Support Staff

Understanding the Clinical Support Staff

By Vickie Burm RN, BSN student

The Canandaigua Medical Group employs a large number of clinical support staff. The clinical support staff includes Medical Assistants (MA), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN), Registered Nurses (RN), Nurse Practitioners (NP), and Physician Assistants (PA). The people who hold these positions are specifically educated and trained to perform the skills and duties they have.

A Medical Assistant can attend a 10-month program through a career center or be trained on the job. MA's can be employed in hospitals, clinics, and physicians' offices. A Medical Assistant can perform both clinical and administrative duties. The administrative duties they can perform include scheduling appointments, checking patients in, organizing and filing patient charts, and answering the telephone. The clinical duties include taking patient history, taking vital signs (blood pressure, pulse, and temperature), preparing patients for procedures, assisting the providers as needed, performing selected diagnostic tests (hearing and vision), and performing lab tests (urinalysis and strep screens). MA's are an important part of the day to day operations of the Canandaigua Medical Group and can provide assistance to the nursing staff and the providers as needed.

Licensed Practical Nurses attend a nine-month long program that includes both classroom and practical training in a hospital setting. The programs are usually taught through a vocational or technical school. Upon completing their course work they are required to take a licensing examination through their state. LPNs generally work under the supervision of a Registered Nurse. LPNs can be employed in hospitals, nursing homes, home healthcare agencies, and physicians' offices. The Canandaigua Medical Group employs LPNs in each of the departments (pediatrics, surgery, ob/gyn, med/peds, and internal medicine). LPNs perform duties such as taking patient history, checking vital signs, assisting providers as needed, administering immunizations, performing diagnostic tests (hearing and vision), and performing lab tests (urinalysis and strep screens). LPN's also assist patients on the telephone with clinical concerns.

Registered Nurses attend either a 2-year associate degree program or a 4-year bachelor's degree program. They receive training in classroom and clinical settings (hospitals, nursing homes, and community health). Upon completion of their coursework they are required to take a licensing examination. RNs can be employed in various settings including hospital, nursing homes, community health settings, physicians' offices, and schools and universities. RNs are employed in the pediatric, ob/gyn, med/peds and internal medicine departments of the medical group. They generally perform the same duties as the LPNs at the Canandaigua Medical Group. RN's also assist patients on the telephone with clinical concerns.

The Canandaigua Medical Group also employs nurse practitioners and physician assistants as mid level providers. The NPs and PAs assist the physicians by examining and providing medical care to the patients of the medical group. While both NPs and PAs are considered mid level providers their backgrounds and training vary between the two positions.

Nurse Practitioners are registered nurses that have completed further training through either a master's degree program or a certification program. Upon completion of their coursework they take a licensing examination through their state education department. NPs work on their own license and can be employed in hospitals, clinics, and physicians' offices. NPs can perform diagnostic tests and exams, write prescriptions, and order lab tests and x-rays. NPs are employed by most of the departments in the medical group (pediatrics, surgery, ob/gyn, and internal medicine).

Physician Assistants attend a 4-year bachelors degree program and are usually associated with a school of medicine. PAs practice under a supervising physician that can be located in the same facility or can be available by phone. PAs can perform history taking, physical exams, write prescriptions, order lab tests and x-rays. PAs can be employed in every medical and surgical area with the majority practicing in physicians offices. PAs are employed in the ob/gyn and internal medicine departments in the medical group.

The clinical support staff at the Canandaigua Medical Group has a very important role in making the practice successful. Each member of the support staff has an important role and can provide knowledge and insight while providing care to the patients.