PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT FOR HEALTHCARE CAREERS Cirihn Malpocher Jennifer Johnston Lyn O’Neal...

PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT FOR HEALTHCARE CAREERSCirihn Malpocher

Jennifer Johnston

Lyn O’NealNWCE OCTOBER 31, 2014PITTSBURGH, PA

CONTEXT:CHANGES IN MEDICAL ASSISTANT REGULATIONS IN WASHINGTON STATECirihn Malpocher

2013 MEDICAL ASSISTING CREDENTIAL CHANGES IN WA STATE

Chapter 18.360 RCW MEDICAL ASSISTANTS

Established four separate MA credentialing categories: Medical Assistant – Phlebotomist (MA-P)

Medical Assistant – Hemodialysis Tech (MA-H)

Medical Assistant – Registered (MA-R)

Medical Assistant – Certified (MA-C)

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? Medical Assistant – Registered (MA-R)

Administer eye drops, topical ointments, and vaccines Medical Assistant – Certified (MA-C)

Administer single dose or pre-measured medications under supervision (not chemo or experimental);

Intravenous injections; Capillary blood withdrawal, venipuncture, and intradermal,

subcutaneous, and intramuscular injections; Diagnostic testing: Electrocardiography; Respiratory

testing

WHAT’S REQUIRED?

Medical Assistant – Certified (MA-C)

Transferable Certification Requires completion of post-secondary MA

education and passage of one of four national exams

Medical Assistant – Registered (MA-R) State license verification, employer attestation to

skills, statement of ability , sufficient

IMPACT ON INDUSTRY & WORKFORCE

Reduction of SOW

No existing pathway to move MA-Rs to MA-C

MA-R certification not transferable

HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES EDUCATION & TRAINING (HEET)

Labor/Management/Education partnership Funded by State of WA Workforce development innovation and strategies Public funding joined with private industry resources t

multiplies potential social and economic impact, drives durable change

CREATING A PLA SYSTEM FOR INCUMBENT WORKERS

Based on existing PLA system

Extensive use of employer training records

Letters from employers highlighting skills and experience

Documentation enhanced by site visits

Portfolio of externship includes self-assessment

Jennifer Johnston

EXTERNSHIP PORTFOLIO

Includes self-assessment and employer verification of work hours

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COOPERATIVE WORK EXPERIENCE HEAL 240

Prior Learning Assessment Portfolio

STUDENT/EMPLOYEE EXTERNSHIP COORDINATOR Babs Cerna

HEAL 240 LEARNING OBJECTIVES

OBJECTIVE 1: Performed assigned duties in a friendly and courteous manner and accepted feedback.

This was accomplished by providing friendly and courteous service to clients and responding appropriately to feedback from patients, providers and supervisors.

OBJECTIVE 2: Communicate effectively with a variety of people and contribute in a team environment.

This was accomplished by using therapeutic communication with diverse clients and coworkers.

OBJECTIVE 3: Accurately and efficiently perform assigned tasks.

Multiple assigned tasks were performed according to the institution’s standards.

OBJECTIVE 4: Perform duties independently while working towards meeting goals and deadlines.

The student contributed to the institution’s mission by meeting deadlines and completing assignments in a timely manner.

OBJECTIVE 5: Analyze problems and choose appropriate solutions, seeking clarification when necessary.

This was accomplished by using critical thinking skills to process information and create solutions to problems, consulting with supervisor when needed.

OBJECTIVE 6: Select and apply appropriate technology to the task.

This was accomplished by using equipment and EMR systems as appropriate to the task.

I attest that I have worked at this facility as Medical Assistant for a minimum of 180 hours.

Signature Date

DISCUSSION—USE OF PLA

DOES YOUR SCHOOL OR PARTNER SCHOOL HAVE A PLA SYSTEM? IS IT USED?

HOW ARE YOU HOPING TO DEVELOP OR IMPROVE PLA?

WHAT WOULD HELP YOU MOVE THAT PLAN FORWARD?

USING COMPETENCY BASED EDUCATION WITH INCUMBENT WORKERSLyn O’Neal

Competency Based Education

As Jennifer and Cirihn have said, we are using competency based education. It is our goal to ensure that the incumbent workers are meeting the state required standards and maintain their employment status.

After evaluation of the needs of each cohort, we provide instruction on the skills that the individual Medical Assistants do not perform on a daily basis. We allow them time to practice and perform those hands on skills.

The instructors also travel to the clinics in order to observe and evaluate those skills that are performed on a daily basis.

In both the classroom and the clinics, the instructors are able to verify and attest to the Washington State Department of Health regarding the incumbent worker’s skills and abilities.

The students are awarded college credit for the skills that they are able to prove competency in.

We have found, as a general rule, that we provide similar skills to each group as a whole. As instructors, there are some skills that we feel compelled to provide instruction on. For example; EKGs, Injections, sterile technique, waive testing, and phlebotomy.

Speaking as one of the instructors, I can tell you that we learn something new from each one of these groups. It is my passion to educate these Medical Assistance and ensuring that stay employed.

CLOSING AND QUESTIONS

CIRIHN ROGERS MALPOCHER, PHDASSISTANT DIRECTOR SEIU HEALTHCARE 1199NW MULTI-EMPLOYER TRAINING FUND CMALPOCHER@HEALTHCAREERFUND.ORG

LYN O'NEAL, RMA (AMT)DEPARTMENT CHAIR, ALLIED HEALTHSKAGIT VALLEY COLLEGELYN.O’NEAL@SKAGIT.EDU

JENNIFER JOHNSTON, MPHHEET PROJECT MANAGERPRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT COORDINATORHIGHLINE COLLEGEJJOHNSTON@HIGHLINE.EDU

FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ON PLA, SEE:HTTP://WWW.CAEL.ORG/WHAT-WE-DO/PRIOR-LEARNING-ASSESSMENT

HEET-MA PATHWAYS PROGRAM WEBSITE:HTTP://WWW2.YVCC.EDU/COE/HEET/MA.HTML

HEET-MA PATHWAYS PARTNERS