Most of us have had the help and support of a Medical Assistant while visiting a hospital or a physician’s office and hopefully, the interaction was pleasant one. It’s not just the information you learn, however, that ensures you will have the qualities of a Medical Assistants. In order to become successful in this field there are some basic qualities that a candidate should possess.
Communication Skills
Among the most important Medical Assistant qualities are communication skills, as these are the basic characteristics for this profession. An MA should listen to a patient explain their concerns without interruption. At the same time, however, they ask questions to guide them in explaining their concerns. There are some diplomatic ways to obtain the essential information from the patients in order to help the physician treat them efficiently. Communication skills also involve clearly narrating the vital instructions to the patient, given by the Doctor. As an MA you should answer any questions the patient may have effectively and unmistakably; even if that means checking with the Doctor for the correct answer.
Compassion
Besides being a good listener, it is very important that a Medical Assistant is compassionate to their patients. An MA should try and understand the worries, concerns and other emotional states of each patient by discussing with them. Interacting with each patient in a compassionate way will help them to feel more comfortable and relaxed at the time of their health assessment.
Stress Management
A physician’s office or a hospital can be full of patient activity. At times this can make a Medical Assistant feel quite stressed. As an MA you will have a lot of administrative and clinical duties to perform each day on top of a busy waiting room and patients’ questions. Occasionally these work-related stresses can contribute to confusion and anxiety so it becomes your responsibility not to let that spill on to your patients. An MA should have the capability to overcome daily stress levels professionally and figure out the best way to handle any stressful situations that arise.
Reliable
A Medical Assistant is expected to be a reliable person. The physician, healthcare group associates, and the incoming patients depend on the Medical Assistant to relay the correct information and perform each task correctly. For those reasons a Medical Assistant should be punctual, career-focused and should value the conventional code of behavior.
Honesty
Among a Medical Assistant’s traits, ‘honesty’ is the best policy for this lifetime career. The personal information that a Medical Assistant collects has to be maintained as confidential in a healthcare setting. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act [HIPAA] is a confidentiality rule that needs vigilance and care in maintaining each patient set of information. However, it is also considered courteous to behave trustworthy to a patient while reviewing their health or personal information [even during informal conversation]. Each and every Medical Assistant will be introduced to circumstances where they need to prove their ethical and moral characteristics on a daily basis therefore honesty is a chief quality to become a professional Medical Assistant.
Willpower
At times, you will be interacting with a physician who is bursting with questions that may overwhelm you or with a disgruntled patient who is in a lot of pain that may be lashing out on you. In situation like this, having strong willpower towards your personal feelings is extremely important. Being a professional in a health care environment, not reacting but instead responding, and still remaining polite all at the same time is the unique Medical Assistant trait that is necessary for you as a good professional.
If you possess the above-mentioned traits, then go ahead and join in a professional Medical Assistant training program that will give you all the essential courses required to become a successful medical assistant. Are you thinking about a new career as a Medical Assistant? If so, contact the Allen School today! We are enrolling now for classes starting soon! Visit www.allenschool.edu to learn more.
-ALLEN SCHOOL
Social work is a dynamic and demanding profession that requires a variety of skills and qualities. Whether these skills are innate or acquired, success in the field requires social workers to continually develop them throughout their career. While this list is not exhaustive, the following skills are vital for all social workers.
10 Characteristics and Skills of Successful Social Workers
1. Empathy
Empathy is the ability to identify with and understand another person’s experience and point of view. NASW defines it as "the act of perceiving, understanding, experiencing and responding to the emotional state and ideas of another person."¹
“Stepping into someone else’s shoes” and recognizing that experiences, perceptions and worldviews are unique to each individual enables social workers to better understand and build stronger relationships with clients. It is a vital skill that helps social workers to determine a client’s needs based on his or her unique experiences in order to efficiently provide services.
¹Barker, R. L. [2003]. The Social Work Dictionary. 5th ed. Washington, DC: NASW Press.
2. Communication
Communication – both verbal and non-verbal – is a vital skill for social workers. The ability to communicate clearly with a wide range of people is essential. It is the duty of social workers to advocate for their clients – in order to do this, social workers must understand the client’s needs. In addition to being cognizant of body language and other non-verbal cues, this means communicating appropriately and effectively with clients regardless of cultural background, age, gender, literacy skill level or disability. Social workers must also communicate with care providers, colleagues, and agencies, and must document and report information in a clear manner.
3. Organization
Social workers have busy schedules and a wide range of responsibilities in addition to managing and supporting multiple clients, including documentation, reporting, billing and collaboration. This requires social workers to be very organized and able to prioritize clients’ needs in order to effectively manage cases. Disorganization and poor time management could cause a social worker to overlook a client’s needs and result in negative outcomes.
4. Critical thinking
Critical thinking is the ability to analyze information gathered from unbiased observation and communication. Social workers must be able to objectively evaluate each case by collecting information through observation, interviews and research. Thinking critically and without prejudice enables social workers to make informed decisions, identify the best resources and formulate the best plan to help clients.
5. Active listening
Active listening is necessary for social workers to understand and identify a client’s needs. Listening carefully, concentrating, asking the right questions, and utilizing techniques such as paraphrasing and summarizing also helps social workers to engage and establish trust with clients.
6. Self-care
Social work can be demanding and emotionally stressful, so it is important to engage in activities that help you to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Self-care refers to practices that help to reduce stress and improve health and well-being – engaging in these practices helps to prevent burnout and compassion fatigue and is crucial to having a sustainable career. By taking the time to care for themselves, social workers are better able to provide the best services for their clients. Learn more about self-care with our self-care starter kit.
7. Cultural competence
Working effectively with clients from diverse backgrounds requires social workers to be respectful and responsive to cultural beliefs and practices. Social workers must be knowledgeable and respectful of their clients’ cultural backgrounds and must, as stated by NASW, “examine their own cultural backgrounds and identities while seeking out the necessary knowledge, skills, and values that can enhance the delivery of services to people with varying cultural experiences associated with their race, ethnicity, gender, class, sexual orientation, religion, age or disability.” Possessing a non-judgmental attitude and an appreciation for diversity and the value of individual differences enables social worker to provide clients with what they need.
8. Patience
Social workers encounter an array of circumstances and individuals in their work. It is important to have patience to work through complex cases and with clients who need longer periods of time to make progress. This empowers social workers to understand the client’s situation and avoid hasty decision-making and frustration that can lead to costly errors and poor outcomes for the client.
9. Professional commitment
Being successful in social work requires lifelong learning. Social workers must have a professional commitment to social work values and ethics, and to continuously developing professional competence. This commitment is necessary for fulfilling the mission of social workers – “to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed and living in poverty.”
10. Advocacy
Social workers promote social justice and empower clients and communities through advocacy. Advocacy skills enable social workers to represent and argue for their clients and to connect them with needed resources and opportunities, especially when clients are vulnerable or unable to advocate for themselves.