Academic Catalogs

MA A150: Medical Assisting Core

Course Outline of Record
Item Value
Curriculum Committee Approval Date 10/06/2021
Top Code 120800 - Medical Assisting
Units 3 Total Units 
Hours 54 Total Hours (Lecture Hours 54)
Total Outside of Class Hours 0
Course Credit Status Credit: Degree Applicable (D)
Material Fee No
Basic Skills Not Basic Skills (N)
Repeatable No
Grading Policy Standard Letter (S)

Course Description

Introduction to Medical Assisting, Student Success, Safety in the Health Care Workplace, Intro to Computers and Electronic Health Records, Medical Office Emergencies, Ethics and Law, Psychology for the Medical Assistant, Basics of Patient Education, Communication/Multiculturalism in Healthcare, and Nutrition Basics for the Medical Assistant. PREREQUISITE: ALH A111 and BIOL A221; or ALH A111 and BIOL A220 and BIOL A225. Transfer Credit: CSU.

Course Level Student Learning Outcome(s)

  1. Identify the functions of an entry level medical assistant in the administrative and clinical areas.

Course Objectives

  • 1. Discuss the growth and history of the Medical Assisting Profession.
  • 2. Identify the scope of practice for the Medical Assistant, in the State of California.
  • 3. Define the professional qualifications and duties of the medical assistant.
  • 4. Identify desirable character or personality traits needed to become a successful medical assistant.
  • 5. Discuss the value of high standards for the medical assistant student.
  • 6. Describe the relationship between achievement standards as a student and future standards as a medical assistant.
  • 7. List parts of a typical medical office computer system
  • 8. Use a computer to access information from commercial information services and the internet
  • 9. Identify learning styles.
  • 10. Locate medical resources in the community
  • 11. List the essential components of verbal and non-verbal communication.
  • 12. Discuss sources of communication breakdown.
  • 13. Discuss issues related to multi-cultural personal contact in the medical office.
  • 14. Identify dynamics of prejudice.
  • 15. List cultural factors that may affect patient care in an outpatient setting.
  • 16. Identify each of the five levels of Maslows Hierarchy of Needs.
  • 17. List the stages of development as identified by Erikson and Freud.
  • 18. Define the stages of grief as identified by Kubler-Ross.
  • 19. Identify defense mechanisms.
  • 20. Recognize common hazardous waste material in the medical office and clinic.
  • 21. List five components of the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS).
  • 22. Discuss the appropriate uses of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the medical office.
  • 23. Recognize situations that may expose medical assistants to blood and body fluids.
  • 24. Discuss the OSHA Categories I, II, III tasks seen in the medical office

Lecture Content

Module “A”-  Introduction to Medical Assisting      1.   Early innovations in science and medicine      2.   Significant medical advances during the past 400 years that provided the foundation for todays orthodox health care practices      3.   Forms of holistic medicine      4.   The growth and history of the medical assisting profession      5.   Categories of healthcare occupations and healthcare team members for each category      6.   Types of professional doctors      7.   The main functions of health care practices      8.   Identify the scope of practice of the medical assistant, in the State of California      9.   Professional organizations for medical assistants and their purposes      10.  Professional qualification and duties of the medical assistant      11.  Desirable character or personality traits needed to become a successful medical assistant      12.  Professional appearanceModule “B” - Strategy for Student Success and Performance Improvement      1.   Desirable character or personality traits needed to become a successful medical assistant      2.   Proper professional appearance      3.   Learning styles     nb 4.   Campus support systems      5.   Major responsibilities of the medical assistant student      6.   The value of high standards for the medical assistant student      7.   The relationship between achievement standards as a student and future performance standards as a medical assistant      8.   Effective study habits that improve student learning.      9.   Attitudes towards studying and current study skill habits.Module “C” - Computer Basics and Electronic Health Records      1.   Relationship between computer hardware and software      2.   Parts of a typical office computer system      3.   Electronic mail (e-mail)      4.   Use a computer to access information from commercial information services and the internet      5.   Word processing equipment and differentiate between hardware and software      6.   Create, save, close, open, print, and edit Word® documents      7.   Enhance documents with character formatting including all caps, bold, underlining, and italics using Word®      8.   Maintenance of health care documentsModule “D” - Psychology for the Medical Assistant      1.   Maslow      2. s p; Erikson      3.   Freud      4.   Kubler-Ross      5.   Defense mechanismsModule “E” - Communication/Multiculturalism      1.   Essential components of communication      2.   Sources of communication breakdown      3.   Verbal and nonverbal communication      4.   Telephone communication      5.   Techniques used for effective telephone communications      6.   Factors that will enhance customer service      7.   Perceptions of multi-culturalism      8.   Issues related to multi-cultural personal contact      9.   The dynamics of prejudice      10.  Cultural bias and its effects on the quality of patient care      11.  Cultural factors that may affect patient careModule “F” - Nutrition Basics for the Medical Assistant      1.   Bodys need for food and fluids      2.   Common nutrients and their food sources      3.   The food pyramid and recommended food intake      4.   The vegan basic four food groups      5.   Special nutritional needs of the elderly      6.   Diet commonly ordered in diet therapy      7.   Dietary modifications generally affected by religious and/or cultural differences      8.   Alternative ways to administer nutritionModule “G” - Safety in the Health Care Environment      1.   Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)      2.   Common hazardous waste material in the medical office and clinic      3.   Hazard communication standard      4.   Components of a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)      5.   Elements of OSHA Blood borne pathogen standard      6.   Dispose of hazardous and bio-hazardous waste      7.   Handling laundry and contaminated linen      8.   Needle safety and disposal methods      9.   Employer responsibilities associated with the Blood borne Pathogen Standard      10.  OSHA Category I, II, and III tasksModule “H” - Patient Education      1.   Benefits of patient education      2.   Role of MA in patient education      3.   MA scope of practice related to patient education      4.   Patient education packets      5.   Identification of resources outside of the medical office      6.   Teaching aides      7.   Identifying patients teaching needs

Method(s) of Instruction

  • Lecture (02)
  • DE Live Online Lecture (02S)
  • DE Online Lecture (02X)

Instructional Techniques

Lecture, demonstration, class discussion, computer aided exercises

Reading Assignments

Students will read on average 2-3 hours per week from assigned readings.

Writing Assignments

Students will spend approximately 2-3 hours per week on handbook assignments and computer-aided assignments related to the electronic health record (EHR).

Out-of-class Assignments

Students will spend approximately 4-5 hours per week on out-of-class assignments, including assigned readings, handbook assignments, and computer-aided assignments related to the electronic health record (EHR).

Demonstration of Critical Thinking

Multiple choice tests Problem solving exercises Oral Power Point presentation:  Patient Education

Required Writing, Problem Solving, Skills Demonstration

Student handbook assignments Computer aided assignments related to the electronic health record

Eligible Disciplines

Nursing: Masters degree in nursing OR bachelors degree in nursing AND masters degree in health education or health science OR the equivalent OR the minimum qualifications as set by the Board of Registered Nursing, whichever is higher. Masters degree required. Nursing science/clinical practice: Any bachelors degree and two years of professional experience, or any associate degree and six years of professional experience.

Textbooks Resources

1. Required Niedzwiecki, B. Kinns The Medical Assistant, 14th ed. St. Louis: Elsevier, 2021 2. Required Elsevier.. SimChart for the Medical Office, 2021 ed. St. Louis: Elsevier, 2021 3. Required Niedzwiecki, B.. Kinns The Medical Assistant: Procedure Manual, 14th ed. St. Louis: Elsevier, 2020 4. Required Niedwiecki, B.. Kinns The Medical Assistant: Study Guide, 14th ed. St. Louis: Elsevier, 2020 Legacy Textbook Transfer Data: New edition