a specific practice area, focus on one phase of the revenue cycle, or serve as a generalist, completing all aspects of the billing process.

Medical Billing and Coding Diploma and Degree Programs

Choosing a diploma or a degree will provide you with the foundational knowledge and practical skills to confidently begin your career as a medical billing and coding specialist. The top employers require some level of formal training for applicants.

Completing your diploma or degree is the best way to secure an interview and begin working. When deciding between a diploma or degree, it’s vital to consider the following factors and how they relate to your short and long-term career goals.

Individuals with strong attention to detail and persistence are best suited for diploma and degree programs. As a medical biller and coder, you will encounter diverse cases every day because each patient’s course of care is different. You will need to assess the available information, utilize what you learned during your program, and research solutions to new problems you encounter.

Career Path

In general, you can complete a diploma program in a shorter timeframe than a degree program. Obtaining your diploma provides the quickest pathway to begin working as a medical billing and coding specialist. These programs are great for students without medical coding experience because they immerse you in the field. As a diploma holder, you’ll start gaining valuable experience that will help you grow professionally and build seniority with your employer.

Degree programs are excellent for individuals some prior billing experience because they establish the underlying fundamentals of the profession before adding advanced topics. A degree takes longer to obtain but offers broader career opportunities. While entry-level positions often require a minimum of a diploma, employers often limit promotions to advanced or supervisory roles to medical billing and coding specialists with degrees.

In addition, holding a degree is often a prerequisite for obtaining advanced certifications, like the Certified Billing & Coding Specialist (CBCS) credential. The long-term earning potential with a degree is higher, but it will take you longer to begin working.

Curriculum and Coursework

In both programs, you will learn anatomy and physiology, coding skills, clinical terminology, and how to function as a biller and coder. Vocational educators are uniquely qualified to provide complete classroom instruction and use real-world scenarios to develop the practical skills needed to thrive in the workplace.

A diploma program will focus on how to complete billing tasks and the fundamental knowledge needed to understand the revenue cycle. You’ll learn the worldwide billing standard, federal laws, industry-wide rules, and regulations. Getting your diploma will make you an effective billing and coding specialist because your coursework will blend theory and simulated billing activities that will prepare you for the field.

A degree curriculum is more comprehensive. Your coursework will delve into advanced topics including clinical coding, pathophysiology, and a deeper exploration of the theory underlying billing practices. The broader scope of your coursework will prepare you for more specialized coding positions and opportunities for advancement because you’ll have a global understanding of the billing and coding industry.

Timeframe

While all vocational programs are structured to help you begin your career as soon as possible, a diploma can be earned faster than a degree. The diploma programs are tailored to get you up to speed quickly and efficiently, covering all the essential knowledge for you to successfully analyze, code, and bill healthcare claims.

Completing a degree takes a few extra months due to the additional classes needed to expand your knowledge about pathophysiology, healthcare regulations, and advanced coding principles. However, a degree program is still much faster than a 4-year college program.

What Do You Learn During a Medical Billing and Coding Diploma and Degree Program?

Diploma and degree programs cover the same topics. Degree programs will devote more time to core topics and delve into advanced curriculum that allows graduates to pursue positions with greater specialization. The core medical billing and coding training program will include the following course topics.

Billing Basics

You will learn the components of a complete bill, conventions that govern bill generation and submission, and how to understand insurance plans. The coursework will cover the standards and practices as well as hands-on billing simulations to help you understand the processes. Billing basics are a vital component of both diploma and degree programs. Each subsequent class will build on this foundational knowledge.

You will rely on your basic billing skills to communicate with doctors and other clinical staff to ensure they understand the documentation requirements needed for generating proper insurance claims.

ICD-10 Coding

The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) is the standard alphanumeric dosing system used to identify body parts, diagnoses, and injuries. This course will teach you the basics of analyzing healthcare data and translating chart notes into the codes needed to establish medical necessity.

The instruction will help you gain confidence to read and interpret the manual so you can adapt to billing for a wide range of medical specialties and practice areas. A degree program will devote more time to ICD-10 theory and how to navigate the applicable manuals.

CPT/HCPCS Coding

You will learn the Current Procedure Terminology (CPT) and Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) systems which you will use to generate bills for services. These alphanumeric languages are used to secure reimbursement for rendered medical services. This coursework will build on the pathophysiology and clinical terminology courses to help you read and understand medical records.

While both the diploma and degree programs will provide the skills needed to succeed as a billing and coding specialist, degree programs will cover a broader range of treatments and procedures to expand your knowledge base.

Advanced Clinical Coding

Once you have learned the basics of coding, you will move into advanced clinical coding courses that explore specialized outpatient coding topics related to multiple medical disciplines. These courses will prepare you for work in specialty clinics, like dermatology or rheumatology practices.

The advanced coding courses included in a degree program may be divided into multiple modules that give you an in-depth understanding of distinct clinical practice areas, making you a more versatile biller and coder.

Inpatient Coding

Your inpatient coding coursework covers coding topics related to patients admitted to a hospital or clinical facility. You’ll learn about the components of inpatient medical records, relevant terminology, and special requirements that pertain to inpatient care.

This curriculum is covered in a diploma course to give you essential competency. Degree holders who want to work for a hospital or large healthcare network will have advanced inpatient coding courses that highlight every aspect of inpatient care in acute, subacute, and long-term care facilities.

Coding from Operative Reports

All surgical procedures are thoroughly documented and subject to rigorous bill review. Your coding from operative reports class will teach you surgical terminology, advanced anatomy and physiology, and the conventions of operative reports and records.

These cases are dense and complex, requiring strong analytical skills and keen attention to detail. This coursework will help you succeed in a hospital setting or surgeon’s office. Degree programs will devote enough time to operative coding to help you gain the skill and competence needed to succeed on the job.

Health Information Technology

Today, all healthcare information is managed using electronic medical record systems. This helps ensure compliance, keeping patients safe and doctors accountable. Both diploma and degree programs allow you to practice your skills using live software, which is similar to the systems you’ll use throughout your career.

Instructors will cover the privacy and compliance obligations that billing and coding specialists must follow. You will regularly communicate patients’ protected health information both internally and externally. This responsibility places you at the front lines of HIPAA compliance and data security.

Advanced topics in health information management are a component of degree programs, helping you secure supervisory positions in health information management, which is closely linked to billing and coding.

Want to Learn More?

Gwinnett Colleges & Institute’s Medical Billing and Coding programs will provide you with the opportunity to learn insurance coding and processing, medical administrative procedures, and the regulatory requirements in the healthcare delivery system.  School externships provide the opportunity to apply the medical billing and coding skills learned in the classroom in actual medical settings. Gwinnett Colleges & Institute offers medical billing & coding courses to gain essential skills and training to achieve entry-level positions in this career field. These medical billing & coding courses will be the first step in starting a rewarding career.

Contact us to learn more about how you can become a medical billing and coding specialist today.

What Is It Like to be a Telephone Advice Nurse?

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Are you interested in becoming an RN but not sure you want to work directly with patients in person? Consider becoming a telephone advice nurse. As a telephone advice nurse, you’ll manage healthcare for patients over the phone and on the Internet. Patients will call you to seek advice about a wide variety of ailments. Many people call for simple answers to basic questions. Still, others may face complex situations where they need comfort and reassurance. You’ll help a high volume of people daily. For example, you might help someone facing difficult medical conditions for which they don’t know what to do or advice someone that is not sure if they should test for influenza. So, what is it like to b a telephone advice nurse?

What Is It Like to be a Telephone Advice Nurse?

A telephone advice nurse manages high call volumes and works for insurance companies and medical facilities. For example, you may work in a call center designed for medical questions. In addition, as a telephone advice nurse, you might work remotely from your home.

A typical consultation with a patient over the phone may start with a basic question. However, as the call progresses, you might collect a health history from the patient to better understand how to treat and advise them. A patient and their family’s medical history reveals their existing medical conditions and informs you of hereditary diseases that the person could develop. For example, suppose the caller has symptoms such as high blood pressure or mild to severe chest pain. In that case, knowing if cardiovascular disease runs in their family is beneficial.

Address Their Chief Concern

The callers present you with their chief medical concern, and as the telephone advice nurse, you guide them through what they should do next. Following the above example, a caller experiencing mild chest pain could have one of many various conditions, including gastrointestinal issues. However, suppose they are experiencing severe chest pain. In that case, you or the caller need to contact emergency services as the caller could be experiencing a heart attack or stroke.

Completing Phone Triage

There are many reasons why phone triage is necessary. Telephone advice nurses perform phone triage under circumstances where medical facilities have a higher volume of incoming patients. For example, an epidemic or pandemic presents increased risks for patients who come to the ER and must wait a long time. So instead, a telephone advice nurse collects information from the patients, including why they need medical services and what symptoms they are experiencing. After they enter these patient details into the medical center’s IT system, the patients avoid long waits and get to an examination room faster.

The Importance of Emergency Identification Details

As a telephone advice nurse, you may ask for emergency identification details. The information provides important facts to add to the patient’s medical file. For example, some patients wear Medic-Alert jewelry that signifies if they have a pre-existing medical condition such as epilepsy or diabetes.

The same emergency identification details inform emergency care workers if the patient is allergic to medications or medical supplies. As a telephone advice nurse, you may need to contact emergency services to help a patient with these details to save their life.

Educating Others On the Phone

Telephone advice nurses educate others over the phone, including medical staff and callers from the general public. You will obtain the training, knowledge, and experience to manage medical crises and circumstances requiring advice or medical treatment. As a telephone advice nurse, you’ll have an extensive understanding of medical procedures and treatments and how these services could improve the caller’s health or the patient they are treating.

Collaborating with Other Medical Professionals

Collaboration with other medical professionals can save lives and improve the standard of care patients receive. For example, as a telephone advice nurse, you could discuss cases with a doctor. These discussions could help diagnose a patient based on population health data that is available to you that the doctor hasn’t seen.

A medical professional could call to inquire about a patient and determine if they were prescribed medications that could lead to dangerous drug interactions. Unfortunately, a patient that enters the emergency room unconscious cannot inform the staff what medications they are taking. However, a telephone advice nurse working in the doctor’s office where patients receive treatment could access their files. By providing advice and information, telephone advice nurses shape new protocols for treating patients and enable other medical professionals to perform their job.

Where Can an Advice Nurse Work?

As an advice nurse, each position gives you opportunities to take on different roles. The part you play depends on where you work and who will likely contact you for advice or assessment. Here are a few places where a telephone advice nurse may work.

Working for Insurance Companies

Telephone advice nurses assist insurance members with health-related symptoms. As a telephone advice nurse, an insurance member will call with a chief concern, and you must identify the symptoms they are experiencing and any medications they have been prescribed. You will triage these patients and either give them advice or refer them to their primary care physician. In the case of an emergency, you will instruct patients to go to the emergency room.

A Private Practice or Doctor’s Office

A telephone advice nurse at a doctor’s office would complete triage tasks and answer questions about a patient’s symptoms. You will help patients determine if they should schedule an appointment with the doctor or if their symptoms are treatable with OTC medications. Under circumstances where allowing patients into the private practice presents health risks, a telephone advice nurse can safely manage triage and improve the flow of patients in and out of the office.

Outpatient Care Facilities

In an outpatient care facility like urgent care centers, you’ll provide answers for patients in your local community. Patients may call about testing for seasonal illnesses or to determine if the facility is equipped to manage specific conditions. For example, patients get involved in accidents and may need wound care. You’ll tell the callers if your facility is suited for treatment or if the patient should visit an ER instead.

Helping at Crisis Hotlines

Crisis hotlines are vital to the public and address circumstances that could change unpredictably. Telephone advice nurses use their skills to manage mental health-related problems, suicide prevention, and help individuals through difficult situations.

Trauma Centers

In trauma centers, telephone advice nurses provide compassionate help for families with a loved one who is critically ill or injured. In addition, you may manage incoming calls about the status of the patients and advise families.

Hospitals or Major Medical Centers

Telephone advice nurses in hospitals or medical centers handle incoming calls about various conditions. For example, they may redirect patients according to which ER is open. The nurses instruct callers in all circumstances involving poison control or household accidents. The nurses manage high-volume calls instructing callers on how to perform first aid. They may offer triage services when a hospital has higher than average admissions or ER patients.

How Do You Become a Registered Nurse?

Telephone advice nurses must become registered nurses. As you begin on this career path, you will attend a vocational school program to get an Associate of Science in Nursing Degree. You’ll get the practical skills, hands-on training, and experience to work in medical facilities as an RN. These programs will also prepare you to take the NCLEX-RN exam.

What Do You Learn During a Vocational Nursing Program?

During the Registered Nursing program, you complete coursework and gain hands-on experience. Your mastery of the coursework isn’t based on test scores alone. Instructors monitor how well you cultivate skills to perform vital medical services that you’ll perform in the field. In some courses, you gain practical skills by working with patients or through simulations. By the program’s end, you’ll be treating patients and managing their care.

Foundations of Patient Care

The foundations of patient care course shows you how to manage care for patients and what protocols to follow. Essentials for treating patients help you manage patients under various circumstances. You’ll also learn what is expected of you in different departments and what you’ll do as an RN.

Complex Medical Surgical Nursing

In complex medical-surgical nursing, you’ll put your knowledge to the test and learn to assess patients according to ethical or cultural attributes. You will use healthcare practices to decrease the onset of illnesses and provide treatments to maintain proper health. You will also gain critical thinking and problem-solving skills you’ll use in the field.

Maternal and Pediatric Care

In maternal and pediatric care, you discover how to manage care for expectant mothers in the labor and delivery department. You’ll gain practical skills to transition patients from the different stages of labor to postpartum units. The course addresses pregnancy complications and how to manage pediatric care for newborns. In addition, you’ll learn how to address nutrition and illness prevention for infants. At the end of the course, you’ll have the skills to provide healthcare services in maternal or pediatric departments in different medical centers.

Surgical Nursing

The surgical nursing courses introduce you to nursing protocols in a surgical setting. You learn how nurses assist in the operating room and will get hands-on experience to supplement classroom lectures. In these settings, you’ll assist surgeons by maintaining sterile surgical instruments and ensure access to sterile supplies and equipment.

Gerontological Nursing

Gerontological nursing courses introduce you to practical skills for providing healthcare to the elderly. These skills are vital for addressing the health and well-being of elderly patients in doctor’s offices, medical centers, and nursing homes. In addition, you will discover conditions that affect the elderly, such as dementia and gain training to advocate for these patients, while ensuring that they receive appropriate care.

Final Thoughts

As a telephone advice nurse, you’ll work for various facilities and manage the care of a high volume of patients. This position gives you access to patients and other medical professionals who need your guidance and support. Advice nursing is a rewarding career choice and lets you give back to your community. Starting a vocational program today is your first step to changing your life and the lives of others.

Registered Nursing Program

The Associate of Science in Nursing degree program provides training to prepare you to enter the profession as a registered nurse (RN). Upon successful completion of the nursing training degree program and demonstrated nursing competence, you will be eligible to apply to take the NCLEX-RN licensure examination.*  

*While Gwinnett Institute provides test preparation and review assistance to college students, it cannot guarantee any college student will be able to take or pass any type of licensure exam. College students must be mindful throughout their entire training program that licensure is a prerequisite for employment as a nurse and to diligently prepare themselves to meet this important requirement.

Contact us today to learn more about becoming an RN at Gwinnett Institute.

Medical Assistant vs Medical Billing and Coding Specialist

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Healthcare is a booming industry, so why not prepare for a brighter future in the medical field? Whether you’re a people person or a number-cruncher, your talents are in demand. You can choose from clinical or non-clinical roles, and it takes less than a year to become a medical assistant or a medical billing and coding specialist. If you’re ready for a challenge, healthcare is ready for you.

What Does a Medical Assistant Do?

Medical assistants perform clinical and administrative duties in healthcare settings from doctor’s offices to hospitals. If you have an aptitude for science with a side of business savvy, it’s a rewarding field. The work includes:

Scheduling

Medical assistants work closely with providers to manage a tight schedule. They partner with the front office team, triaging urgent phone calls so that the sickest patients are seen first. Keeping doctors busy but not overwhelmed is in the best interest of patients who want thoughtful, unhurried care.

Rooming Patients

Once patients check in, medical assistants serve as their guides. They walk patients to treatment rooms where they update their records, take their vital signs, perform diagnostic tests, and help them change for their exams. Completing these clinical and clerical tasks while the doctor is with another patient saves valuable time.

Diagnostic Testing

Routine diagnostics, such as electrocardiograms, pregnancy screens and pacemaker checks, no longer require a trip to the hospital. Medical assistants can perform them in the comfort of a doctor’s office.

Phlebotomy

Medical assistants draw blood, making testing more convenient for patients. You’ll process samples, prepare them for shipping or do the analysis yourself if your workplace has a lab.

Minor Wound Care

Medical assistants manage minor wounds and post-surgical incisions from suture removal to bandaging. You may also help nurses with more complex dressings.

Surgical Assisting

Doctors rely on help from medical assistants to perform minor surgical procedures. You’ll set up the proper equipment, pass instruments and monitor the patient. After, you’ll clean up, sanitize the area, and sterilize the instruments. It’s a medical assistant’s responsibility to keep patients safe by controlling the spread of germs.

Patient Education

Medical assistants engage with patients when providers can’t. As liaisons, they make the most of doctors’ time by managing calls, messages, and correspondence.

They can’t offer medical advice, but they can reinforce the physician’s recommendations and relay instructions on their behalf. You’ll help patients understand new medications and prepare for tests and procedures.

Billing and Coding

Most clinical tasks include a billing and coding component. Tracking services rendered is critical for generating revenue. However, medical assistants are also trained to handle tasks from invoicing to collections so that they can fill in when necessary.

What Does a Medical Billing and Coding Specialist Do?

Medical billing and coding specialists manage insurance claims and invoicing for private practices and institutions. Their responsibilities include:

Coding Insurance Forms

Medical codes are standardized, alphanumeric sequences describing symptoms, disorders, procedures, equipment, and supplies. Medical billing and coding specialists translate health information into universal codes that insurers understand.

Filing Claims

Most medical bills are covered by health insurance, but doctors don’t get paid until claims are approved. Medical billing and coding specialists complete the forms and submit them for review.

Posting Payments

Medical billing is complex. A single invoice may have multiple payers plus additional charges or discounts to apply. Medical billing and coding specialists track payments on patients’ accounts, ensuring an accurate balance at all times so that each payer, including the patient, knows what they owe.

Appealing Denied Claims

Insurers reject a small amount claims due to insufficient or incorrect data. However, practice revenue hinges on reimbursement, so it’s up to medical billing and coding specialists to troubleshoot issues.

You’ll examine claims, determine why they were denied and gather the data necessary for approval. The goal is a quick turnaround.

Requesting Pre-authorizations

Under some policies, certain treatments must be pre-approved. Medical billing and coding specialists work directly with insurers to obtain pre-authorizations. They collaborate with the clinical staff to paint an accurate picture of what the patient needs and why. Requesting pre-authorization protects both practices and patients from financial liability.

Bookkeeping

Medical billing and coding specialists manage bookkeeping tasks from balancing cash drawers to reconciling credit card payments. Other duties include invoicing and collections.

Medical Assistant vs Medical Billing and Coding Specialist

Medical assisting and medical billing and coding are both fulfilling careers. Which one you pursue should reflect your aptitudes and career goals. There are significant differences in the responsibilities and rewards.

Duties

A medical assistant’s role is both clinical and clerical. In most practices, clinical responsibilities take precedence, you’ll devote most of your time to patients. Jobs with a more administrative focus, however, are available.

Medical billing and coding is a non-clinical role with no direct care responsibilities, the duties are exclusively financial. You’ll spend more time with computers than with people.

Training

Medical assisting programs cover clinical and administrative procedures, but the training in billing and coding is less comprehensive. You’ll learn what medical billing and coding specialists do in the context of your clinical responsibilities, so you can help bridge the gap between the exam room and the back office.

Medical billing and coding programs cover financial topics in detail, but the clinical training is limited. You’ll learn just enough to facilitate coding.

Employment Settings

Many medical assistants work for doctors, the rest are employed by hospitals, clinics, chiropractors, and public health departments.

Medical billing and coding specialists are also employed in private practices and healthcare facilities. However, they may also work in non-medical settings, including pharmacies, insurance companies, medical supply firms, and independent billing agencies.

Working Environment

Healthcare facilities are fast paced, there’s never a dull moment. How much excitement you want on an everyday basis should help decide where you want to work.

Medical assistants can choose an action-packed hospital or a doctor’s office where the pace is more relaxed. Still, as part of the clinical team, they need to be flexible, emergencies happen when they’re least expected.

Medical billing and coding specialists stay busy, but crises are limited to dollars and cents, not life and death. It’s a good career choice if you prefer a more structured and predictable day.

Work-Life Balance

Full-time medical assistants work a regular Monday through Friday schedule. A great job for parents, you get evenings and weekends off with the kids. On-call and overtime demands are rare. For evening birds and night owls, there are always off-hours opportunities in hospitals and urgent care clinics.

Medical billing and coding specialists enjoy a similar schedule, but evening or overnight jobs are challenging to find. Because your job requires engaging with insurers, plan on working a traditional 9 to 5.

Careers in medical assisting and medical billing both offer an enviable work-life balance with opportunities for part-time and job-sharing positions.

Coworkers

Medical assistants are surrounded by patients, peers, and professionals. Members of the administrative and clinical teams, they work with doctors, nurses, administrators, and billing managers.

Medical billing and coding specialists have less interaction with medical professionals and more with peers, insurers, managers, administrators, accountants, and auditors. You’ll only contact the clinical team when you need to clarify data for a claim.

Career Growth

Medical assistants have advancement potential. Some build on their diplomas and move into related fields, like nursing. Others grow into supervisory roles as they gain experience, becoming clinical team leaders or office managers.

Medical assistants are also eligible for dozens of specialty certifications that pad their credentials. A cardiology certificate, for example, opens doors in the heart health field. If you tend to get bored in jobs and like to switch roles without changing careers, medical assisting is an excellent choice.

Medical billing and coding specialists have growth opportunities in administration. Working on a degree while you gain experience is the fast track up the career ladder. And lateral moves are always an option. In a busy hospital, medical billing and coding specialists qualify for many positions.

Personal Fulfillment

Most medical assistants choose the field because of the personal connections they make with patients. You’ll work one-on-one with vulnerable people, and it feels good to know you’ve changed lives.

However, medical billing and coding can be an equally gratifying role if you prefer less intimate relationships with patients. You’ll still be part of the medical field, providing an invaluable service to your community. However, you’ll be insulated from the emotional ups and downs that come with caring for the sick.

How Do You Become a Medical Assistant or Medical Billing and Coding Specialist?

Enrolling in a vocational school program is the first step to becoming a medical assistant or a medical billing and coding specialist. You’ll graduate with a diploma in less than a year. If you’re unhappy with your current job, these lifestyle-friendly programs are ideal for adult learners who want a fresh start without spending years in a 4-year college.

Medical assisting and medical billing programs prepare students for the certifications upon which they can build a career. And they offer robust job placement services. They’re not satisfied until you find quality employment.

Final Thoughts

Now that you know the difference between medical assistant and medical billing and coding specialist, it is time to learn more about Gwinnett College. We can help you decide which healthcare career is best for you. Whether you’re a wellness enthusiast with a passion for science or a financial guru with a talent for billing, there’s a career in healthcare for you.

Want to Learn More?

Medical Assistant Program

Gwinnett Colleges & Institute offers medical assisting courses to gain essential skills and training at multiple campuses from Lilburn, Sandy Springs and Atlanta/Marietta to Orlando, FL and Raleigh, NC. The core curriculum at these campuses focuses on the medical assisting skills and training you will need to seek entry-level employment in physicians’ offices, clinics, hospitals, and other medical settings needing the services of associates trained in both front and back office medical assisting skills. These medical assisting courses will be the first step in starting a rewarding career.

Medical Billing and Coding Program

Gwinnett Colleges & Institute’s Medical Billing and Coding programs will provide you with the opportunity to learn insurance coding and processing, medical administrative procedures, and the regulatory requirements in the healthcare delivery system.  School externships provide the opportunity to apply the medical billing and coding skills learned in the classroom in actual medical settings. Gwinnett Colleges & Institute offers medical billing & coding courses to gain essential skills and training to achieve entry-level positions in this career field. These medical billing & coding courses will be the first step in starting a rewarding career.

Contact us to learn more about how you can become a medical assistant or medical billing and coding specialist today.

What Does a Paralegal Do?

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Are you interested in working in the legal field but not sure if you want to go to college for eight or more years to get a law degree and become a lawyer? Consider becoming a paralegal. The primary responsibility of paralegals is to perform legal work that supports lawyers. Their specific responsibilities and what a typical day looks like can vary considerably depending upon the area of law in which you work and your work environment. So, you have options as a paralegal.

Paralegals work in an array of organizations. Law firms are the most common, but some paralegals work in in-house corporate legal departments or for an agency of the government. Most paralegals work on a full-time basis, and it is not unusual for paralegals to work overtime, depending upon the particular projects they are involved.

Is becoming a paralegal the right career path for you? Becoming a paralegal offers job prospects and stability. Plus, it may be a good fit for you if you’re detail-oriented and looking for a job that lets you make a difference in your community.

What Does a Paralegal Do?

As a paralegal, you may be asked to accomplish a variety of responsibilities. Basically, the paralegal’s job is to support attorneys, which may involve tasks such as drafting documents, performing legal research, and maintaining files.

Paralegals investigate and gather facts that pertain to a case on which they are working. They may research legal articles, laws, and regulations. Most paralegals create, maintain and organize thousands of documents. Evidence and legal documents need to be prepared for attorney review, and paralegals can be responsible for summarizing or writing reports that prepare lawyers for meetings, depositions, and trials.

Almost all paralegals, regardless of the setting in which they work, will be responsible for drafting legal documents as well as correspondence. Some paralegals obtain affidavits and similar formal statements that can be used as evidence. Paralegals may file documents with the court and ensure that the documents are served to opposing counsel. Communicating by telephone with vendors, lawyers, witnesses, and clients may be required.

To do their jobs, paralegals must be comfortable using a range of computer software and technology. Electronic database management skills are crucial as they help paralegals to organize, assess, locate, and review large amounts of data.

Different Jobs for Different Paralegals

If you decide to become a paralegal, the content of your work assignment can vary depending upon where you work. For example, a corporate paralegal doesn’t usually deal with lawsuits. Their focus is on the company’s annual financial report, contracts, stock-option plans, shareholder agreements, employee contracts and monitoring government regulations.

If you opted to work as a litigation paralegal, you might conduct more legal research, locate, and organize evidence that will be used during depositions and trials, and draft a wide range of agreements.

Paralegals in the intellectual property field have different day-to-day responsibilities. Although they may participate in litigation, they are much more likely to spend their days reviewing drafts of patent applications, filing patent and trademark applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Plus, researching laws pertaining to intellectual property and drafting client correspondence.

Where Do Paralegals Work?

Most paralegals work at a law firm. Law firms vary in terms of size, culture, and atmosphere. While some are large and employ hundreds or even thousands of people across several countries, others are quite small, such as a solo practitioner’s office. Culture varies from one law firm to the next with some being traditional and formal while others are more relaxed and laid-back. Some paralegals find employment with the government, which can include federal, state, and local agencies. Still others work in the finance and insurance sector.

You may work with a specific team of lawyers, other paralegals, and various members of support staff. Most frequently, you will spend your day in an office setting. You may need to travel, work at a courthouse, or visit a client on-site from time-to-time.

Most paralegals work a predictable schedule, such as from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday. Depending upon where you work and the type of work you do, you may have to commit to putting in overtime. This is especially true when your team is preparing for or conducting a trial. At times like these, working evenings, weekends and holidays may be mandatory.

How Do You Become a Paralegal?

The most accessible route to becoming a paralegal is by attending a vocational school. A paralegal program at a vocational school can be completed in months rather than years. Once your vocational school education is complete, you will be able to search for work in a law firm, in-house legal department, and with the government.

An ability to state on your resume that you have completed training at a vocational school will help you to get your foot in the door. Why? Employers in this field are looking for qualified candidates who are familiar with legal terminology, know how to use common software and understand the sometimes rigorous and exacting nature of the work. A candidate who has attended a vocational school training program for paralegals will be recognized as a qualified professional who can hit the ground running from day one.

What Qualities Do Good Paralegals Possess?

Although each paralegal’s responsibilities and day-to-day assignments can look vastly different depending upon where they work, there are certain qualities that most paralegals have in common.

Communication skills are the bedrock of any paralegal’s success. It is critical to not only be able to verbally express yourself with clarity but also to write with conciseness and specificity. You may find yourself communicating in a variety of ways that may include face-to-face conversations, written correspondence, and telephone calls.

Computer skills are indispensable to the modern paralegal. Common legal software packages are introduced in vocational school paralegal training. It is possible that your employer will introduce you to other software as well. Fortunately, your solid foundation in legal software knowledge that you obtained during your vocational school program prepares you to quickly understand new technology and software.

Successful paralegals also have excellent organization skills. You may be called upon to manage, assess and organize thousands of documents in a single case. Your knowledge of various legal software programs will help, but you also must be able to organize and stick to a calendar. You must also be disciplined, keep your workspace in order and managing your time wisely. These skills will support the frequent need to respond to changing deadlines and expectations.

Paralegals are more likely to succeed when they hone their research skills. Your vocational school training will support you as you are introduced to various resources that can be called upon when researching a case. Additionally, your employer may introduce you to other research sources that can help from time to time. The better your organizational skills are, the better your research skills are likely to be.

Is the Paralegal Profession for You?

Do you like to help others and want to ensure that justice is done? Then becoming a paralegal may be the right career path for you. Now that you know what a paralegal does, it is time to learn more about Gwinnett College. We are here to help you becoming a successful paralegal.

Want to Learn More?

The Gwinnett Colleges & Institute diploma and degree programs in Paralegal Studies provide students with the theoretical and practical knowledge and the legal skills necessary to perform many paralegal functions including research, writing, investigation, and interviewing.

Contact us today or complete the Request More Information form on the top of the page to take the next step towards your new career in the Paralegal field.

Do Medical Assistants Draw Blood?

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Medical assistants are frontline support specialists. Allied health professionals, they assist licensed healthcare providers in doctor’s offices, clinics, and hospitals. However, their duties are far from ordinary. Trained to perform both clinical and administrative tasks, their responsibilities include surprisingly technical tasks. Does that include drawing blood? Let’s find out.

What Does a Medical Assistant Do?

What don’t they do? Part-clinical professional, part administrator, medical assistants manage an endless range of clinical and clerical tasks in office settings. No two days are alike, part of the fun of medical assisting is the day-to-day variety. But as a medical assistant, your work will typically include:

Scheduling

Medical assistants work closely with providers and front office staff to juggle routine appointments and emergency visits. Using your clinical expertise, you’ll triage phone calls and work with the doctor to prioritize the sickest patients first.

Welcoming Patients

Medical assistants escort clients to exam rooms where they complete important clinical tasks and paperwork to save the doctor time. You’ll take their vital signs, update their health history, and make them comfortable before the provider arrives.

Administering Medications

Medical assistants may administer most of the low-risk medications given to patients in office settings. In a pediatric practice, for example, you might immunize children. In family practice, you’ll give flu shot.

Performing Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests

Diagnostic testing is one of the more technical aspects of a medical assistant’s job. Depending on where you work, you may perform EKGs, assist with x-rays, and examine urine samples with a microscope.

Infection Control

More of a process than a task, infection control procedures prevent the spread of disease in healthcare environments. You’ll manage a broad range of related activities from sanitizing exam rooms to sterilizing instruments.

Assisting with Surgical Procedures

Minor surgical procedures, such as biopsies, are often performed in doctor’s offices. You’ll help by setting up equipment, passing instruments, and supporting the patient.

Client Communication

Medical assistants serve as liaisons between patients and their healthcare providers. A go-between, you’ll be a trusted source of information, managing phone calls, taking messages, and writing correspondence.

Patient Education

Medical assistants don’t give medical advice, but they help patients follow their doctor’s recommendations through education on timely health topics from nutrition to heart health. You’ll collaborate with providers to reinforce treatment recommendations.

Billing and Coding

Most medical assistants have a primarily clinical role, but they’re also trained in general office tasks from filing to faxing. Between visits, you’ll give the front- and back-office teams a hand with billing, referrals, and other paperwork.

Phlebotomy

Phlebotomy, or venipuncture, is the process of drawing venous blood for diagnostic testing. Can medical assistants perform phlebotomy? They can.

Do Medical Assistants Draw Blood?

Medical assistants are not certified phlebotomists, but they can draw blood. The difference is where they do it and why.

Phlebotomists draw blood in a wide range of settings from hospitals to blood donation centers, it’s all they do. Medical assistants perform phlebotomy in clinics and office settings in addition to their other duties.

Having a medical assistant in the office allows private practices and other small facilities to offer venipuncture. Patients win by not having to visit the hospital, and doctors’ benefit by getting test results faster, phlebotomy is an essential service.

All medical assistants are trained to draw blood, but whether you’ll do it daily or occasionally depends on where you’re employed. Working in a podiatry office, you’ll rarely draw blood. In a hematology or oncology practice, you may perform venipuncture every day.

How Does a Medical Assistant Draw Blood?

Drawing blood is a simple yet complex process that starts well before the sample is drawn.

Steps include:

Review the Order

Phlebotomy is performed under a doctor’s order. Requisitions list which tests they want, determining which equipment and protocols you’ll use to draw the blood.

Screen the Patient

Medical assistants are responsible for patient safety, so the phlebotomy process has been somewhat standardized to limit errors. Still, you’ll need a sharp eye and sound clinical judgment.

Before drawing, you will:

Verify the patient’s identity — drawing blood on the wrong patient subjects them to an unpleasant and unnecessary medical procedure. And if the error isn’t caught, results could end up in the wrong person’s chart, affecting treatment decisions. Always check the patient’s name and date of birth.

Confirm compliance with restrictions — some tests require fasting for accuracy. Patients who don’t comply risk unreliable results.

Check the patient’s health history — you may need alternative equipment for patients with an allergy to any of the supplies used in the venipuncture process. Some people, for example, react to latex, skin disinfectants and bandage adhesives.

Evaluate the patient and gather supplies — the supplies you’ll use depend, in part, on the tests’ orders. However, you’ll need to make adjustments based on the client’s age, size and health status. Preparing the proper equipment before you get started helps the process go smoothly.

Position the patient — most people sit in an armchair to have their blood drawn. However, patients with a history of fainting may need to lie down. Safety first! Now you’re ready to draw.

Complete the Venipuncture

To perform the draw:

  • Wash your hands.
  • Wear the necessary personal protective equipment such as disposable gloves.
  • Disinfect the patient’s skin with rubbing alcohol or an alternative disinfectant.
  • Apply a tourniquet above the venipuncture site.
  • Stabilize the vein using your thumb and forefinger while inserting the needle into the vessel.
  • Advance the collection tube until the blood flows.
  • Release the tourniquet.
  • Withdraw the needle, applying firm pressure to the site to stop the bleeding.
  • Dispose of the needle in an approved container.
  • Cover the wound.
  • Discard your gloves and label the samples.
  • Review home care instructions and answer patient questions. Most want to know when to expect results.

Process the Samples

In hospitals, phlebotomists draw blood, but laboratory technicians handle the processing. In doctor’s offices, some medical assistants do both.

Some tests require whole blood while others are performed on plasma or serum. You’ll find processing and shipping requirements for tests done off-site in the laboratory’s test catalog.

What Medical Equipment Does a Medical Assistant Use to Draw Blood?

Medical assistants use the same equipment and supplies as doctors, nurses, and certified phlebotomists. Tools of the trade include:

Personal Protective Equipment

Anyone drawing blood must protect themselves from bloodborne pathogens with personal protective equipment. As part of universal precautions, a set of safety standards that all healthcare professionals follow, PPE limits exposure to potentially dangerous illnesses.

To draw blood, gloves are the minimum requirement. Other examples of PPE that phlebotomists use include sharps containers, puncture-proof biohazard boxes that prevent needle stick injuries, and face shields is a concern.

Alcohol Pads

Drawing blood is not an entirely sterile procedure, but cleanliness counts. It’s important to reduce bacteria counts on the skin’s surface to lower the chance of infection. In most cases, a vigorous scrub with an Isopropyl alcohol pad does the trick. It cuts through dirt and oils to eliminate germs in cracks and crevices.

For certain tests, or if the patient is allergic to alcohol, alternative disinfectants, such as chlorhexidine or betadine, may be used.

Needles

Needles come in dozens of sizes for patients from infants to seniors. You’ll choose which to use based on their age, weight, and health. One-inch, 20-gauge needles are appropriate for most adults but too large for kids and the ill or elderly. Blood flows faster through large-bore needles, but they can exert too much pressure on weak veins, causing them to collapse.

Collection Tubes

Years ago, venipuncture was performed with a needle and the same type of syringe used to give injections. It works, but samples drawn with syringes tended to clot too fast because of the time it takes to load additives.

Today’s phlebotomists have an advantage. Collection tubes are preloaded with additives and color-coded for easy selection. Complete with a vial and rubber stopper, they’re pushed onto a holder with a two-sided needle, one end punctures the stopper and the other goes into the vein. Simple and nearly foolproof, the strength of the vacuum alone pulls the blood out of the vein.

Tourniquets

Applying a tourniquet above a venipuncture site keeps blood in the limb below, plumping up the vein to make it more visible and resistant to rolling. It’s applied to the upper arm, just above the elbow, for draws from the antecubital vein or two inches above the wrist for draws from the top of the hand.

For the patient’s comfort, tourniquets are released once blood begins to flow. Latex-free tourniquets are available for people with allergies.

Gauze and Bandages

Blood can continue to ooze from a venipuncture site long after the needle is removed, especially if the patient is on blood-thinning medication. Applying pressure with gauze stops the bleeding and limits bruising.

Avoid cotton balls, strands can stick to the dried blood and dislodge the clot when pulled away. Stick with 2-inch by 2-inch gauze pads and check every 30 seconds for bleeding. When it’s stopped, applying a small adhesive dressing helps protect the patient’s clothes.

How Do You Learn Phlebotomy and Become a Medical Assistant?

You can become a medical assistant and learn phlebotomy by enrolling in a vocational school medical assisting program. You’ll learn theory in the classroom while practicing on peers and simulators. Most programs also include off-site externships in healthcare settings where you can shadow an experienced medical assistant and practice your skills on patients.

Full-time students can graduate in as little as a year with the technical and people skills needed to succeed. You’ll learn from seasoned instructors who’ll show you the ropes and support you while you learn. By graduation day, you’ll be a confident phlebotomist.

Final Thoughts

Drawing blood is a must-have skill for today’s medical assistants. Valued by employers, it makes you a sought-after applicant in a competitive job market. If you’re intimidated, don’t be. Fear and failure are part of the learning process. We all have butterflies; but you just have to be brave enough to try.

Want to Learn More?

Gwinnett Colleges & Institute offers medical assisting courses to gain essential skills and training at multiple campuses from Lilburn, Sandy Springs and Atlanta/Marietta to Orlando, FL and Raleigh, NC. The core curriculum at these campuses focuses on the medical assisting skills and training you will need to seek entry-level employment in physicians’ offices, clinics, hospitals, and other medical settings needing the services of associates trained in both front and back office medical assisting skills. These medical assisting courses will be the first step in starting a rewarding career.

Contact us to learn more about how you can become a medical assistant today.

Which Microsoft Office Certification is Best?

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The career of an entry-level office administrator, accounting clerk, and document processor is an excellent choice. If you are a person who likes organization, helping other people, and getting important work done, consider the benefits included with an administrative or accounting assistant position. You can enjoy job stability, good work/life balance, and opportunities for promotion within your company and across a wide variety of companies and industries. Every business in every industry has the need for people with administrative and accounting assistant skills. Furthermore non-profit, governmental, educational, and religious organizations hire energetic, dedicated problem solvers to work in their offices.

Be Prepared as You Begin Your Job Search

To improve your chances of landing that perfect job, there are a few qualifications that will work in your favor. A positive attitude, confidence, and effective communication skills are always impressive. Taking a course to learn more about office procedures in the twenty-first century will always be in your best interest. Learning about taking messages, composing memos, and workplace safety will help you succeed in any administrative job. Many of these same standards are in place across many organizations and industries.

In this day and age, however, it is also important to demonstrate that you have the technology skills that will benefit your new employer and help guarantee your success on the job. Microsoft Office is recognized around the world as the standard for administrative software. A Microsoft Office Certification shows the world that you have the technology skill set to get the job done and that you have the initiative and talent to take and successfully pass a very strict screening.

What are the Microsoft Office Certifications?

There are two levels of Microsoft Office Certification. The first one is an Associate level certification. To earn this certificate, you must show proficiency in three of these four Microsoft Office products: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook.

The second level of Microsoft Office Certification is Expert level. To earn this level certificate, you must earn the Associate certification as described above and, also, pass two of the three following exams: Word Expert, Excel Expert, Access Expert.

By passing the examinations, you demonstrate that you can use the software applications and will benefit your hiring organization by using these tools to solve problems and promote communication.

Which Microsoft Office Certifications is Best?

The Expert level requires the demonstration of additional skills, so as you look for a job, a potential employer will recognize your additional value with the higher-level certificate. Because the Associate Certificate is a prerequisite to the Expert one, you have to achieve that milestone in order to test for and move up to the higher certification.

Let’s explore in detail each of these core Microsoft applications and how it would be used on the job by an administrative or accounting assistant.

Microsoft Word

First introduced in 1983, Word has gone through many changes over the decades. The most general way to describe Word is that it is a word processor. Some of its most beneficial aspects are:

  • The screen displays what will print on paper
  • Text can be copied and pasted into other formats or programs
  • It has a built-in dictionary
  • Formatting of words and pages is easy to achieve

Microsoft Word is used in a business or organization setting to write letters, emails (that are then copied and pasted into email products like Outlook), and preparation of announcements printed and displayed. It is also used to document speeches and produce mailings to customers. There is also a design feature that allows users to create their own forms and documents. Inserting tables, charts, and pictures into a letter or document is a simple process with Word.

Microsoft Excel

Excel is a spreadsheet application. Cells are arranged into columns and rows to manipulate and organize data. Basic calculations, such as addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication can be applied to the data. The manipulated data results can then be handed off to an additional calculation. Other simple uses include finding the maximum, minimum, and average of a large volume of data. Macros, pivot tables, and graphing tools.

Some of the best uses of Excel in business are in the accounting area. Excel is a great platform for creating a budget and manipulating data so it can be used in an accounting application. For example, an outside payroll company can provide the detailed data needed to book the weekly or bi-weekly payroll. After manipulation in Excel, the data in the form of a journal entry can upload into an accounting application such as QuickBooks. Data from a bank on the checks that have been deposited and cleared an account used by the accounting payables group can download it into Excel and check it against the cash ledger to streamline the bank account reconciliation process. This is a quick and easy way to identify any discrepancies that need investigation.

Microsoft Access

In the broadest terms, Microsoft Access is a database management system. Since it can only link or import data stored in other databases and applications, it creates a second home for a large amount of data. From here, the data can be organized and stored. In general, Access can handle more data than Excel, and the data is more secure because direct data modifications can be prevented in Access. A retail business might use Access to track its inventory, sales, and receipts of products.

Microsoft PowerPoint

PowerPoint is a presentation software that enables the user to prepare sophisticated presentations using slides and other multimedia. Not only can it interface with Excel and Word, but it can also capture video clips, pictures, and audio can accompany a presentation. Here are just some of the activities that PowerPoint support to enliven any presentation.

Narration over a slide. A PowerPoint slide with text, numbers, or a chart can be brought to life with the addition of narration or music incorporated into the slide.

Animation. This feature also lets you make a presentation more interesting by having information appear, fade, or fly in among other lively choices.

Embed a YouTube video into a presentation. With a few mouse clicks, you have the world of YouTube to enhance your PowerPoint presentation.

An assistant with the ability to create information, attention-grabbing slide presentations brings a lot of value to any organization. One of the roles of an administrative assistant may be to produce PowerPoint presentations for a Marketing team when they visit a potential client. Educational facilities and training departments often use PowerPoint to put together not only an informative but entertaining training package.

Microsoft Outlook

Outlook is the Microsoft software that handles emails and task management chores, which facilitates a user’s need for writing, sending, receiving, reading, and managing one or more email accounts. Although primarily used as an email manager, it can also coordinate calendars, contacts, activities, and a personal journal.

As an administrative assistant working within an organization, you might have access to not only your own but also officer’s and director’s email accounts. Outlook allows an assistant to set up meetings, track calendared events, and receive or respond to emails for the organization leaders to whom they provide support.

The Best Preparation for a Microsoft Office Certification

You can advance your career or go into your next job interview with a key to success in your hand, a certificate that highlights your training and skills in the fleet of Microsoft Office products. Before you sit down for the online test, however, completing a course in the Microsoft products will help you pass the certification tests. If you sign up for these courses at a vocational school with a Computer Operations diploma, you will also have demonstrated that you have successfully completed the requirements for the courses as well as passing the certification test. Attending a vocational school also gives you the opportunity to interact with instructors and other students. You can develop your professional network that will be there to support you throughout your career.

Final Thoughts

Are you ready to take the next step into your rewarding future as an administrative or accounting assistant? With training and skills certification in email, spreadsheet, presentations, database, and word processing, you can be a successful contributor your first day on the job in a high-tech office. Not only across the country but also around the world, Microsoft products are recognized as the standard in office software applications and technology. With these skills in your toolbox, we will help you ensure that you have the knowledge and training to be successful in an office administration role.

Want to Learn More?

The Computer Operations diploma training program is designed to provide college students with job-related training in a variety of computer fields.  Gwinnett College students will complete computer training courses relating to the various Microsoft Office applications relating to word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation creation. The Computer Operations diploma program also includes training in administrative office procedures and accounting.

Contact us to learn more about the Computer Operations program today.

What is Medical Billing and Coding?

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Are you considering becoming a medical billing and coding specialist but want to know more about the profession? Careers in healthcare offer excellent stability, have great advancement potential, and provide rewarding professional challenges that help you grow. Countless clinical and non-clinical professionals contribute to patient care and the ongoing success of the healthcare system. You can too!

Medical billing and coding is a career for individuals interested in helping patients but do not want a hands-on patient care role. Are motivated problem solvers who thrives in dynamic environments that demand focus and attention? If so, then becoming a medical billing and coding specialist may be the right career path for you.

The administrative side of healthcare requires an understanding of clinical principles and business practices. This dual knowledge makes you an indispensable team member because you must reconcile patient care with the reimbursement cycle. Medical billing and coding is a multifunctional discipline with quality assurance, invoice creation, and collaborative duties.

What are a Medical Billing and Coding Specialists’ Core Roles?

To work as a medical billing and coding specialist, you must learn multiple tasks. While the profession is evolving and your employer will want you to complete ongoing training, the fundamental principles and skills are consistent. Your position may focus on a narrow set of tasks as part of a larger team that handles medical claims, or you may be a generalist, working on each claim from start to finish.

Typically, a hospital system or large medical facility divides work and expect medical billers and coders to specialize. Smaller clinics or doctor’s offices may have you handle chart review, coding, claim submission, and collections solely on your own.

The versatility to find the type of role and size of employer you want is one of the career’s many advantages. As you grow into your position, you may determine whether a specific skill appeals to you or whether you enjoy the diversity of operating as a generalist. There are ample opportunities for medical billing and coding specialists regardless of their preference. Remaining flexible will also maximize your career opportunities.

Medical Billing Basics

Your medical billing tasks will be guided by industry-wide bill generation and submission standards and practices. The standard rule is “if it’s not documented, it didn’t happen.” Each day, you will review medical records, including chart notes, narrative reports, and diagnostic imaging summaries, to determine what happened during an appointment.

You’ll then assess which diagnoses and services must be coded and submitted to insurers for payment. You’ll issue bills on standardized forms that conform to regulations and insurers’ internal policies.

ICD-10, CPT, and HCPCS

Federal law stipulates that all bills are submitted in a uniform way using a standardized coding language. Each day you’ll read clinical information compiled by doctors and nurses and distill that data into billable codes that tell insurance companies what happened during an appointment.

You’ll use the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10), Current Procedure Terminology (CPT-4), and Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS). These systems are precise and detailed because accuracy is vital to safe and successful treatment. You’ll need to understand anatomy and physiology terminology so you can create bills that comprehensively document the appointment or procedure.

Advanced Clinical Coding

Medical treatment involves comprehensive physical exams, collections of detailed patient histories, diagnostic testing, interventions, and simple to complex procedures. Medical coders compile this data, confirming accuracy and completeness, and then translate it into the ICD-10 system.

You need an advanced understanding of physiology and pathophysiology to understand the full spectrum of disorders, illnesses, and chronic issues affecting patients. Medical coding requires you to leverage a formal education to research clinical information because it’s impossible to prepare for every scenario. You’ll also need to understand illnesses well enough to collaborate with clinical staff to obtain amendments to incomplete records and get clarification on your questions.

Inpatient Coding

Record review and coding for inpatient clinical cases is necessary for hospitalized patients who receive extensive care over multiple days. You’ll need to read dense records kept by physicians, nurses, and aides to sift through pertinent medical data and identify services that must be coded and billed.

Inpatient coding requires a broad knowledge base and comfort with the unknown because hospital admissions can be for any possible medical condition. Depending on the length of the patient’s stay, medical records can be extremely long, complex, and include medical care, surgical intervention, and multiple types of therapy.

Coding Operative Reports

Interventional procedures like dermatological excisions, routine appendectomies, and complex neurosurgeries are also coded for reimbursement. You’ll read detailed operative reports that chronicle each step of an operation and create bills based on the documentation.

Coding operative reports requires you to understand the conventions and terminology of surgery, nuances of various procedures, and the medical necessity requirements that satisfy a proper bill.

Operative coding will require deep reading about the procedure, review of preoperative evaluations and testing, and perseverance as the cases can be highly time-consuming and complex.

Health Information Technology

Federal mandates require the creation of electric medical records across the full spectrum of healthcare services so most of your work will be computer-based. You may navigate a unified system to review, code, and submit bills. Other employers will have separate systems dedicated to each task, requiring you to adapt to multiple software platforms.

You’ll also maintain information security to keep your network safe and guard patient information. Medical billing and coding specialists communicate protected health information to outside parties, like insurance companies, other medical providers, and patients. You’ll need to be vigilant for potential threats and always adhere to information security best practices outlined by HIPAA guidelines.

Why is a Medical Billing and Coding Specialist Important?

Medical billing and coding specialists are vital because they manage high-level administrative tasks that fall under rigorous internal and strict government standards. Although you won’t directly interact with patients, your work is an added layer of accountability for clinical staff.

Medical billing and coding specialists ensure documentation rules and guidelines are upheld. This quality assurance keeps everyone safe because complete documentation is vital for patient protection. Furthermore, your administrative work allows doctors to focus on patient outcomes while you navigate the gap between the art of medicine and the business side of the industry.

Cooperation is essential in healthcare settings. You must effectively collaborate with fellow medical staff to ensure timely filing deadlines are met and follow-up is executed on outstanding claims.

In addition, medical billing and coding specialist’s relationships with clinical staff are critical for both patient safety and institutional success. You will be a source of clarification for practitioners working through the record-keeping requirements and reinforce the importance of accurate notetaking.

How Do You Become a Medical Billing and Coding Specialist?

Medical billing and coding is a field that requires in-depth knowledge of science, business practices, technology, and federal regulations. Successful medical billing and coding specialists are creative problem-solvers who are organized, perseverant, and able to prioritize tasks.

Completing a medical billing and coding program through a vocational school is an easier way to become a medical billing and coding specialist. Comprehensive training programs are ideal for students who want to complete their education and rapidly enter the workforce.

Medical Billing and Coding Theory

Your instruction will center around the guiding theories behind medical billing and coding. Establishing strong conceptual knowledge will help you work confidently because you’ll understand the how and why behind your on-the-job tasks.

Real World Experience

Vocational schools also ground your learning in real-world examples. By using in-depth case studies of real-world scenarios, live software that you can use in a controlled environment, and practice tasks, you’ll acquire the practical skills needed for your career. Upon graduation, you’ll have already done many of the duties you’ll be expected to perform as a medical billing and coding specialist.

Shapes Soft Skills

A vocational education also shapes the soft skills needed to thrive. Medical billing and coding specialists must be calm, adaptable, and able to research. No coursework can prepare you for every single case you will bill throughout your career. However, you’ll develop investigatory skills and clinical fluency so you can analyze problem cases and challenging assignments. You’ll then learn where and how to search for answers.

Where Can You Work as a Medical Billing and Coding Specialist?

Every single healthcare provider, clinic, and facility needs medical billing and coding specialists. Without you, they would be unable to collect compensation for their work. Additionally, complementary business and support services also need you to review and respond to bills. The following are the most common employers.

Doctors’ Offices

Every doctor’s office needs medical billing and coding specialists, whether it’s a single provider or a group practice. In these environments, you’re likely to interact with doctors, patients, and other administrative staff. You’ll develop close relationships with providers. These opportunities provide flexible hours, certain benefits, and a slower-paced work environment.

Hospitals and Medical Facilities

Hospitals see a constant flow of patients that are treated and discharged. If you work for a hospital, large clinic, long-term care center, or other medical facilities, you’ll be part of a team of medical billing and coding specialists. You’ll work in an office setting, usually within the facility but away from patients.

Hospitals and medical facilities are faster paced, with higher case volumes and tighter deadlines. Working for a hospital provides a broader support network of fellow medical billing and coding specialists and managers who help you adapt to revisions in the billing regulations.

Insurance Company

Working for an insurance company or bill review agency moves you further away from patient contact. Just as clinicians need medical billing and coding specialists translate their medical records, insurers need staff that can read bills.

Working at an insurance company will require you to audit submitted claims and their supporting documentation to ensure invoices are legitimate and justified. You’ll make determinations based on the patient’s coverage and issue payment, denial, or request for follow-up information.

Government Agency

Medicare, state Medicaid programs, and other Health and Human Services agencies hire medical billing and coding specialists. Working for a government insurer is like working for a private insurer. You’ll be required to adhere to coverage standards and review patient cases consistent with the regulations.

Experienced medical billing and coding specialists can secure positions as auditors and investigators. Credentialing and compliance agencies conduct routine reviews of physicians’ and medical facilities’ records to ensure documentation regulations are followed.

Want to Learn More?

Gwinnett Colleges & Institute’s Medical Billing and Coding programs will provide you with the opportunity to learn insurance coding and processing, medical administrative procedures, and the regulatory requirements in the healthcare delivery system.  School externships provide the opportunity to apply the medical billing and coding skills learned in the classroom in actual medical settings. Gwinnett Colleges & Institute offers medical billing & coding courses to gain essential skills and training to achieve entry-level positions in this career field. These medical billing & coding courses will be the first step in starting a rewarding career.

Contact us to learn more about how you can become a medical billing and coding specialist today.

Do You Need a Degree to Be a Spa Manager?

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Are you passionate about massage and want to manage a spa? Not sure if you need to get a degree to be a spa manager? There are many reasons to get a massage and spa management degree before becoming a spa manager, however is it required?

Do You Need a Degree to Be a Spa Manager?

Although technically, you won’t need a degree to become a spa manager, you will be more successful and garner more respect from an employer if you have both a degree and massage license. There are also some permits and licenses you will need to start a massage business and they might require a massage license. The requirement for getting a massage license is the completion of an accredited massage therapy program.

Why Get a Degree to be a Spa Manager?

There are many reasons to get a degree before working in a spa management position. From working your way to the top to jumping in when its busy, having a degree will suit you well as you manage a spa full-time. The reasons to get a massage and spa management degree include:

Work Your Way to the Top

Many spa managers will start as massage therapists and work a few years before they decide to manage a spa. This is also the path of many massage business owners. How can you expect your employees to trust you unless you have a degree in massage therapy? Getting a few years under your belt working for a spa and obtaining your degree will give you a competitive advantage when it comes time to apply for a spa management position.

Know Proper Massage Technique

Knowing proper massage techniques will help you better manage your massage therapist. If you know what they are supposed to do, then you will be better at managing them. You will be able to give better feedback, understand if a massage therapist is using improper technique, and help train them on new techniques and protocols.

Jump in When Its Busy

Sometimes it will get busy, and you won’t want to turn anyone customers. One poor experience is enough to turn off customers from a spa. If you have a massage degree and license, you can jump in when it gets busy, and help out your fellow massage therapists. This will also bring respect and credibility from employees and customers alike.

Handle Complaints Better

Some customers will come to you with specific complaints about technique and you should be able to explain proper procedure and massage technique to diffuse the situation. Customers will also respect you more if you have a degree, because you will better understand the terminology of massage and speak from experience.

Train New Employees

Although, most of your employees will have a degree in massage, but it is up to you to teach them the nuances of the job that are particular to your spa. As you work in the industry, you will pick up tips and tricks that allow for a better massage experience and you can pass this down to your employees.

What Do You Learn During a Massage and Spa Management Degree Program?

The Massage and Spa Management program includes courses specific to the practice of massage as well as courses to be used in the administration of a practice. You will be exposed to concepts in organization and management, marketing, hospitality management, and finance as well as be introduced to the use of office applications like Microsoft Word and Excel.

What Massage Techniques will You Learn?

There are many massage techniques that you will learn during your massage and spa management program. They include:

Swedish Massage

Swedish massage is used to increase the level of oxygen in the blood, decrease muscle toxins, improve circulation and flexibility while easing tension. During a Swedish massage, you lubricate the skin with massage oil and uses various massage strokes. The movements warm up the muscle tissue and release tension.

Deep Tissue Massage

As a massage therapist, you use slow strokes that focus pressure on layers of muscle, tendons, and deep tissues under the skin. Deep tissue massage can be used for chronic pain or medical disorders. This massage technique breaks up scar tissue and breaks down any bands of painful tissue that can disrupt circulation, which cause pain, increase toxins, and limit range of motion.

Chair Massage

Chair massage is a mobile way for you to help clients as they sit leaning forward in a chair made specifically for chair massage. You will massage the neck, shoulders and back to relieve stress and tension in the upper body. Since it is mobile, you can help clients in many different environments including at an office, retail store, or any location that a massage is needed. The benefits of chair massage include lowering anxiety, increasing circulation, relieving muscle pain and headaches, and reducing stress.

Sports Massage

Sports massage helps athletes before, during and after sporting events. This massage technique focuses on the areas of the body that are overused and stressed from repetitive movements. Sports massage promotes flexibility to prevent injuries and aids in healing after competition. It can help athletes improve flexibility, reduce fatigue, improve endurance and range of motion, help prevent injuries, and prepare the athlete for optimal performance.

Shiatsu

Shiatsu is a technique known for its holistic approach to massage. It helps balance the body, while alleviating physical pain and discomfort. Shiatsu is helpful for clients dealing with anxiety, depression, or chronic stress. This massage technique is also found to improve symptoms associated with migraines and headaches. Shiatsu is a good massage technique to use for clients experiencing other ailments, such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, and lower back pain.

Lymphatic Massage

The lymph nodes, in the body, are responsible for the effective draining and movement of bodily fluids throughout each of the 14 body systems. Having a properly balanced flow of lymph fluids can improve a client’s immune system, as well as promote deeper relaxation. A properly performed lymphatic drainage massage can provide several health benefits, including the reduction of muscle soreness and swelling due to fluid retention.

Cranial-Sacral Therapy

Tension, anxiety, and other chronic conditions often appear in the form of physical symptoms such as headaches, stiff neck muscles, and other issues. Cranial-Sacral therapeutic techniques have become a popular treatment for clients experiencing physical ailments. Sessions involve a light, purposeful touch, as you assess each part of the body for tension and other energy imbalances.

Thai Massage

Thai massage is one of the oldest therapeutic techniques, This massage technique can significantly improve pain and tension throughout the body. Thai massage involves active participation from the client, and is performed by using different moves, pressure, and stretching techniques to facilitate total body relaxation. Clients experience lower stress levels, increased energy, improved blood flow and circulation, as well as a better range of motion with the help of Thai massage.

Hot Stone Massage

Hot stone massage uses smooth, basalt mineral stones which are heated and combined with oil. This massage technique helps relieve muscle stiffness and reduces fatigue while restoring body energy. The hot stones may be placed on the body, including spine, back, neck, arms, legs, and feet. You may hold the hot stones as you massage the body using long strokes, circular movements, vibration, tapping and kneading.

Reflexology

Reflexology theorizes that different pressure points on the hands and feet correspond to different parts of the body. With reflexology, you will use your hands, thumbs, and fingers to stimulate areas of the client’s hands and feet. The pressure on the hands and feet helps relay messages of relaxation to connected parts of the body. Reflexology helps relieve tension, improve circulation, and support of the function of the 14 body systems.

What Can You Do With a Massage and Spa Management Degree?

Whether you are looking to start your own spa or want to manage an existing spa, with a massage and spa management degree, you can obtain employment as a sole practitioner in massage, a spa manager, clinic manager, spa trainer, or shift leader in the spa industry. A massage and spa management degree is a great first step to a career as a spa manager or owner.

Final Thoughts

Now that you are ready to manage a spa, it is time to take the first step and learn more about the Massage and Spa management program at Gwinnett College. We will give you the knowledge and skills to start managing a spa after graduation. It is up to you to manage the budget and attract the clients, but we are here if you need anything else after graduation. From networking opportunities to continuing education classes and career services support. We put your education first.

Want to Learn More?

Gwinnett College also offers a degree program in Massage & Spa Management for students attending the Lilburn, GA campus. The Associate of Science Degree in Massage and Spa Operations is designed to provide you with the additional knowledge and practical skills to transition into positions of leadership within the spa environment or to better function as a proprietor of your own massage business. The program includes core curriculum courses specific to the practice of massage as well as courses to be used in the administration of a practice.

Contact us to learn more about how you can become a massage therapist today.