Working as a Pediatric Medical Assistant: What’s It Like?

Working as a Pediatric Medical Assistant: What’s It Like?

If you’ve embarked on your career path as a medical assistant (MA), you may have seen there are many different specialized medical fields in which you can work. Pediatrics is the branch of healthcare that deals with kids, from newborns all the way up to age 18. Pediatric medical assistants work under pediatric physicians and help them deliver top-quality patient care. 

Let’s examine what it looks like working as a medical assistant in a pediatric care facility.

What is a Pediatric Medical Assistant and What Do They Do? 

Pediatric medical assistants help pediatric physicians with care for babies, children, and adolescents. Medical assistants perform numerous clinical and administrative tasks to help provide quality medical care to the patients. Some of the duties they have include preparing exam rooms, rooming patients, taking vital signs and growth measurements, giving vaccinations, helping with basic exams, appointment scheduling, managing medical records, and inputting patient insurance information. A pediatric medical assistant will often see the same patients long-term, as they grow up. 

Where Do Pediatric Medical Assistants Work?

Most often a pediatric medical assistant will work in the pediatrics department in a hospital, a private practice, or outpatient clinic. Some pediatric groups have several physicians working in the same building. Anywhere there are pediatricians, there is a need for qualified medical assistants.

What is Your Day Like as a Pediatric Medical Assistant?

Weekdays are usually busier, if you are working weekends, the appointments are usually limited to sick patients and newborns. After you clock in, you might have to check all the examination rooms to make sure they are clean and stocked with supplies. Then, you may pre-chart and chart your patient appointments for the day.

When patients arrive for appointments, you’ll have to prepare the patients to be seen by the physician. After rooming each of the patients, the medical assistant will measure height, weight, and head circumference (for infants). You’ll also be responsible for taking vital signs, including  blood pressure and temperature. Infants have their height and length measured via a soft tape measure, laying down; and their weight is taken via a special tabletop scale. Adolescents and older children can get their temperature measured using conventional methods, but infants must have temperature measured rectally. 

Immunizations are a big part of your week as a pediatric MA. In most states, you can give kids immunizations as a medical assistant if you’ve been trained properly. 

You’ll also give pre-measured doses of medication to patients. Medical assistants are able to do this, so long as the physician has reviewed the dosage. Be sure to double check each time, for accuracy.

After each patient visit, the medical assistant will wipe down and sanitize the exam table and chairs in the room, sanitize any equipment that was used, and prepare the room for the next patient. 

In many pediatric practices, you might also check the patients out and schedule a follow-up appointment. You may also input the insurance information for the patient, and update their medical records. 

What Are the Duties of a Pediatric Medical Assistant?

These are the duties a medical assistant most commonly is responsible for in a pediatric office. 

Checking In Patients

When patients come in the office, medical assistants check them in for their appointments and collect their insurance information, and prepare them for examination.

Checking Examination Rooms

One major responsibility pediatric medical assistants have is making sure the examination rooms are ready and fully stocked for physicians and patients to use. Make sure they are all ready, fully stocked, ready for use by pediatricians and patients. Stocking the drawers with supplies, making sure there are enough swabs, and the weight table is ready, are all part of making sure appointments run smoothly. After each patient visit, the medical assistant wipes down the examination table, counter, and chairs with sanitizing wipes and changes the paper on the table. 

Charting Patients for the Day

At the beginning of the day, the pediatric medical assistant may print charts and prepare for the patient appointments for the day. Once the first patients begin showing up, they can begin prepping and rooming patients.

Taking Vital Signs and Measurements

Medical assistants take vital signs of their pediatric patients and add those to their medical records. While adolescent and older children can have their height and weight measured using the conventional scale and other tools, infants require different methods. For infants, their weight is recorded using a special weight table scale. Their length and head circumference is measured using a medical tape measure made from soft, flexible material. Height, length, and head circumference are important to chart to ensure children are growing at a normal weight. For babies, their temperature is taken using a rectal thermometer. Children also have blood pressure and other vitals taken to make sure they are healthy. 

Checking Immunization Schedules

Oftentimes, the pediatric medical assistant is responsible for checking their patient’s medical history to make sure they are up to date on their immunizations. If the child has upcoming immunization dates coming up, the MA can pass that information to the physician so they can schedule a follow up appointment.

Vaccination shots are not considered an invasive procedure, but a subdermal one. Medical assistants are allowed to give vaccination shots in most states, if they are trained on how to do so, and the physician in charge is on the premises.

Collect Patient Samples if Necessary

If diagnostic testing is necessary, medical assistants may be tasked with collecting blood, urine, or fecal samples. 

Assist Physician With Procedures

Since children can sometimes have a hard time following instructions, the pediatrician might need a little extra help finishing their assessment on their patient. The medical assistant can help position or distract a child during an examination.

Give Medication to Pediatric Patients

Medical assistants are allowed to give medication to patients of any age, only so long as the doses are pre-measured, reviewed by the physician, and the physician or nurse practitioner is on the premises. You should always double check the medications to make sure they are correct, and for the correct patient. Meticulous attention to detail is a good trait to have in pediatrics.

Answering Phones 

When patients call in to pediatrics, medical assistants are the people who answer the phones and set up patient appointments and answer questions.

Schedule Follow Up Appointments

The medical assistant will schedule a follow up appointment for the patient to come in and get a regularly scheduled check-up.

Sending Payment Reminders

If the patient has an overdue bill, the administrative medical assistant may be responsible for sending payment reminders. 

More Tips for Working in Pediatrics as a Medical Assistant

Children patients are different from adult patients, and they don’t always want to go to the doctor. Sometimes it means getting shots, and those hurt. Kids can have anxiety about seeing the doctor, so part of your job as a medical assistant is to make them feel at ease. 

One thing you can do when you talk to them is get on their level and make them feel comfortable. When you first meet them for the appointment, you can stoop down and talk to them in a calm, soothing voice. Be warm and friendly, smile a lot, and be reassuring.

If they are scared of needles, and ask if a shot is going to hurt, don’t lie and say “it won’t hurt at all”, be truthful and tell them “it will be over quickly”. Kids know when you’re telling the truth, so make sure you always keep their trust. 

Whenever you talk to pediatric patients, keep the mood light and not serious. Let them know they are doing a good job when you take their vital signs.

One other thing to keep in mind is parents are often anxious, and managing their energy is also a challenge for a pediatric medical assistant. They might be concerned when they bring their child to the pediatrician’s office, so alleviate their concerns. Take time to explain what procedures you are doing and make them feel like your medical office has their children in capable hands. 

Lastly, if you are unsure about how to do a certain procedure, don’t guess! Ask an experienced co-worker how to do it, or ask for clarification from the physician. Doing all clinical procedures correctly is very important in pediatric offices.

Become a Certified Medical Assistant at Campus Sacramento

If you’re ready to take the next step in your healthcare career, you can become a certified medical assistant in a matter of months. Campus Sacramento has a Medical Assisting program that will give you the skills you need to get your first jobs in medical assisting. Your new career is closer than you think. For more information on our flexible class schedules, financial aid, and hands-on externship, contact our Admissions team today!