Fast Food Provides Job Security to Certified Medical Assistants

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It has been over a year since this blog looked at gruesome fast-food offerings.  For a while between 2011 and 2014, this blogger ran regular articles half-jokingly asserting that fast-food restaurants in the US were actively working to ensure there was no shortage of demand for certified medical assistants.  With each restaurant chain seeking to outdo the rest with ever-increasing odes to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, we gleefully reported on what seemed to be weekly additions to the deadly (if often delicious) one-upmanship. This February 2014 post from the Allen School Blog does a good job of recapping the “best of the worst” from McDonald’s McGriddle to the Heart Attack Grill’s literally deadly Triple Bypass Burger to KFC’s fried-chicken-cutlets-as-buns-on-a-bacon-sandwich Double Down.  While we were clearly having some fun with horrible food porn, it is still true that America’s obsession with fast food is among the leading causes of the ailments and afflictions we mentioned earlier.  And it is also true that the ongoing health implications of the American diet most certainly keep certified nursing assistants in high demand in the workforce. But times change and people change.  In the past several years since this blogger swore off the blogging equivalent of junk food (i.e. posts on these almost cartoonish foodstuffs), people’s attitudes toward dietary content have evolved.  And in response to changing market environments, the fast food industry seems to have embraced the changes as well.  Fast-casual places like Chipotle Mexican Grill now offer healthier fare including brown rice, more fresh veggies, even a tofu product they call “Sofrito” – an option designed to be a replacement for heavier, fattier proteins like Pork Carnitas.  (Although Chipotle is still protecting job security for certified nursing assistants thanks to ongoing outbreaks of food-borne illnesses for which they have been in the news in the past year.) Not to be left behind, granddad of all fast foods, McDonald’s has announced it is bringing the Lobster Rollback for the summer to markets in New England including New York, where the Allen School is situated.  Made with real lobster and fresh vegetables this sandwich weighs in at a mere 290 calories which is about half the calories of the Big Mac.  That’s about as close to healthy food as  McDonald’s can get.  But before you start to worry that this trend may take a bite out of job security for certified nursing assistants (take a bite, get it?) McDonald’s also announced the release of a Dr. Pepper and Softserve Vanilla Ice Cream Float!

Net Neutrality Court Decision could have Implications for Medical Billing Classes Online

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neutrality has implications for online medical billing studyIf you’re not aware of the issues of net neutrality, and you’re a student of medical billing education through Allen School Online, you should take a moment to read up on it because the courts are making changes to the laws that govern the way the Internet works.  And while there may not be an immediate and present threat to your ability to study online, the potential for that to happen is being greatly increased.  Start by reading this short piece from Wired.com on yesterday’s decision by a Federal appeals court to gut Net Neutrality regulations.

For those who just want the gist of it, here it is.  Essentially, Net Neutrality meant that all Internet Service Providers (ISPs) – you know them as Cablevision, Verizon, Time Warner Cable and others – were legally bound to treat all web content equally.  That is, until yesterday, the ISPs could not treat any website with preference over any other.  So what?

Here’s an example. Let’s say your ISP is your local phone company or cable TV company. Let’s also say you decide to do away with your landline telephone service (or cable VoIP phone service) and instead use a web service like say Skype. Well, with Net Neutrality regulations removed, your ISP can now slow down (throttle) your connection to Skype, making it work poorly essentially forcing you back into using their service. Or let’s say to save money you decide to do away with Cable TV, “cutting the cord” and using Hulu and Netflix instead. Well, now, if your ISP is your cable company, they can throttle your connection to Hulu and Netflix so that the user experience is horrible. Then you’ll have to go back to them for TV and movies. The elimination of Net Neutrality essentially gives the telecoms all the power and eliminates your freedom of choice on the net. If you believe in a free and unfettered Internet (and if you’re an online medical billing and coding student you probably do) you should be aware of the changes taking place and make your voice heard.

Alternative Study Tactics for Students at the Allen School

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While you’ve studied your entire life to learn math, science and history, you may find that studying as an adult can be trickier. Whether you’re learning to live on your own or you’re juggling a career and family while you pursue your education, it’s important to study as efficiently and as creatively as possible. At The Allen School, we want our students to succeed. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of alternative study tactics that students can implement. Choosing to pursue a career in healthcare is a wonderful and rewarding decision. By implementing these study tactics, you’ll learn even more as you continue to work toward your goals.

Watch videos

While your professors and textbooks will be very beneficial in learning the material that’s going to be covered on your exams, sometimes hearing an idea from a fresh perspective can be helpful. Consider watching videos online from other medical students and professors. Simply search for the topic you’re interested in or that you want more information on. Sometimes just hearing an idea from another person is enough to help you remember it.

Make flashcards fun

training to be a medical assistant Phoenix AZA lot of students overlook the value of flashcards. The truth is, though, that flashcards can help you memorize important ideas, names and procedures you’ll need in your medical career. Consider downloading a flashcard app so you can review flashcards on-the-go. Listen to music while you review so you don’t zone out or get bored. You can also make regular flashcards by hand to use while you’re relaxing in the bath or even lying in bed. Some students like to walk on the treadmill while they review flashcards. Others watch a television show and do flashcards during commercial breaks. The possibilities are endless.

Write a story

You don’t have to be a writer to try this study method. Learning new vocabulary words can be tough, so it’s important to use them as frequently as possible so you can retain them. One way you can memorize your lists and words is to use them in a story. Consider writing a one-page story using the words or ideas you’re covering in class. This doesn’t have to be a fancy or interesting story. Just try to use the words you’re learning in a pretend scenario. You might be surprised at just how helpful writing the words out can be.

Don’t study the same way each day

medical assistant students NYOne of the most important things you can do is to mix up your studying. While studying can be boring, you need to do your best to stay focused. Switching things up can help. For example, if you go to a study group on Tuesdays, make sure you study alone on Wednesdays. If you review your notes on Thursdays, try to do flash cards on Fridays. If you’re ready to take your studying to a new level and pursue a career in the healthcare field, The Allen School is ready for you. Contact us today so we can help you take the next steps in reaching the career goals you’ve been working toward.

10 Things Your Job Interviewer Won’t Tell You

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US News and World Report published a truly excellent piece explaining some of the major mistakes and missteps made by job applicants.  In this age of high competition for a scarce number of jobs, there are very small margins for error in the interviewing process.  Even things that seem like positives (showing up early for example) can be negatives.  Other things we may not even think about – like talking too much – are also potential deal-breakers. The US News and World Report list include: 1. Little things count. Candidates often act as if only “official” contacts, like interviews and formal writing samples, count, but hiring managers are watching everything, including things like how quickly you respond to requests for writing samples and references, whether your email confirming the time of the interview is sloppily written, and how you treat the receptionist. 2. We don’t want you to try to sell us. It’s a turn-off when a candidate seems overly focused on closing the deal, rather than on figuring out if the job is the right fit. No hiring manager wants to think she’s being aggressively sold; we want the best person for the job, not the pushiest spiel.  3. We’re judging how you’re dressed and groomed. 3.In most industries, a professional appearance still matters. You don’t need to wear expensive clothes, but showing up in a casual outfit or clothes that don’t fit properly, having unkempt hair, or inappropriately flashy makeup can harm your chances. 4. We might act like we don’t mind you bad-mouthing a former employer, but we do. We’ll let you talk on once you start, but internally we’re noting that you’re willing to trash-talk people who have employed you in the past and are wondering if you’ll do that to us too. What’s more, we’re wondering about the other side of the story—whether you’re hard to get along with, or a troublemaker, or impossible to please. 5. You showed up too early. Many interviewers are annoyed when candidates show up more than five or 10 minutes early, since they may feel obligated to interrupt what they’re doing and go out to greet the person. Some feel guilty leaving someone sitting in their reception area that long. Aim to walk in five minutes early, but no more than that. Go have a look at the entire list and sound off in the comments if you’ve ever made any of these mistakes.

Market Trends That Mean little to a Medical Office Assistant

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Up or Down, Markets Don't Impact the Demand for Medical Office Assistants

Up or Down, Markets Don’t Impact the Demand for Medical Office Assistants

People training with the Allen School to start a new career as a medical office assistant have a lot of things to be concerned about when it comes to economic and investment market indicators.  Things like “which US cities see the most robust job growth” and “where housing costs are lowest” when they’re deciding where to begin their new, lucrative careers. But here are three things the market is telling us today that don’t amount to a hill of beans for a newly minted medical office assistant.
  1. US Factory Orders Advance 1.8%  The truth of the matter is, that whether or not the manufacturing sector of the US economy is booming or slumping, folks will always need to go to their doctor for everything from their annual physicals to treatments for seasonal afflictions like Flu and the common cold.  In fact, there are literally thousands of ailments and afflictions keeping medical offices humming regardless of factory output.
  2. Oil’s Downtrend Seems to be Ending We all know that the price at the pump has come down significantly.  The price of oil most definitely has a real and noticeable effect on economic output.  But do you know what isn’t affected by low oil prices?  Instances of swimmer’s ear, plantar’s warts, hay fever, acid reflux and countless other ailments that keep medical offices humming regardless of the price of crude.
  3. Housing Data Beats Market Expectations Do renters get sick more or less often than those who own their own home?  Guess what, it doesn’t matter!  Whether more people are pouring money into homeownership or living in frugal rental properties, they will all require medical attention at roughly the same rate as statistically speaking.   Ergo, the whims of the housing market do nothing to influence the extent to which medical offices hum with activity.
Perhaps you’re seeing the pattern here.  The field of medicine, including the job of medical office assistant, is mostly immune to the ebb and flow of economic changes.  This is why it is such a stable field to work in and why people seek to earn their degree as a medical office assistant with the Allen School.    

Dedication is Key to Success

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Perseverance is probably the most important ingredient to success.  More than innate ability, more than luck, more than well-placed connections, sticking to it is the most common attribute of the world’s most accomplished people.  Benjamin Franklin once said, “If you fail to prepare, prepare to fail”.  

For students at the Allen School, determination and dedication are among the most important elements of success. With such busy lives, it can be hard to ensure there is enough time and energy to properly devote to studies; but it can be done which has become evident by the high number of graduates that Allen School produces each and every year. 

If you’re having trouble keeping focused on the prize, consider the effort put forth by young Ciara Cetraro of Hawaii who, at age 17, has a perfect attendance record at school.  Since kindergarten, Ciara has never missed a day of learning.  Can we imagine that some of the days among the 17 year academic career were tough?  Absolutely!  But, to her credit, Ciara never stopped plugging away and her record is a testament to the grit and determination that will surely serve her well as she enters post-secondary education and eventually enters the job force. 

Take a page from her play book and stick to your goals and dreams.  Pep-talk over! Contact the Allen School today! We are enrolling now and cannot wait for you to become part of the Allen School family. Visit www.allenschool.edu to learn more.

Medical Assistant Training in Brooklyn – A Story of Renewal

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Perhaps you’re in your 40s or 50s and considering a career change.  If you live in Brooklyn, New York, you may have even considered taking nursing assistant training in Brooklyn with the Allen School of Health Sciences.  But then perhaps you thought to yourself, “Who am I kidding?  I am too old to embark on a new career at this stage of my life.”  Well, I am here to tell you that this thought is just flat out wrong. Just because you’re not a recent high school grad or a Millennial generation person seeking a career path for the first time doesn’t mean you can’t turn a whole new page in your professional life.  Age is state of mind and has little to no bearing on your ability to earn a nursing assistant certification at Allen School’s Brooklyn, NY campus.  Here’s some inspiration that proves one is never too old to update/upgrade. Consider the venerable old Brooklyn Bridge.  At 133 years old, it is a historic landmark almost synonymous with New York City itself.  An iconic structure built for a much simpler time.  For more than a century, the bridge has kept up with the hastening pace of change experienced by Brooklyn and Manhattan.   At 133 years old, the bridge is so popular and heavily used that the city is now entertaining making updates/upgrades to the pedestrian pathway, making it wider and thus able to accomodate more of the foot and bicycle traffic which has grown so heavily in the last decade or so. You can read about the plans to expand the Brooklyn Bridge’s pedestrian walkway in this article in today’s AM New York newspaper. Then consider yourself Mr. or Ms. middle aged person.  If they can update the iconic 133 year old work horse of a bridge, surely you can take steps needed to update your job skills with nursing assistant training in Brooklyn with the Allen School.  You can look each day toward the mighty old Brooklyn Bridge on your way to nursing assistant training classes to retain your inspiration as you move forward toward a career in a stable and growing field.

Medal Count in Rio Olympics So Far and the Medical Office Assistant

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Winning an Olympic medal is a significant achievement for an athlete and reflects the exceptional levels of dedication, hard work and perseverance it takes to achieve greatness.  Any Olympic medal winner will tell you that the achievement does not occur in a vacuum.  Rather, each medal winner has the unwavering support of his or her coaches, practice partners, family, friends and fans to help push them toward success. The same is true of those seeking to generate their own personal career success by taking medical office assistant training.  Just like the Olympic athletes, medical office assistant trainees also rely heavily on the support and encouragement of their instructors, classmates, family and friends to achieve their certification.  It takes long hours of hard work, diligence and dedication to remake one’s self in a new career mold.  And just the same, one can achieve a lofty goal once their mind is set to the task.  If you have been holding off on starting a new career as a medical office assistant because you’re not sure you can do it alone, realize that with the support of those who care about you, it is totally within your reach. To be inspired, think about those American athletes who have earned medals in these current Olympic Games in Rio.  As of the writing of this post, the number of US medals sits at twelve and counting.  There is still most of the games in front of us.  Yet, American competitors in swimming, shooting, archery and fencing have earned medals to date, and the US currently leads in the overall medal count.  Americans are very goal oriented and achieve greatness regularly.  Add your name to the list of those who worked hard and achieved their dreams.  Go for the career gold with the Allen School’s medical office assistant training program!

CNA Trainees – Know the Early Signs of Dementia

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CNA trainees should never miss an opportunity to absorb the latest research from different corners of the medical establishment.  Being aware and sharp-eyed, a CNA can become an invaluable resource to the physicians and practices they’ll server in the course of their career.  Today let’s examine a condition that afflicts the aging and elderly.  With demographics in the US ensuring an enormous wave of Americans at or approaching retirement age (65), the onset of afflictions like dementia are guaranteed to be on the rise. What should a CNA trainee know about the onset of dementia?  While the diagnosis of any disease or affliction is above the pay grade of the CNA, it is never wrong to be educated such that as an assistant, one would be able to contribute to the overall health and welfare of patients.

According to the Associate Press, “Researchers on Sunday outlined a syndrome called “mild behavioral impairment” that may be a harbinger of Alzheimer’s or other dementias, and proposed a checklist of symptoms to help identify who’s at risk. The symptoms must mark a change from prior behavior and have lasted at least six months.”  The researchers offered a list of symptoms of mild behavioral impairment which could potentially indicate the onset of dementia in older patients.  If you’re interacting with a patient while acting in your capacity as a certified nursing assistant, and they exhibit any of the following symptoms (courtesy of the AP report published here), let the attending physician know.

—The patient reports losing interest in friends, family or home activities. —Has the person become less spontaneous and active — for example, is he/she less likely to initiate or maintain conversation? —Does the person view herself/himself as a burden to family? —Has the person become more anxious or worried about things that are routine, like events, visits? —Does the person feel very tense, having developed an inability to relax, or shakiness, or symptoms of panic? —Has the person become agitated, aggressive, irritable or temperamental? —Does the person hoard objects when she/he did not do so before? —Has the person recently developed trouble regulating smoking, alcohol, drug intake or gambling, or started shoplifting?

—Does the person say rude or crude things or make lewd sexual remarks that she/he would not have said before?

—Has the person started talking openly about very personal or private matters not usually discussed in public? —Has the person developed beliefs that they are in danger, or that others are planning to harm them or steal their belongings? —Does the person report or act as if seeing things or hearing voices?
 

Medical Billing and Coding Classes Online to Beat the Heat

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This entire week in the New York Metropolitan area is forecast to be exceptionally hot with very high humidity.  That combination of weather conditions ensures there will be a spike in instances of health issues resulting from the heat.  Heatstroke, dehydration, heat exhaustion, sunburn, asthma and other respiratory distresses all increase when the weather is like this.  Unless you’re a student taking medical billing and coding classes online and can stay all day long in your favorite air-conditioned wifi zone, you’re going to be commuting and working in this miserable heat and humidity.  You can be prepared to avoid heat-related health issues if you know what to do.  Here’s some advice directly from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  Click on their graphic below for the full content of their recommendations for beating the heat and avoiding physical distress. Medical billing and coding classes online help one avoid dangerous heat outdoors.

Image courtesy of the CDC

While landing a position in a solid, secure career field should be the primary reason to consider taking medical billing and coding classes online, avoiding the need to commute to and from school during the hottest dog days of summer is not a bad reason either.  Keep in mind that taking medical billing and coding classes online also keeps a student from the dangers and unpleasantry of commuting to and from campus in the worst of the winter weather too with the blizzards, ice storms, subzero winds and polar vortexes.