AU Blogspot

I wasn’t sure at first if Ashworth was going to be the best school for me to take this program. And I wasn’t sure if the program would be good and really help me in the near future.  I was confused, but I made the best decision. Their program is good and you will learn the program if you really pay attention to it and take every lesson seriously.   

I got my package one week after enrolling.  It was fast and everything was there.  I’m new in the medical field, so I was kind of nervous yet excited at the same time.  I’m now on Lesson 4.  Getting there and loving it!

It’s pretty hard for me, but I am very motivated and looking forward to finishing my program.  I hope to be able to start working in a hospital or home health environment—doing what I love to do.

To all my fellow Medical Billing/Claims students, keep motivating yourself.  

It’s all worth it!  Good Luck!

Amanda
Student
Ashworth Medical Billing/Claims Program 

                 Thanks to inajeep for permission to use this Photo.

For many moms, going back to work after spending so much time with their newborn is one of the most difficult things they will ever have to do. Here are some ideas to make the transition just a little easier.

Before You Return To Work  

Decide when you want to return to work

Discuss with your employer how much time you can take for maternity leave. You might not have the luxury of deciding whether or not to return to work, but you can take as much time as you’re allowed.

Find dependable child care

Leaving your newborn in someone else’s care can be very stressful. Finding a reliable child-care provider whom you trust will ease your worries considerably. Your child-care options range from individual in-home care to a creche. Give yourself time to find the best facilities in your area.

Talk to your boss

Discuss your duties and schedule so you’ll know what’s expected of you when you return. Ask about flexible hours or working from home on occasion.

Once You’re Back At Work

Manage your time well

Balancing family and work responsibilities demands good time management and organizational skills. You need to plan a system to make sure everything gets done. If you are overwhelmed with demands, allow the less important ones to slide.

Stay connected

Find ways to stay connected with your baby when you’re away. Make regular phone calls to see how your baby’s doing or keep photos on your desk. (more…)

              Thanks to timtinman for permission to use this Photo.                 

Even though you massage only one body part at a time, it’s critical that you keep the body’s “wholeness” in mind.  The book explains this concept well.  For example, when someone has a headache, you know that they will benefit from a head massage.  That’s obvious.  But if you have a good understanding of the body’s wholeness, you’ll know that you need to massage the neck and shoulders as well.  As we’ve discussed in previous lessons, it’s all connected.  Everything!  I know you’ll be absolutely amazed as you begin to experience for yourself the interconnectedness of bodily regions and parts.   

You’ll probably find that the majority of the massages you give focus on relaxing the neck or back.  These are the two most common “problem areas.”  Both of these regions affect posture, which can be dramatically improved with massage.  I’m sure you know someone who spends a good part of the day sitting hunched over a computer or desk.  Prolonged sitting with a forward head position is by far the most common cause for bad posture.  Again, consider the body’s wholeness.  Work the neck and back, but don’t forget about the chest.  By loosening up the chest and the front of the shoulders, you can “open up” the upper body, bringing shoulders and neck back into proper positioning.  Stretch the neck, shoulders, and chest on a regular basis, and you will improve posture. 

Kristy Carter
Massage Techniques Program Instructor
Ashworth University

Let’s face it, not everyone is an effective communicator.  Some people are more reserved and must put forth a great deal of effort to be sociable and interact with others on a daily basis.  For other people, it’s not difficult at all to put on a smile, chat with, and listen to others. And although sometimes it’s tough to listen to the problems of others, especially when we’re distracted by our own troubles, the bottom line is that as health care workers, our own needs and desires take a back seat to those of our patients.  Put yourself in their shoes:  When we’re not feeling well, or must have a procedure performed, we certainly don’t want to encounter a grumpy, rude, or disinterested medical office employee.  We want to be considered important, and we want to be able to interact  with caring medical staff members who act as though they truly are concerned with our well-being.  Therefore, as a medical assistant, it is imperative that you keep your own expectations and requirements in mind when you are dealing with patients.  Remember, you represent the physicians and the entire office staff.  The attention and impression you give will improve or detract from the quality of the patient’s encounter, as well as the overall success of the health-care facility.

As the key link between the office and the patient, you must learn to give patients the individual care that they require and deserve.  You must learn to assess a patient’s needs quickly so that you can address their problems and concerns effectively. Part of this process is being able to tailor your response to each individual.  For example, you certainly would not communicate with a sick child the same way you communicate with an 80-year-old patient.  Think about how would you deal with a patient who speaks little or no English.  Would you greet a patient coming to the office for an immunization shot differently than you would treat a patient coming in to be treated for HIV?  Throughout your Medical Office Assisting program, we’ll consider the answers to these critical questions.

In learning how to individualize your approach to helping each patient, you will also learn about Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs in this program.  As well as being able to assess the needs of a patient, you must also understand how those needs can be met.  To determine this, you must decide where you perceive those needs falls in the hierarchy of needs.  Maslow believed that basic, physiological needs must be met before higher goals can be reached.  For example, if a patient is homeless, his primary concern will be that he has something to eat and a place to sleep tonight, not that his blood pressure is elevated and he may have a stroke someday.

With respect to terminally ill patients, we will focus a lot on Elisabeth Kubler-Ross’s five Stages of Dying.  You should take note of her highly insightful theories.  The chances are very good that you will at some point manage patients who are terminally ill (these five stages also apply to patients suffering from grief).  Knowing the emotional state of the patient makes empathy and communication easier.  The stages also explain why a patient might be cooperative and pleasant one day and angry and combative another day. 

Remember, it’s a privilege to work in a medical office.  I never take this privilege for granted and encourage you to demonstrate the same kind of pride when dealing with your patients.  At the end of the day, we’re here for the patients and are held to standards of excellence that should never be compromised.

John E. Long
Medical Office Assisting Program Instructor
Ashworth University School of Health Care

It’s well chronicled that the leading cause of Cardiovascular Heart Disease is high cholesterol, yet the statistics indicate that a staggering 20 million Americans suffer from some form of heart disease, therefore one must at least partially conclude that, despite the amount of educational materials, informational resources, and medical support available to the public at large; the message may be being heard, but people are generally not listening.  One explanation I believe carries some weight is that most people simply do not understand how to apply the indirect messages they are hearing directly to their everyday lives and diet. 

             Thanks to B Baltimore for permission to use this Photo.

I’ve provided the following two videos to help you directly apply the aforementioned messages in a safe, simple, and healthy way.  In the first video, the characteristics of heart disease are defined, so that we can first identify the nature of this deadly disease and its’ manifestations before developing misinformed prevention plans.  In the second video, a certified fitness coach provides a concise analysis of what factors contribute to high cholesterol levels and also offers some practical exercise tips you can take advantage of while conducting your daily routine.  I hope you enjoy these brief, but informative videos and begin applying the knowledge you have gained.  I’m interested in hearing about some of the heart disease related challenges that either you or your family have faced over the years.  Please feel free to share your experiences with the Ashworth student community. I’ll talk to you again soon.  In the meantime, stay focused on your program studies and achieving your goals.  Take care.

Kathy Carter
Nutrition, Diet, And Health Science Instructor
Ashworth University

Photo courtesy of Jo Guldi

It is truly alarming the number of people around the world who are overweight these days, and it is really no wonder. After all, we as a people have become so lazy and so dependent on sugary, fatty foods and beverages. There are also other reasons why people are overweight however, such as to control their emotions or make themselves feel better. Emotional eating is perhaps one of the most dangerous problems in terms of your weight, especially if you live a very emotional or hectic life.

Sometimes the strongest longings for food happen when you are at your weakest point emotionally. If you are sad or lonely, angry or depressed, you may notice that you begin craving certain foods, perhaps some of which you never even really considered before. Eating as a way to suppress your feelings, such as stress, anxiety, boredom and even confusion, can really sabotage your weight loss efforts. The good news is that if you are someone who is prone to emotional eating, there are things that you can do to get over these habits and get back to eating healthy and looking and feeling your very best.

Find the Problem

It is important that you take the time to try and determine the actual root cause of your emotional eating. Sure you know that you are eating as a way to help yourself deal through the tough times, but there must be a more significant underlying cause. Major live events such as unemployment and health problems, for instance, may have triggered the onset of your emotional eating problem and this is what you are going to have to deal with.

Also know that there are certain foods which seem to have particularly addictive qualities. These are the foods that most people tend to crave when they are down or upset, and which you should be especially careful with. This includes chocolate and candy, and when you eat these foods what happens is that your body releases trace amounts of mood hormones which is why the foods seem like a sort of reward, because you think that they are making you feel better. They may help temporarily to relieve the feelings of tension or stress that you are experiencing, but even just a few moments after you eat them you will feel even worse than you did to begin with. (more…)

              Thanks to Lee Gillen for permission to use this Photo.

A recent episode of 60 Minutes featured a timely report on the possible link between lack of sleep and obesity.  I describe the report as timely because it’s been widely documented that human beings are getting less sleep than ever, a particularly troubling fact when you consider that we’re also working more intensive schedules, and balancing this imbalance with drive through diet practices.  The resultant obesity effect is simply another in a long line of health problems related to sleep deprivation; the most dangerous being heart disease and diabetes.  Alright, so this isn’t the sunniest subject to discuss at the dinner table, but it’s a dialogue that must begin between families if this crisis is to be scaled back before reaching the epidemic stage.  Check out the following “Science Of Sleep” video to learn more about the implications of your potentially harmful sleep patterns.  Go to bed early tonight!  Take a nap tomorrow!

Ryan Rode
Interactive Services Manager
Ashworth University Health Care Program

Wellsphere is an online community devoted to fitness, exercise, and the overall promotion of a healthy lifestyle.  Think of Wellsphere as a social network for people interested in discussing the latest in health matters from a personal perspective.  I’ve actually developed a lot of good relationships there and learned a lot of useful tips along the way.  From weight loss advice to nutrition plans, there are informative discussions going on all the time.  Take a few minutes to check it out.  Perhaps there are elements of the Wellsphere community that you’d like to see included in our Ashworth Health Care community?  If so, please share your suggestions in the comments section.  Let’s open up the possibilities!

Carla Hardy MS, CSCS
Fitness and Exercise Instructor
Ashworth University

               Thanks to Rachel Zack for permission to use this Photo.I want you to understand how truly wonderful an experience massage can be for the terminally ill.  No matter what condition the person is in, conscious or unconscious, it’s nice to think that somehow, on some level, he or she knows that you are there and are caring for them in such a gentle, loving way.  This type of massage may not seem appealing to you.  Maybe you have a hard time dealing with death.  That’s okay.  Never do anything that makes you uncomfortable.  But if someone you love is at the end of his or her life, you may be surprised by the strength you are able to find.  It is very important that you practice self-care in this situation.  If you are able to maintain your emotional well-being, this massage can be a very powerful experience for both the receiver and the giver.  This memory will be one you will cherish after your special friend is gone.  Also keep in mind that massage can be a blessing to the grieving family members of the person who has passed.  Be prepared for emotional release.  Just be loving and understanding.  That’s all you can do. Kristy CarterMassage Techniques Program InstructorAshworth University

                 Thanks to Rinux for permission to use this Photo.

A Kaiser Permanente study released today virtually confirms the link between high caffeine intake during the pregnancy period and an increased risk of miscarriage.  This link has often been suspected by researchers, but past studies have proven inconclusive due to a lack of testing control over pregnancy symptoms such as nausea, which made it difficult to directly measure caffeine’s precise impact.  Although the conclusions of this study are troubling, mothers should also feel empowered to make healthier decisions regarding their consumption of caffeine.  Furthermore, the study provides expectant mothers with some practical advice to help balance their need for extra energy, i.e. switch to sources of natural energy such as walks, yoga, and dried fruits.  This is a must read article for all of our mothers to be out there.  Keep your Ashworth Health Care community updated if you begin to make some positive lifestyle changes in this area.  Take care! 

Ryan Rode
Interactive Services Manager
Ashworth University