Dealing with Seasonal Allergies as a Medical Assistant

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You’re a medical assistant or a certified nursing assistant.  People come to your workplace seeking relief from the entire range of ailments and disabilities.  They count on their doctors, nurses, CNAs and medical assistants to be compassionate and comforting.  So it would not be comforting to them to bring their ailments to someone whose face is puffy, eyes and nose are runny and who is sneezing uncontrollably.  But if you, like millions of Americans suffer from seasonal allergies, you may find it difficult this time of year to put forth the healthy, comforting image expected of a CNA or medical assistant.  Yet, you cannot simply take a month off while the pollen cycle occurs.  So what can you do?  You don’t want to take too much over-the-counter allergy meds which may make you foggy and drowsy.  That wouldn’t set an ailing patient’s mind at ease either would it?  There are alternatives to the standard medicines which may work for you if you take the time to try them.  Time magazine has a brief article out about some non-traditional allergy remedies already in widespread usage in Europe.  Not as popular here in the US yet, these treatments seem to produce decent results in the recent studies performed here in the US.  My grandmother used to swear by the strategy of taking a teaspoon of locally produced honey each morning during the pollen season.  For her, it always helped keep the sneezing and runny eyes at bay.  Do you have any alternative allergy remedies you know of?

Preparing for Medical Assistant and CNA Job Interviews

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The old saw says, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of the cure”.  Nowhere is this more relevant than in the process of job interviewing.  As another old (but still true) saying goes, “You only get one chance to make a first impression”.  So it is exceedingly important that before you head out the door to go on an interview for a position as a certified nursing assistant, a medical assistant or a medical billing and coding specialist, you prepare yourself well.  This not only includes dressing for success and being punctual to arrive to the interview.  It also involves being ready to adequately answer any and all questions the interviewer may pose to you. Our last post focused on making sure your resume is in top condition.  So today, we’re going to focus on being prepared for the interview process.  Again, the job pros over at www.monster.com have produced some very excellent materials specific to the types of questions a CNA, medical assistant or medical billing candidate may reasonably be asked in an interview.  Below are links to specific information for each of these job fields.  If you’ve recently completed your CNA training or the medical assistant or medical billing programs at Allen School, you should definitely read these documents before you head out to find a new job.
  1. Medical billing interview questions
  2. Medical assistant interview questions
  3. Certified Nursing Assistant cover letter/resume samples

Get Your CNA or Medical Billing Résumé Past the Machines

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Résumé writing is not what it was even five short years ago.  Did you know that with so many people in the job market, HR professionals and other hiring authorities now use software to pre-screen résumés?  Its true!  Known in the human resources field as “ATS” for Applicant Tracking Systems, these “résumé robots” scan each and every résumé and employment application submitted, looking for keywords relevant to the job opening. If your cover letter, application and résumé contain the right keywords, then your materials are delivered to an actual human being in the hiring department. The correct keywords to use in your résumé can be gleaned from the job listing itself.  If the job listing for a medical billing and coding position includes language like, “Extensive experience with CPT, ICD-9 and medical insurance”, then you should be sure to include those same words in your materials (assuming you have those skills).  That way when the ATS scans your documents, it flags them as “relevant” and boosts the chances your materials will be passed along to a human. This is important information to understand because even if your résumé shows ample experience and healthy employment history, it may not ever even be seen.  Insufficient inclusion of keywords is only one pitfall.  Another is formatting.  Since most of these ATS rely on Microsoft Word, those sending PDF files of their résumé are also very likely to be passed over since the “bot” doesn’t read PDF.  It’s functionally the same as sending a blank sheet of paper. Monster.com has a great article about how to write your resume for the robots and improve your response rates when job seeking.  Read it and say goodbye to the days of sending resumes out and getting silence in response.

A Delicious Way to Study to Become a CNA

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CNA TrainingFeast your eyes on this awesome cell model cake created by a student named Nicolle WIliams for her Introduction to Biological Data class.  If you’re taking certified nursing assistant training with the Allen School, you may not get the opportunity to eat pathogens, microbes or other assorted bacteria while studying about them.  While the idea sounds pretty unsavory, I bet Nicolle remembers the difference between mitochondria, ribosomes and lysosomes because each had such a wonderfully distinct, fruit flavor!

Be a Productivity Pro in the Medical Office with Tips from Our First President

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Working as a CNA or a medical assistant requires a great deal of organizational skills and productivity.  We all know how hard it can be to become – and then remain – super productive.  That is why I want to share with our Allen School readers a great piece that was published over at www.lifehacker.com.  In this piece, the author shares historical evidence of productivity secrets from none other than George Washington, our country’s first president.  So successful was he at being on top of his game, that our country has flourished and grown into the the amazing place that we all call home today.  Read the article here and take away as much wisdom as you can from our founding father.  Be a leader in your own right as you embark on a career as a Certified Nursing Assistant or Medical Assistant.

Medical Office Etiquette

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Don't say these things out loud in your office

So you’re about to complete your studies to be a Medical Assistant, Certified Nursing Assistant or Medical Billing and Coding pro.  Congratulations to you!  Soon you’ll be finding a job.  And when you do, despite the nature of the work after medical office assistant training, you’ll still be working in – wait for it – an office!  As such, you’ll be subject to the same rules of workplace etiquette as those who work in every other kind of office environment. As someone who has toiled in the fluorescent halls of nearly every kind of imaginable office, let me pass along a little wisdom that will help you avoid landing in hot water in your new office gig.  The folks over at job board Monster.com published this great little piece about the 5 things you should never say in the office.  High on that list is the old chestnut, “That’s not my job!”  I cannot tell you how many erstwhile colleagues I witnessed utter this job-torpedoing four-word resignation.  Another “no-no” utterance from the article is “It’s not fair!”  Even shorter, at three words, this little sentence will also dramatically reduce the number of days you’ll likely spend in the employ of the office wherein you made that plaintive whine. Here’s the whole article.  Read up and avoid making these rookie mistakes in your first office ecosystem.  Better to learn it here than learn it the hard way.  I know, because I dropped a couple of these bombs myself as a green office denizen.  I can attest to the negative influence on one’s earning ability these simple sentences bring.  Just don’t do it!

When Doctors Become Nurses

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Here at the Allen School Blog, we frequently shine the light on instances of people who began their careers as CNAs, medical office assistants or even medical billing and coding specialists, using this valuable training as a springboard for advancement through the medical industry ranks.  There are those who even leverage their studies towards the end goal of one day becoming physicians.  But a commenter on an earlier post made me aware of an interesting trend wherein some doctors are leaving the stress and demands of their jobs behind to instead take positions as nurses and medical billing/coding specialists.  After all, some fields of medicine are particularly stressful.  With the pay for medical billing and nursing jobs continuing to remain robust – and with their well-established knowledge of the field – it seems natural that some doctors may make the switch back to the lucrative and less psychically demanding field of medical office support.  The hours are better, the pay is good and the working environment is much lower key than on the front lines of medical practice.  Has anyone else heard of this trend?  Here are links to a couple articles about this phenomenon. Link One Link Two

New York Stands with Our Boston Brethren

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The appalling and tragic attack on the Boston Marathon reminds us that whatever rivalries may exist between New York (home of the Allen School) and Boston on the ball fields and basketball courts, pale in comparison to the solidarity we all share as proud Americans.  What harm was visited on them is visited on us all.  As an institution that trains caregivers, we stand ready to provide all the care and support we can – physical, moral or spiritual – to our brothers and sisters in the city of Boston.  Stand strong, we’re right here beside you in your hour of need.  

Medical Billing, Office Assistant, Lead to Top Earning Jobs

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I never seem to get tired of reporting on the following kind of story.  Moreover, I am guessing as people either studying (or thinking about studying) medical billing and coding or medical office assistant training, you’re probably not getting tired of reading them. The folks over at Yahoo! Education have compiled a list of six high paying jobs on the rise.  These are growing career fields that exhibit an average annual salary of $75,000 or more.  On the list are some careers you would expect on such a list – software developer, civil engineer.  But making the list in the number 6 spot is, “Medical and Health Services Manager”.  The Department of Labor projects employment of medical and health services managers to grow by 22 percent from 2010 to 2020, adding 68,000 new jobs along the way. Now, although these positions require professionals with solid background in medical billing and other medical office administration capabilities, they’re also positions for which a bachelor’s or even a master’s degree is commonly required.  However, the article does mention that also of great import to landing such a career is the real-life, on-the-job experience that you’ll surely earn by beginning your career as a graduate of medical billing and coding or medical office assistant with the Allen School.  If you excel in the job world after graduation, you may be of a mind to consider furthering your education along these lines to go for a management position.

Spring Allergies and the Foods that Impact Them

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As any working certified nursing assistant or medical office assistant will tell you, business in the doctor’s office picks up significantly during allergy season each year.  This year will be no different.  In fact, according to scientists, the late Spring and the effects of climate change will combine to make this year particularly rough on those who typically suffer from seasonal allergies.  But here’s something that perhaps CNAs and medical office assistants do not know.  And it’s something they can use to help their suffering patients as the blossoms bloom and the pollen rains down.  Certain foods and beverages have significant impact on the body’s histamine production.  Some by amplifying its effect and others by suppressing it.  The folks over at the Huffington Post have a neat slideshow and article laying out which eats will help and which will exacerbate the suffering.  If you’re like me and you like a nice spicy burrito and a cold beer, you’re hosed as chili peppers and beer are on the list of foods that make allergies worse.  Of course, if you love celery and apples, then you’re golden this allergy season!