Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Students will be able to perform clinical duties as related to the physicians office.
 

Upon completion of the course students should be able to:

1. Perform clinical competencies as required by the accrediting agency in a medical setting.
2. Apply techniques that ensure sterility and quality control in a medical setting.
3. Prepare patients for physical examinations and procedures, including surgical and diagnostic procedures, and assist the physician.
4. Apply general knowledge of vital signs, documentation, medications, medication administration, specimen collection, and EKG in the medical setting.
5. Apply therapeutic, respectful, and professional communication techniques.
6. Demonstrate professionalism with patient interviews and interactions. 
7. Apply patient-centered communication techniques and teach back method of confirming patient understanding. 

ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES FOR THE OUTCOME:
Students will demonstrate these learning outcomes by these tasks conducted individually and in cooperation with other students:

The goal of this course is to provide students with the clinical skills and communication skills to work in ambulatory care. Both clinical skills and patient communication skills are incorporated within each competency and students will be coached by faculty during practice. Students will apply information obtained from previous courses and clinical lecture in order to meet the patient-centered communication standards and principles. Student performance will be measured by utilizing a clear set of competencies for each clinical skill. 

Student will answer theoretical and application questions in their clinical lab workbook. Individual competency testing will take place after completion of lab work and hands on practice. All clinical lab skills will be demonstrated by the instructor and students will be supervised by faculty as they work towards becoming competent.  

Structured lab will be held weekly. Students will work through a clinical lab workbook throughout the term. Each section of the workbook will contain readings, pre-lab work, and critical thinking discussion questions. 

Lab work must be completed by the assigned due date. Students will received corrected lab work from course instructor the same day is is due. Critical thinking questions will be reviewed during lab with students in a discussion format. 

Clinical competencies include the following; 

• Vital Signs
• Aseptic Technique and Infection Control
• Handling of Equipment
  • Setting up sterile trays 
• Injection Procedures
• Electrocardiography
• The Physical Examination
  • Distance Vision Acuity Testing
  • Color Vision Screening
  • Audiometry testing 
• Dressings and Bandages
• Spirometry 

Students will demonstrate the following skills during clinical lab:

1. Perform clinical competencies as required by the accrediting agency in a medical setting.
2. Apply techniques that ensure sterility and quality control in a medical setting.
3. Prepare patients for physical examinations and procedures, including surgical and diagnostic procedures, and assist the physician.
4. Demonstrate the ability to instructor and prepare a patient for a procedures or treatment. 
5. Apply general knowledge of vital signs, documentation, medications, medication administration, specimen collection, and EKG in the medical setting.
6. Measure and record the following; blood pressure, temperature, pulse, respirations, height, weight, BMI, length (infant), head circumference (infant), and pulse oximetry. 
7. Perform the following electrocardiography and pulmonary function testing. 
8. Perform patient screening using established protocols for audiometry and distance vision acuity testing and color vision. 
9. Apply the "six rights" to proper medication administration. 
10. Select proper sites for administering parenteral medication.
11. Demonstrate ability to administer parenteral and oral medications.
12. Calculate the proper dosages of medication for administration. 
13. Apply communication techniques and behaviors in the clinical setting that are therapeutic, respectful, and professional.
14. Apply professionalism in patient interviews and interactions with health care professionals and the general public.
15. Apply the teach back method of confirming patient understanding.

The following list outlines the concepts, themes, and issues you need to understand and be able to use appropriately. You will have the opportunity to demonstrate your understanding in written and oral form, individually and in groups.

• VITAL SIGNS

This module will give the student the skill in obtaining and recording vitals signs. Have an understanding of the procedures and an awareness of the significance of the results. The student should demonstrate ability to obtain and record patient's temperature, pulse and respiration accurately. Obtain and record patients blood pressure reading accurately. Perform height and weight measurements accurately and use a BMI table to graph results. 

• ASEPTIC TECHNIQUE AND INFECTION CONTROL

This module will acquaint the student with the importance of cleanliness and asepsis in a medical office. It will help the student develop proficiency in hand washing. It will help the student gain competency in putting on sterile gloves. The student will demonstrate and state the importance of cleanliness and medical asepsis. Perform a cleansing hand wash suitable for between patients. Put on sterile gloves without contaminating them.

• HANDLING OF EQUIPMENT

This module will acquaint the student with various medical/surgical equipment in the medical office. It will help the student develop competency in preparation of equipment for sterilization. It will assist the student in differentiation between instruments which must be sterile and those which must be "clean". The student will identify common medical/surgical instruments and give their uses. Students will prepare items for sterilization and disinfection. The student will decipher which instruments need to be sterilized versus those which can be merely "cleaned".

• INJECTION PROCEDURES

This module gives the student knowledge of and skill in preparing and administering subcutaneous, intramuscular and intradermal injections. The student will understand a physician's order to administer and injection. Prepare an injection from an ampule, single or multiple dose vial. Identify the correct route and site of administration. Administer medication by subcutaneous, intradermal, and intramuscular routes.

• ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHY

This module gives the student understanding of the electrocardiograph (ECG), its operation and relationship to the patient. Development of proper technique in obtaining ECG's. An understanding of artifacts, how they relate to the ECG and how to identify and avoid them. Practice performing ECG's in a professional, respectful, and patient-centered manner. Students will receive feedback and grading on three practice ECG's prior to competency. 

• PHYSICAL EXAMINATION

This module will give the student an understanding and competency in visual acuity testing with the snellen chart. Screening test for color blindness. Screening test for audio perception. Positioning and draping patients for examination. Prepare examination trays and assist the physician as requested.

• DRESSINGS AND BANDAGES

This module will give the student knowledge of and skill in preparing and /or applying dressings and bandages. The student will apply sterile dressings. Apply bandages to the finger, hand, foot, arm and leg neatly and with enough tension that they will remain in place.

• SPIROMETRY

This module gives the student an understanding of a respiratory test and how to interpret basic spirometry results. The student will perform at least 3 spirometry exams, interpret them correctly and provide the physician with a legible and professional readout.