Certified Medical Assistant - WCC

Certified Medical Assistant

The Washington State Department of Corrections (DOC) is seeking a highly motivated and qualified Certified Medical Assistant to join the Health Services team located at the Washington Corrections Center in Shelton, WA. Under the general supervision of the licensed practitioner and/or lead of the Registered Nurse, the Medical Assistant-Certified will assist in providing patient care, which may include performing routine medical records duties, some administrative support, and other clinical duties to assist in the smooth operation of the medical department of WCC.

Duties

Assist in providing patient care services within the scope of licensure and as delegated by the licensed practitioner or Registered Nurse

• Provide assistance in all direct delivery of patient care by the Provider, which includes but is not limited to:
  • Vital Signs
  • Visual Acuity
  • Ear irrigations
  • Injections/Vaccinations
  • Basic laboratory functions (venipuncture, CLIA waved laboratory in-house testing) and transports labs
  • Electrocardiography
  • Respiratory assessments (pulmonary function/peak flow)
• Observe, document in the medical record, and report to practitioner or Registered Nurse:
  • Patient history and relevant data
  • Current health status (physical and emotional)
  • Situation of patient, family, groups, and/or communities by interview, observation, and inspection.
• Recognize and report abnormal vitals and labs.
• Carry out licensed practitioners' written, verbal, and telephone orders in a timely manner.
• Monitor patient's condition following procedures; recognize and report emergent/urgent problems or symptomology of common medical illness to the licensed practitioner or Registered Nurse.
• Respond to emergencies within a facility by providing emergency medical care, including Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and basic life support in a timely, competent manner.
• Other tasks directed by the Physician, ARNP, or Physician's Assistant, that fall under the legal scope of practice of a Medical Assistant-Certified.

Provide clinical support to the health services team to ensure continuity of patient care and efficient clinic operations

• Attend briefing from off-going staff upon arrival on shift for pertinent clinical information, including patients' current health status, urgent diagnostic reports, observation rooms, staffing concerns, etc.; brief on-coming clinical staff as appropriate before departing from duty;
• Monitor patient flow in the outpatient clinic to assure timeliness of care and efficient clinical operations;
• Ensure exam room is prepared for each patient, including medical records, instruments, etc. to expedite patient flow and support practitioner, as appropriate.
• Work collaboratively with Patient Services Representatives to ensure patient scheduling, rescheduling, check-in, or no-show is documented appropriately.

Medical Records Documentation

• Legibly document subjective and objective clinical findings and the actions taken to deliver health care.
• Maintain the confidentiality of protected health information (PHI).
• Effectively communicate verbally, in writing, and via computer or other electronic media with other health care personnel, custody, and other institutional personnel.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Completion of a Medical Assistant-Certified program accredited by the American Association of Medical Assistants or the Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation (CAHEA).
• Experience working as a Medical Assistant in an outpatient clinic setting.
• Certification by the American Heart Association in Basic Life Support and Basic First Aid. Ability to work competently in Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel.
• Ability to learn job specific DOC programs needed to perform work assignments. Initial and unblemished/unrestricted licensure in the State of Washington as a Certified Medical Assistant.

In addition to the above, this position also requires:

• Ability to work a minimum of 40 hours per week.
• Ability to adjust work schedule to meet organizational needs.
• Maintain professional work relationships with staff, the public, and other stakeholders.
• Ability to work with diverse staff.
• Prioritize and complete tasks in accordance with timelines and expectations.
• Ability to research, accumulate, organize, and communicate technical information both orally, in writing, in person, and using technologies such as telephone, electronic mail, and computer equipment.
• Ability to multi-task in a fast paced, deadline oriented environment.
• Ability to deescalate and listen to emotional/upset patients.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Read, understand, and apply policies and procedures.
• Walk, sit and/or stand for extended periods of time.

Preferred/Desired Qualifications:

• IV Certification/Phlebotomy
• Familiarity with both front and back-office operations in an outpatient clinic setting.
• Experience actively participating in the quality improvement process for any business, including brainstorming, proposing improvement plans, or measuring success.