How Does An LPN Become IV Certified?

LPN IV certification involves knowing how to safely insert a needle into a patient for a variety of different purposes. In LPN IV certification training you will learn how to:

• Insert a needle for the purpose of administering medication intravenously to a patient.

• Insert a needle for the purpose of a blood transfusion (where a patient who has lost blood is given more blood to replace it).

• Insert a needle for the purpose of withdrawing blood for testing or other purposes.

The main focus of this certification course is to teach you how to do all of the above correctly and safely. A badly placed needle can hurt a patient and may not be an efficient means of achieving the above aims. In addition if you are not careful you could cause an infection to flare up in the patient. For advanced IV skills and knowledge you will need to earn LPN IV certification.

There are a number of organizations that offer LPN IV certification. Two of these organizations are:

• The National Federation of Licensed Practical Nurses (NFLPN)
• The Infusion Nurses Society’s Certification Corporation

In order to be an LPN who is acknowledged as being an expert in the area of intravenous therapies you will need to go through the certification process as specified by one of these organizations. These are not the only certification bodies and requirements for certification can vary form organization to organization. In general, however, you will have to meet the following requirements:

• You will probably need to be licensed nurses.

• You will probably need to have previously completed an IV therapy training course.

• That course will most likely have to have included at least 20 contact hours in a setting where you would gain practical experience in IVB administration.

• You will have to successfully pass a proctored exam.

• You will need to obtain the required proctor and endorsement letters.

The LPN IV certification course that you complete should consist of two sections, namely theory and practical. You cannot become a certified IV LPN if you do not complete both aspects of the required training. There are in fact very few nursing training programs where you will not need to achieve a certain number of hours of practical experience, and these are usually for advanced practice nursing qualifications where you will already have received years of experience working as a nurse before you apply for certification. The certification organization can provide the study materials and information about where hands-on training is available in different geographic locations. To a large degree you will be responsible for ensuring that you receive the required number of hours of clinical training yourself. This should not be too difficult as you are already an LPN with access to the medical facility where you work.

Once you have received certification you will need to maintain your certification, often by presenting proof of continuing education credits. Again this depends on the specific organization through which you receive certification. For example you may be required to present proof of 20 continuing education credits every two years to the organization that initially certified you in order to stay certified. These requirements may vary, however, so be certain that you know what the recertification requirements are the impact on your situation.

Course Topics

As with any other certification course there are a number of topics that are specific to receiving LPN IV certification. According to education-portal.com these are the course topics that you can expect to cover in a certification course of this kind:

• Human body structure and functions (this is essential for understanding how the veins in the body work and where the veins are that you will be expected to insert the IV needle into)
• Importance of electrolytes and fluids
• IV solution concentrations
• IV preparation and vein selection
• Venipuncture techniques (Venipuncture is the term given to the act of literally puncturing the vein in order to insert the IV needle)
• Patient complications from IV therapy
• Peripheral access techniques in IV therapy
• Central access techniques and central line care in IV therapy
• IV therapies for specific disease control
• Health care legalities and regulations (all nursing specialties have to cover the various legal aspects of the job in order to cover both you as well as to cover the school or program through which you achieve your certification)

Employment Outlook And Salary Information

From 2008 to 2018 we expect to see a growth in the LPN profession of around 22%. Generally speaking this is a profession that is growing at a far faster rate than any other. Consequently the job outlook for LPNs in general is extremely good and is expected to remain stable, making this a very secure job sector to become involved in. In addition, nurses that have LPN IV certification well be in added demand for the skills that they have and the tasks in the nursing setting that they are permitted to perform. Consequently you will be able to find employment in any general LPN setting as well as in any setting where IV certification will come in handy. This is essentially a method through which you can improve your job prospects significantly and ensure that you will always be able to find employment no matter where you are in the country. On average an LPN earns about $41,000 a year, which is not a bad salary at all. Remember that this will depend on the number of years of experience that you have as well on which state you work in.

Professional Certification And Continuing Education Information

Certification to be an IV nurse is not compulsory, but rather voluntary, meaning that it is up to you to decide whether or not you want to pursue certification through one of the organizations that offer it. However it must be noted that it will improve the status of you resume and will create a situation where an employer is more likely to choose you on the basis of your LPN IV certification than another nurse with similar qualities who does not have the certification. This will of course be especially true in institutes and health care facilities where IV fluids are administered regularly. There are several organizations through which you can pursue voluntary certification:

• The National Federation of Licensed Practical Nurses (www.nflpn.org): IV Therapy and Gerontology certification.

• The Infusion Nurses Certification Corporation (www.incc1.org): Certified Registered Nurse Infusion credential.

Generally speaking you will need to already hold a nursing license in order to apply for certification through one of these bodies. You will also need to complete the number of training hours specified by that particular organization and you will need to write an exam.

IV Certification Programs

There are a number of schools and institutes that offer LPN IV certification training programs. It is essential that you ensure that the training program you attend is accredited by the appropriate bodies. If it is not you will essentially be wasting both your time and your money and you hard work and qualification will count for nothing. Choosing a program should be done carefully as it will affect the rest of your career.  Here is a list of some of the schools that you could attend in order to get your LPN IV certification:

Perivascular Nurse Consultants Inc.

8013 Bingham Street

Philadelphia, PA 19111

215-742-9833

pncnurse.com

National Pharmacy Technician Association – NPTA

PO BOX 683148

Houston, TX 77268

888-247-8700

pharmacytechnician.org

National Federation of Licensed Practical Nurses–NFLPN

605 Poole Drive

Garner, NC 27529

919-779-0046

nflpn.org

Contra Costa Medical Career College

4051 Lone Tree Way

Suite C

Antioch, Ca 94531

925-757-2900

ccmcc.org

University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey

65 Bergen St.

SSB 1020

Newark, NJ 07101

973-972-6655

umdnj.edu

Critical Concepts Medical Education

3201 Griffin Road

Suite 205

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312

800-606-8817

criticalconceptsusa.com

Receiving additional certification in your nursing career of any kind will be beneficial to you in terms of seeking employment and advancing your career opportunities. LPN IV certification is one of the more common certifications to receive, and it is also one that is most widely applicable to a variety of health care settings. If you specifically want to improve your opportunities in the health care field, this is the route that you should take in order to achieve this.

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Who Is Medical Assistant Training For?

Many people want to get into the medical field but don’t have the time, resources, or will to spend the years it requires to study medicine. For these people medical assistant training may well be the answer. If you would like to do the following, then medical assistant training is definitely the path for you:

• Work with patients to allay their fears, put them at their ease, and keep them comfortable
• Be part of a skilled medical team
• Work with health professionals
• Perform medical duties in line with your position as a medical assistant
• Make a difference

If you are interested in the above, then I suggest that you seriously consider medical assistant training. The following are the most basic things that you are likely to cover in medical assistant training:

• Accounting and other administrative skills
• Patient relations and interpersonal skills
• Office protocol and procedures
• Legal and ethical issues related to the medical field
• Clinical and diagnostic procedures
• Keeping patient and other records up to date and in good order
• First aid skills
• Pharmacology
• Physiology
• Anatomy
• Basic computer skills such as keyboarding
• Techniques used in laboratories
• Billing and coding (for insurance purposes)
• Terminology related to the medical field
• How to administer medication

It is very important for you to consider whether or not you have the necessary skills and patient to learn the above mentioned skills. Another important thing to consider is whether or not these subjects interest you. If you are not truly interested in what will be covered in course work, then you may want to consider an alternative career path.

Types Of Medical Assistants

When you engage in medical assistant training you need to keep in mind what you end goal is. Basically, you need to know what type of medical assistant you want to be. There are three man types of medical assistants:

Administrative Medical Assistants

When you do medical assistant training for becoming an medical administrative assistant you will be focusing more on the clerical side of things. Your tasks will include duties such as updating patient records and dealing with insurance claims. You will also be required to engage with the patients, and therefore you will need good interpersonal skills, something that will most likely be covered to a certain degree in your medical assistant training.

Clinical Medical Assistants

The tasks you will perform as a clinical medical assistant will vary according to the state in which you practice. It is therefore very important that you are aware of the state requirements that apply the area you want to work in, and that the medical assistant training that you receive covers all of the necessary skills you will need to perform your job adequately. Your tasks will still be basic, comparatively speaking, but you will have to have a certain degree of medical knowledge as at times you will have to prepare lab tests and sometimes even perform them, as well as checking vital signs of patients and taking medical histories, among other things.

Ophthalmic Medical Assistants

If you become an ophthalmic medical assistant you will basically be a specialist. Ophthalmic assistants receive specific medical assistant training that qualifies them to work in very specialized fields. You will have additional duties on top of those that other medical assistants have, and you will have to be trained to assist ophthalmologists in performing the various eye tests and exams that are necessary for assessing vision.

Responsibilities Of A Medical Assistant

Before deciding on any career path, you need to be aware of what exactly you will be doing once you are qualified. This applies to medical assistant training just as it does to everything else. What you will do depends on the type and size of institute or practice that you end up working for, but your basic role as a medical assistant will be to handle various administrative and clinical tasks that result in the smooth running of your place of work. If you work in a smaller office then your tasks are more likely to be very general. However, the larger the offices you work for, the more specialized your role as a medical assistant is likely to be.

The basic tasks of a medical assistant are:

• Collecting specimens from patients and processing them
• Educating the patients on how to keep healthy
• Do basic diagnostic exams
• Assist with medical exams
• Transcribe the patient’s medical information into the necessary charts
• Administer medications under appropriate supervision
• Maintain patients’ medical records and take patient histories
• Keep track of the scheduling, cancellation and monitoring of appointments in the practice
• Process insurance claims and keep track of insurance records
• Make sure that all accounts are paid and that all necessary payments are received

Working Conditions of a Medical Assistant:

• You will work in clean environments
• You will work in well-lighted environments
• You will be required to constantly interact with others
• You may have to handle many responsibilities at the same time
• You will work regular hours, about 40 hours a week
• You will have the opportunity to potentially work part time

With medical assistant training you will be able to work in a number of different situations, such as:

• Health clinics
• Insurance companies
• Pharmaceutical companies
• Laboratories
• Medical supply houses
• Doctor’s offices
• Hospital outpatient clinics

Medical Assistant Training

There are a large number of schools and programs out there that offer medical assistant training. It is very important that the medical assistant school that you choose, should you go that route, is properly certified, otherwise you will be wasting your time and your money. There are a few ways in which medical assistant training can occur:

On-The-Job Training

If you have a high school education, then you are likely to be eligible for on-the-job medical assistant training. Many people have successfully pursued this path, but it is important to remember that the job market is far more competitive these days. Employers look for people with qualifications, so while this is still an option, you may find that you will have more opportunities if you get a formal qualification.
There are a few options open to you when it comes to getting formal training:

Diplomas Or Certificates: Advantages

• You will only have to study for about one year to qualify as a medical assistant
• It is by far the cheaper option

Diplomas Or Certificates: Disadvantages

• You will not be eligible to continue on and get a degree if you only have a Diploma or Certificate.

Associate’s Degree: Advantages

• You will be held in higher esteem.
• You will be able to continue on and get a degree should you wish to go back to school.

Associate’s Degree: Disadvantages

• It is more expensive to do your medical assistant training in this way.
• It is also more time consuming, taking about two years.

Online Training: Advantages

• You will be able to study from anywhere.
• If your problem is time, and online qualification is much easier to fit into your schedule.
• Generally speaking, it takes far less time than other qualifications.
• It is the cheapest option.

Online Training: Disadvantages

• You will not b held in very high esteem with online medical assistant training.
• The school you use may not be certified.
• The quality of training may be very poor.

Becoming Certified As A Medical Assistant

Unlike other medical professions, you are not required to be certified as a medical assistant. However, it is in your best interest to become certified as this gives you more power in the job market. For certain tasks you will also be required to be certified, so if you are not certified you will be limiting your job opportunities. To become certified you will have to sit the CMA (certified medical assistant) examination which is offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants, after which you will have to take continuous assessments every five years to keep your qualification current.

Future Career As A Certified Medical Assistant

There are several opportunities that will be open to you once you are certified. You will for example be able to advance to being a nurse, a medical technologist, or a medical laboratory technician, meaning that you really will able to broaden your horizons with medical assistant training. Jobs you may be able to get with medical assistant training are:

• Registered nurse
• Licensed vocational nurse
• Home health aide
• Licensed practical nurse
• Phlebotomist
• Certified nursing assistant

With certification through medical assistant training you will not only be able to find a job in these difficult times, but you will be able to advance yourself sufficiently. The career opportunities are many and good. If you are looking for a new career, then medical assistant training may be the answer for you.

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Categories For Medical Assistant Certification

Eligibility Category 1

Completing student or recent graduate of CAAHEP or ABHES medical assistant certification program

Eligibility Category 2

Non recent graduate of CAAHEP or ABHES medical assistant certification program

Eligibility Category 3

CMA (AAMA) recertification

There are many reasons why a medical assistant should register with a professional body. A few examples are as follows.

• Employers are more likely to employ a certified assistant on legal grounds. This is due to increasing pressures resulting from successful lawsuits against the medical profession for malpractice. In other words it is a form of protection against legal claims for a potential employer.

• Employers have recourse by way of legal protection and have access to advice and legal counsel from the certification for medical assistant bodies.

• A certified assistant on average earns more than a non-certified assistant.

• Re-certification ensures that the assistant is always current in terms of new developments on all levels.

General Description Of Medical Assistant Work Description And Purpose

Generally speaking medical assistants are trained professionals who provide doctors and other specialist care givers with health care assistance to clinical care tasks and also perform certain administrative and managerial tasks in the same field. In the case with the clinical aspect of the profession they would be involved with tasks such as blood taking, blood pressure and temperature measuring, checking of other vital signs, urine testing, screening, sample collections and other routine medical tasks. With the onset of the technological advances the demand for trained assistants has increased and continues to so as the health care profession grows and expands. Nowadays there are many routes and options open to people wanting to pursue a career as a medical assistant. Whichever direction they may choose to go in it is vitally important to get your medical assistant certification from AAMA.

Even though certification for medical assistants is voluntary more and more professional doctors and other specialists are demanding that their employees be registered with a professional body. Not only does it prove that a person is well trained but also shows a degree of competency that is acceptable to a recognized professional body. There are a number of bodies that offer accreditations such as AAMA (American Association of Medical Assistants), CMA (Certified Medical Assistants), AMT(American Medical Technologist agency) and NHA (National Healthcareer Association).

Most employers will accept certificates from the aforementioned agencies but it would be advisable for the person embarking on a specific career in a specific area to do a little bit of research in this regard before committing to any one form of certification for medical assistants. The medical profession as it exists today would not function without the medical assistants who form a very valuable and intricate part of the industry as a whole.

Work Possibilities Prospects For Certified Medical Assistants

The type of work related to this industry cannot be considered glamorous in any way, nor is it extremely well paid. It is better suited to those who have a passion for the health care industry and care giving in general. In terms of job availability it is a very good industry to be involved in with numerous job possibilities continually opening up. In other words, the services of medical assistants are in high demand. Predictions in 2006 indicated over half a million additional medical assistants would be employed in the following eight year period. It is pretty safe to assume that a reasonably well trained and dedicated individual should not have much difficulty finding employment in this field and the possibility for long term growth does exist.

What And Where To Study To Earn A Medical Assistant Certification

Most people wanting to create a career in this field opt to study at a vocational school or community college for two years to obtain an associate degree. There are also one year specialized medical assistant training courses. In both instances it is vital that the student choose an accredited educational facility.

The course work covers a range of subjects from medical subjects to medical administrative courses. A competency exam will be written on competition and a pass is required for certification with a regulatory board such as AAMA. Although the medical assistant certification is optional it is preferable as it opens up a wider range of work possibilities for the aspiring medical assistant.

Areas Of Employment For Medical assistants

The specific areas in which the medical assistant aspirant can find work are as numerous and as varied as the medical profession. There are possibilities within the private sector as well as with institutions and the government, in the private sector medical assistance is required by general medical doctors, dentist, orthodontists, pathologists, x-ray and many others. In the area of government and institutions similar openings exist but one can also work in areas such as care for the aged, drug abuse and rehabilitation, occupational therapy, specialist care and many more. This is a very diversified field and one is bound to find a particular area within the profession that is of interest to the individual.

Salary Expectation

Although not of the highest paying areas of expertise the salaries are relatively good and do increase with age, experience and area of expertise. Like with other professions, there are professional bodies that protect the rights of its members and for medical assistants a number of bodies exist.

Average Salary Based On Experience / Hourly Rate

Average salary Based On Experience / Hourly Rate For Full Time Employees

As can be seen from the above tables medical assistant salaries are higher as full time employees however 95 % of full time medical assistants surveyed are paid on an hourly basis and only 5 % of those surveyed received an annual salary. It is also clear from the tables that the number of years worked by assistants paid on an hourly rate is nowhere near as high as those with more full time experience. Location was another factor that appears to affect the salaries earned. The states that employed the least medical assistants paid the highest salaries. Hawaii has a population of about 2.780 medical assistants and paid an average of 32.18 USD per person compared to California which has a medical assistant population of about 76.920 and paid out an average of 14.89 USD per person. The salaries also varied according to the field and in this regard assistants working in substance abuse and psychiatric hospital earned a mean hourly salary of 22.32 USD per hour. Second highest earning by sector was the dental industry which indicated a mean hourly average of 17.27 USD per hour. These last two statistics were taken on a national survey and are indicative of salary scale related to the sector within the medical assistant field.

Average Salaries By Region / Average Hourly Rates For Annual Gross Income

As can be seen from the above tables the rates do vary considerably depending on the regions but the overall figures are indicative of a pretty evenly remunerated industry.

Of all the assistants surveyed a figure of 62 % represented those who have a certificate or diploma as a medical assistant and around about 43 % hold associate degree in medical assistance. Of all registered assistants surveyed the majority worked as assistants in physicians offices. The figure is about 87 %. Around 6 % worked in hospitals or outpatient facilities and the remainder are determined as working for other.

Benefits For Certified Medical Assistants From Employers

Of the medical assistants surveyed 20 % indicated that their respective employers paid for all the medical assistant certification costs, 13 % received partial assistance and 7 % only had assistance from the employers in the form of board and lodging sponsorship for annual conferences and when exams needed to be written in out of town areas.

Rank And Orders Of Duties Related To Medical Assistant Employment

• CLINICAL 72 %
• ADMINISTRATIVE 25 %
• MANAGEMENT (Clinical) 5 %
• MANAGEMENT (Administrative) 4 %
• OTHER 6 %

Medical Assistants Responsibilities

• Outpatient history and vital signs 89 %
• Assist with patient exams 83 %
• Injections 73 %
• EKG’s 53 %
• Laboratory 50 %
• Venipuncture 47 %
• Other diagnostic testing 42 %
• X-Rays 10%
• Start IV’s 5 %
• Infuse medication into IV lines 2 %
• Not involved in clinical areas 5 %

Medical Assistants Involved With Administrative Responsibilities

• Schedule patients appointments 72%
• Medical records 52%
• Reception 45%
• Insurance, including coding 29%
• Bookkeeping 14%
• Not involved with administrative areas 16%

Medical Assistants Involved With Management Responsibilities

• Purchasing of equipment and supplies 33%
• Supervising of staff 12%
• Hiring, evaluating or termination of staff 6%
• Managing of office finances and investments 4%
• Not involved with management areas 61%

The majority of medical assistants are involved with preliminary checks and preparatory functions with smaller numbers being involved with administrative and managerial tasks. Although cross over does occur the amount of time spent on medical type duties far exceeds the other. There are exceptions where assistants have migrated entirely from the medical arena to being totally managerially or administratively involved.

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