How to Become an Essential Healthcare Worker

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How ATA Can Train you for an Essential Career in Healthcare

2020 was a difficult year, and many Americans found themselves without work or in need of a better, more reliable career. If you are ready for a change in 2021, consider training to become an essential healthcare worker for more stability, even in these uncertain times. ATA College offers online hybrid training programs that can train you to join the growing medical field in as few as 8 months! Career training for an in-demand, even essential, career is a great step to take in 2021, and ATA can help you make it happen. Read on to learn how you can train to become an essential health care worker, with ATA College!

ATA College, in El Cajon, CA, offers healthcare career training programs that are designed to quickly prepare graduates for immediate entry-level employment. Careers in the healthcare field are essential and reliable, even in difficult economic times. ATA offers training programs for medical assistants, health information technicians, and EKG technicians, and each of these programs can be completed in a relatively short amount of time, so you can get to work in your new career, sooner!

At ATA, we can train you to become an essential healthcare worker in the following careers:

Medical Assisting

Are medical assistants essential healthcare workers? Definitely. They support the doctors and nurses on the front line so they can care for more patients.

If you are interested in a hands-on career in which you work directly with patients, you may be interested in our Medical Assisting program. Medical assistants play an essential role in the healthcare field and are responsible for both administrative and clinical tasks in doctor’s offices, hospitals, medical clinics, nursing homes, and other healthcare settings. In this 8-month (34 weeks, 33 semester credits) program, students learn real-world, practical skills, including:

  • Updating and filing patients’ medical records and verifying patient information and health insurance
  • Measuring patients’ vital signs
  • Administering medications and injections
  • Recording information in medical recordkeeping systems, such as the Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system
  • Preparing and handling medical instruments and supplies
  • Collecting and preparing specimens of bodily fluids and tissues for laboratory testing
  • Preparing the patient for any scheduled procedures, and answering any questions they may have regarding the procedure

After completing the 8-month diploma program, students will have the option to continue in the Medical Assistant, Associate of Applied Science program. The AAS degree can be completed in an additional 6 months (60 weeks, 64 semester credits) and includes general education courses, along with advanced medical assisting courses and classes in electrocardiography and phlebotomy.

EKG Technician

Are EKG technicians essential healthcare workers? Of Course. They offer physicians imaging and the ability to better diagnose and treat patients, so patients can get the proper care they need.

EKG technicians specialize in electrocardiogram (EKG) testing for patients. EKG machines are complex devices that monitor the heart’s performance through wires and electrodes attached to a patient’s chest, arms, and legs. Trained specifically to operate these sophisticated devices, EKG technicians monitor the readings, make sure the machine is attached properly and in working order, and record the results of the EKG tests. While the main job of an EKG tech is to conduct electrocardiogram (EKG) testing, other tasks include preparing patients for various cardiovascular tests, reporting findings to the attending physician, who then makes decisions based on the results, and helping technologists and physicians during procedures.

ATA College’s Electrocardiogram Technician training program is a three semester, 60 clock hour program, teaching students all of these important skills and more. Due to the accelerated nature of ATA’s EKG technician program, a student must have current experience in the health care field or have completed a Medical Assistant program prior to enrollment. Students in ATA’s program learn how to administer EKG and ECG diagnostic examinations and report results to the treatment team, and upon completion of this program, students are prepared to test for professional certification.

Health Information Technician

Are health information technicians essential healthcare workers? Certainly. Without health information technicians, doctors and nurses would have to take care of patient files, leaving less time to work on the front lines and help those patients in need. Health information technicians are truly essential healthcare workers.

If you are detail-oriented and thrive in an administrative setting, then a career in health information technology could be a great fit for you. Administrative healthcare workers such as health information technicians play an important role in our healthcare system, performing the critical clerical and administrative tasks necessary to keep the medical system functioning effectively. Health information technicians manage health information data by ensuring that it maintains its quality, accuracy, accessibility, and security in both paper files and electronic systems. These administrative healthcare professionals use various classification systems to code and categorize patient information for insurance reimbursement purposes, for databases and registries, and to maintain patient’s medical and treatment histories.

In ATA’s 8-month (34 weeks, 36 semester credits) Health Information Technician program students learn the essential skills for entry-level employment. After completing the 8-month diploma program, students will have the option to continue in the Health Information Technician (HIT), Associate of Applied Science program. The AAS degree can be completed in an additional 6 months (60 weeks, 64 semester credits) and includes general education courses, along with advanced courses in billing and coding.

If you are interested in training for a healthcare career that is reliable, even in the uncertain times of a pandemic, consider training with ATA College. Train to be a medical assistant, EKG technician, or health information technician, and you will be an essential worker too! With ATA’s online-hybrid training programs, you can get started training for a rewarding medical career right now, and get yourself ready to find rewarding employment in the near future. Become an essential healthcare worker. Don’t wait any longer; take the first step and call ATA College at (619) 596-2766 today! At ATA, we are here to help you get started on your path to an essential healthcare career. Make your goals a reality, with training from ATA! Contact us today!

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