Mid America Health

Archive for the ‘Medical Technician’ Category

There is no question with regard to trade certification: medication aide, nursing assistant and other health professionals all need it in order to work at their designated fields. Certification basically refers to a vital piece of paper that people in sensitive trades are required to have… and arguably, no trade is more sensitive than working in a medical facility, such as a hospital, a clinic or a pharmacy.

What can you expect from training to get certification? Medication aide aspirants will wonder if they actually need to study medicine in order to quality for training. This is not so. One does not need to have an extensive knowledge of medicine, although this is of course a plus… what is more important for a medication aide, is to develop a sense of organization and punctuality, which are both required skills on the job.

Moreover, a medication aide wishing to work in a specific state must take the certification exam set by that state. While some elements of certification may be standardized, certain states may require some medication aides to be intimately familiar with certain laws that would govern their performance on the job. Passing rates for the Board would also differ for different regions.

What is a medication aide? A medication aide is also called a “medical technician” or “med tech” in some regions. The prime responsibility of a med tech is to assist nurses and doctors in dispensing medication on the job. They differ from pharmacy technicians in that their primary responsibility is tending to inpatients – that is, patients who are required to stay in the hospital in which they are treated.

Certainly many inpatients also rely on the medication dispensed by pharmacies… but the help given by med techs or medication aides is indispensable within hospitals. In the case of late-night medications, when close relatives are no longer allowed to stay and acquire and dispense medication for the sick, medication aides take over. They should be depended on for their ability to stick to a schedule and not get the medications mixed up.

Medication aides are not only called for in hospitals – they are also useful in senior homes, or other places that are badly in need of good medical professionals.

In order to gain proper certification, medication aide must be able to pass the Board for a certified Medication Training Course. But this is not all. An application for medication aide must be filed with the hospital or institution one wishes to be hired in. And, of course, one must be listed on the official Medication Aide Registry of the country in which he or she wishes to work.

Medical malpractice occurs when a medical professional or medical institution provides a medical service to a patient that results in a negative result due to an error, lack of judgment, or negligence. An act of medical malpractice can be committed by a individual practitioner, surgeon, resident, intern, nurse, or even a medical technician. The levels of medical malpractice are categorized by the severity of the harm caused by the medical professional. Some acts are quite small that many patients and doctors alike do not even realize that they have occurred. Others are more obvious as they can serve as a catalyst for causing more serious problems in the future. An example of this is being prescribed the wrong medication, which will undoubtedly cause future problems depending on the type of prescription and dosage given to the patient. Such things as liver and kidney failure as well as heart palpitations can all stem from being taken the wrong medications. Acts of medical malpractice have risen in the past decade due which is causing it to become an epidemic that is sweeping our country. This problem needs a solution that addresses the underlying issues, not just the ones that are in the eyes of the media. In addressing the underlying issues and coming up with a solution that will help to bring about change is the exact thing that needs to be done.

From the perspective from a lawyer, going through a medical malpractice lawsuit can be one of the most trying times in one life especially if the act resulted in death. The lawsuit can prove to be quite lengthy as the opposing side tries to drown the victim in lengthy depositions so that they will give in and settle early. The opposing side may take the approach of making the process as long as possible so that the plaintiff will run out of money and will be forced to settle early. The best thing to do is try to stick out the lawsuit, for your settlement figure depends on it. A settlement will typically cover medical expenses, loss of wages, as well as for pain and suffering. One very important thing to remember is that an act of medical malpractice is not the victim’s fault, so they should not feel embarrassed or ashamed to file a medical malpractice lawsuit. A support group for the victims and their families is a very important thing to have so that they can fully realize how this event has affected their lives. If you or a loved one has been affected by an act of medical malpractice, contact a lawyer as soon as possible. A lawyer will be able to determine the severity of your case and determine the proper steps needed gain you justice. A medical malpractice lawsuits can prove to be a very trying time in ones life but it is essential so that you can cover crucial to cover medical expenses, loss of wages, and for pain and suffering.

Hospital malpractice can occur when a doctor or medical staff member provides negligent treatment or care from which the patient suffers harm. There are around 225,000 people in the US who die every year from medical errors and malpractice. Also, it is important to remember that medical malpractice does not always have to involve a doctor. Malpractice can occur from any medical professional who is treating a patient. These medical professionals can include nurses and pharmacists, as well as medical technicians, and other members of the hospital’s staff.

The most common forms of medical malpractice include:

·         The failure of medical staff to properly diagnose a serious illness or medical condition

·         The failure of medical staff to begin the treatment of a disease or medical condition

·         Medical staff failing to properly treat a serious condition

·         Mistakes arising during and after surgery, including complications from anesthesia

·         Mistakes involving patient prescriptions



Failure to Properly Diagnose or Misdiagnosing a Serious Medical Condition

The failure to properly diagnose or misdiagnosing a serious medical condition or illness can result in the death of a patient. The Institute of Medicine estimates that there are about 225,000 people who die each year from various medical mistakes. Many of these deaths are preventable as long as the patient was properly diagnosed when they arrived at the hospital.

Failure to Begin Treatment or Properly Treat a Serious Illness

Many times, the patient receives a diagnosis, but they are given the wrong treatment plan, or there is a delay in administering a treatment plan. These mistakes can arise when the hospital staff doesn’t:

·         Run the correct diagnostic tests

·         Follow the physician’s treatment plan

·         Administer the correct medication

·         Properly monitor the patient

Surgical Errors and Complications from Anesthesia

There is never a surgery that is entirely risk free.  But, even with these risks, we have faith that our surgeons are the best at what they do and are educated and highly skilled. Unfortunately, there are mistakes that happen during surgery and no matter what the reasons are for the mistake, it is completely unacceptable. The most common mistakes that occur during or after surgery include:

·         Surgical equipment, such as sponges or rags, that are left inside a patient

·         The accidental cutting or puncturing of a nerve, organ or artery during the surgery

·         Performing the incorrect surgery or making an incision in a wrong location on the patient’s body

·         Performing a surgery that is unapproved and/or unnecessary

·         Unprofessional or careless surgical techniques

·         Complications from anesthesia, stemming from incorrect dosage and administration, to side effects such as stroke or heart attack

Prescription Errors

Being given the wrong prescription can have life-threatening side effects. Some common mistakes involving prescriptions include:

·         The patient being prescribed the wrong medication or dosage

·         The doctor prescribing the patient a medication that has negative interactions with the medication that the patient is currently taking

·         Inexperienced or overworked pharmacists filling the wrong prescription, using the wrong drug, or giving the patient the wrong instructions for taking the medication

The number of people injured each year by the negligence or oversight of our medical professionals is staggering.