Heart disease is one of the biggest killers in the Western world and needs to be diagnosed and treated early for a patient’s health. With sedentary lifestyles, obesity, and unhealthy eating, heart disease is on the rise. Practical nurses and medical assistants have a significant role in the diagnostic pathways for heart disease, particularly with new developments occurring. Here’s how practical nurses and medical assistants impact cardiology diagnostics.
Trend #1: Rapid Diagnosis
One of the most essential developments in cardiovascular disease is a rapid diagnosis so the correct treatment can begin as quickly as possible. In a heart attack, each minute of delayed treatment causes more damage to the heart muscle. Practical nurses have a significant role in getting patients diagnosed correctly and quickly. They work in emergency departments, doctors’ offices, and hospital departments, so they are part of the multi-professional team caring for the patient. An EKG is one of the most basic tests, something that medical assistants are trained to do. This is fundamental in getting a rapid diagnosis of heart disease. Practical nurses can do blood tests for cardiac enzymes and electrolytes, which also contribute to the diagnosis of a heart problem. With the help of heart disease rapid diagnosis, the practical nurse can be an invaluable member of the clinical team.
Trend #2: Detecting Arrhythmias
A common problem in cardiology is detecting disturbances in the heart rhythm. This is done by taking heart recordings, which a medical assistant is trained to do. They not only perform EKGs but can monitor patients using heart monitoring equipment and remote devices such as telemetry. Patients are sometimes given 24-hour EKG recording devices, which medical assistants can fit correctly and instruct the patient on how they function. Increasingly, more sophisticated long-term recording monitors are being used, such as Reveal devices.
Trend #3: Dealing with Emergencies
Practical nurses and medical assistants have a range of skills needed in a cardiac emergency. They can act as a resuscitation team member by performing CPR or helping with cardiac tests. A practical nurse can support staff in an operating room or angiography department where cardiology testing and monitoring are needed. They can assist in critical care and emergency room emergencies as part of a team. Practical nurses know how to use a defibrillator in an emergency and have training in resuscitation skills.
Trend #4: Health Screening
A growing trend in cardiology is health screening programs, particularly genetic testing for conditions such as cardiomyopathy. Practical nurses and medical assistants have a key role in health screening clinics due to their ability to perform a range of tests. This includes taking blood and recording an EKG.
Health screening is also done as an annual check-up of healthy people as part of a general medical. Practical nurses and medical assistants can support medical staff by recording EKGs and other tests.
Trend #5: Pre-Surgical Assessment
Rigorous pre-surgical assessment is vital to ensure the patient’s safety in the operating room. The medical assistant is significant in providing EKGs and echocardiograms in the pre-surgical departments. This helps ensure that any cardiac problems are detected and treated before surgery. Medical assistants are versatile and connect to several clinical teams for diagnostic testing.
Trend #6: Oncology and Cardiac Testing
Many types of anti-cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy, are potentially damaging to the heart. This means that patients undergoing treatment for cancer need to have some baseline tests, including an EKG and echocardiography. Medical assistants are ideal for this setting to perform tests promptly without delaying cancer treatment. Patients also require monitoring throughout and after their treatment, so a medical assistant will be involved in repeating these tests periodically. Some oncology departments have practical nurses embedded in the team as the demand for cardiac tests is so high. With an aging population, there will be an increased demand for cardiac screening within oncology as the incidence of cancer rises, so practical nurses and medical assistants will find an increased need for staff in this specialty.
Final Thoughts
In cardiology, diagnostic tests and treatments have changed dramatically over the last few years and continue to change thanks to research. Practical nurses and medical assistants have a large role to play in ensuring tests are done accurately and in a timely way so that diagnoses can be reached as quickly as possible. Through their ability to work both independently and as part of a larger multiprofessional team, the practical nurse and medical assistant have an interesting future by being at the heart of all these trends and developments.
Medical Assistant Program
Gwinnett Colleges & Institute offers medical assisting courses to help students gain essential skills and training at multiple campuses, from Lilburn, Roswell/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.
Practical Nurse Program
Are you looking for practical nursing training classes in Central Florida to prepare you to become a licensed practical nurse (LPN)? Gwinnett Institute in Orlando offers a Practical Nursing diploma program that trains LPN students for positions delivering basic bedside care to patients. The Practical Nursing diploma program provides the didactic and skills training needed to take the NCLEX-PN 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 Gwinnett Colleges & Institute today to learn more about becoming a practical nurse.