American Medical Association Salary Scale

The AMA has a site that shows salary information for the majority of allied health professions:  Keep track of allied health salary scales including Electroneurodiagnsotic Technology.

BRAIN HAS WORKING MEMORY X 3

The human brain is able to multitask successfully in part because of three layers of memory that store information on a need to know basis. Researchers at Rice University say predictability is key. It frees up resources in the brain so a person can effectively multitask. That's why when a task is done over and over again in the same way, it becomes automatized so other tasks can be accomplished at the same time.

Life and Death Business....

How to Cure the Retention Problems Ailing Your Health Care ...
Health care is a life and death business, even on the best days and in the finest facilities — and the current health care worker shortage is making an ...

Medical assistants must not refer to themselves as "nurses".

Medical assistants must not refer to themselves as "nurses"

By Donald A. Balasa, JD, MBA Executive Director, Legal Counsel

It is unethical, illegal, and a disservice to the medical assisting profession for medical assistants to refer to themselves as “nurses,” “office nurses,” “doctors’ nurses,” or any other generic term that even remotely implies that medical assistants are nurses.

The Model Nurse Practice Act published by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) includes the following language:

Article VII.  Title and Abbreviations

Section 1.

a.

…

b.  It shall be unlawful for any person to use the title “nurse,” “registered nurse,” “licensed practical/vocational nurse,” “advanced practice registered nurse,” their authorized abbreviations, or any other title that would lead a person to believe the individual is a licensed nurse unless permitted by this Act.

Note that this NCSBN document not only forbids the use of certain terms and abbreviations, but also prohibits “any other title that would lead a person to believe the individual is a licensed nurse.”  In other words, if a title or abbreviation or any other type of designation would cause a reasonable person to conclude that a certain health professional is a “nurse” of some sort, there could be a violation of the law.

The following excerpts from state Nurse Practice Acts provide examples of how states are addressing this issue:

Texas—Chapter 301, Section 301.251

…

(d) Unless the person holds a license under this chapter, a person may not use, in connection with the person’s name:

(1) the title “nurse”; or

(2) any other designation tending to imply that the person is licensed to provide nursing care.

New York—Article 138, Nursing, Section 6903

…No person shall use the title “nurse” or any other title or abbreviation that would represent to the public that the person is authorized to practice nursing unless the person is licensed or otherwise authorized under this article.

Indiana—Article 23, Nurses, Section 25-23-1-27, Violations; penalty

A person who:

…

(4) uses in connection with the person’s name any designation tending to imply that the person is a registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse unless licensed to practice under this chapter…;

…

commits a Class B misdemeanor.

Florida—Chapter 464, Nursing, Part I, Nurse Practice Act, Section 464.016, Violations and penalties

…

(2) Each of the following acts constitutes a misdemeanor of the first degree…

(a) Using the name or title “Nurse,”…or any other name or title which implies that a person was licensed or certified as same, unless such person is duly licensed or certified.

(b) Knowingly concealing information relating to violations of this part.

Illinois—225 ILCS 65, Nurse Practice Act, Article 50, General Provisions, Section 50-50, Prohibited acts

(a) No person shall:

…(6) Use any words, abbreviations, figures, letters, title, sign, card, or device tending to imply that she or he is a registered professional nurse, including the titles or initials, “Nurse,”…or similar titles or initials with intention of indicating practice without a valid license as a registered professional nurse;

…

(b) Any person, including a firm, association or corporation who violates any provision of this Section shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

As this author has frequently written and spoken about during the last 20 years, it is imperative that medical assistants scrupulously avoid conveying the message that they are nursing personnel, or members of any profession other than medical assisting.  Recall the following admonition in “Your Office Staff Can Get You Sued”:

A medical assistant should never be referred to as a “nurse,” “office nurse,” or “doctor’s nurse.” In every state this is a violation of the Nurse Practice Act, and can result in fines and penalties. All office personnel should avoid referring to medical assistants as “nurses.” If a patient addresses a medical assistant as a nurse, the patient should be corrected politely and pleasantly.¹

As the medical assisting profession and, especially, the CMA (AAMA) become more prominent in the 21^st century health workforce because of the Patient-Centered Medical Home movement, and in greater demand because of President Obama’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, it is more important than ever that medical assistants proudly and unambiguously identify themselves as members of one of the fastest growing and most important professions in the United States of America.

References:

1. Balasa DA. Your office staff can get you sued: protect your practice by employing CMAs (AAMA). CMA Today. 2010; 43(3): 6–7. Published July 1, 2006. Reprinted May 1, 2010.

Maryland Polysom Licensure Revision Bill, HB 560

A Step Back For Sleep Medicine Patients !
House Bill 560 - Vote March 8, 2010


This bill would delete the current education requirements for polysom licensure which mandated the applicant be a CAAHEP accredited graduate and replace this statutory requirement with provisions that will permit the AASM's A Step 2 week training course (with an additional 18 on line modules taken while providing clinical services defined within the scope of practice) to become an approved "education" pathway to licensure in Maryland

When an individual is provided an option of either enrolling, paying tuition and taking a year or more accredited education program OR taking the option of paying for a 2 week course and then being employed with pay in an entity providing sleep disorder services (while completing while employed the 18 on line courses), I believe most will opt for the 2 week A Step course. Both individuals will meet the education requirements for polysom licensure.

It is my believe the revision will be passed and A Step will inserted as a legitimate "education" pathway. It is clear that the Polysomnography Profession is taking a step back and that patient care will suffer within the State Of Maryland. Patient care does not seem to be the prime motivator for employers of sleep technicians within the State of Maryland.

Low Student Achievement

The 4-Stage Response to Low Student Achievement

By John Lemuel

When the results come in from the first test in my introductory survey course, I am not surprised by the large number of D's and F's. I've come rather to expect that many, if not most, of the students will fail.

The subject matter is not rocket science, and the homework load for each session of the course is modest: 15 pages of textbook reading, or 40 to 50 pages in supplementary nonfiction books written for a general audience. I average students' final grades from four objective tests and three subjective papers.

My homework expectations are near those found to produce the best results by Richard Arum and Josipa Roksa in Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campuses, a stinging indictment of low expectations in higher education. I require a little less than the 20 pages of writing that Arum and Roksa deem optimal for an intro course, but I assign a little more than the 40 pages of reading a week that they recommend.

That amount of work, it turns out, is way more than many of my students have bargained for. Why that is the case can be variously explained, but the fact itself cannot be denied. It's something college instructors have to deal with. Here's what I've noticed about how we do that.