Supporting the Providers: The Importance of Nurses and Medical Assistants
“There are so many responsibilities our nursing staff and medical assistants are taking care of behind the scenes, and they are essential to making sure we offer the highest quality, compassionate care to each and every patient,” says Aspire Senior Vice President of Integrated Health Services Alex Welty.
Aspire offers primary care services at six health centers in Madison, Hamilton, Marion and Boone Counties. Each clinic has a skilled team of experienced providers, nurses and other medical personnel to take care of standard preventive and routine medical care.
“A lot goes into each patient visit, and we would rather have the provider focused on tasks that only the provider can do,” Welty says. “That is where the nurses and medical assistants come in, to be able to support the providers.”
Medical assistants are typically assigned a variety of duties that include both patient care and administrative responsibilities, performing tasks like answering the phones and scheduling appointments. While nurses have some administrative responsibilities, they focus primarily on patient care, including documenting a patient’s condition and writing care plans.
“As support staff, nurses and medical assistants help keep the providers on track and moving along at a steady pace to ensure they can see all their patients for the day,” Welty says. “A main part of their role is to gather the information needed from the patient — including vitals, medication updates and the reason for the visit — and summarize it so when the provider is ready to meet with the patient, the time together is as efficient and productive as possible.”
“Going to see the doctor is not just about seeing the provider; it’s about the medical assistant gathering important vitals and passing that information to the provider; and it’s about the nurse being involved with patient care and, if needed, taking care of some more complex health needs,” says Senior Director of Nursing Services Donna Stealy. “One patient could take up a provider’s whole day if they didn’t have a support team to help.”
Aspire’s nursing staff and medical assistants lead the clinical team, and sometimes behavioral providers, in daily huddles — team meetings to gather insights on the patients scheduled to come to the clinic that day.
“Having an organized approach to the day with the huddles has certainly helped with efficiency and the quality of care we are able to provide, but it’s also helped the team members understand the importance of their roles and validates what they do as an essential part of the process,” Stealy says.
Having other staff members with medical knowledge besides the provider can offer further feedback along with facilitating a more positive experience for the patient.
“Nurses and medical assistants have more interaction and time with the patients and are able to put them at ease and prepare them for their time with the provider,” Welty says. “They can help get a sense of questions patients have on their mind and make sure they are feeling comfortable. Many patients establish a relationship with the nurse or medical assistant since they see them at regular appointments, and it’s nice to have that familiar face when you come into the clinic.”
The partnership between the provider and their support staff is more than just a typical working relationship — it’s a collaborative effort built on trust, respect, compassion and support, forming a bond that is beneficial on many levels.
“It helps with efficiency and creates a more seamless experience for the patient when the provider and their support team are working in tandem and in sync,” Welty says. “Being able to have providers and staff at one organization like Aspire working together to address the biological, psychological and social needs of the patient in a collaborative approach is what will help these individuals get the best health outcomes.”
“Each person on the healthcare team brings their speciality and their own unique viewpoint into the conversation,” Stealy says. “No one can do this work alone, and every person and the role they play is vital. We want to continue to build up this support team of educated, empowered individuals who really see they’re making a difference in people’s lives and that it’s valuable, important work they’re doing.”
And making a difference in the lives of others is at the core of Stealy’s passion for nursing.
“You never know when a patient is walking out that door, and they’ll remember you for the rest of their lives.”
