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Monday 9:30am - 5pm Tuesday 9:30am - 5pm Wednesday 9:30am - 5pm Thursday 9:30am - 5pm Friday 9:30am - 5pm

Medway Healthcare Institute

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United States
Chicago, IL
Medway Healthcare Institute

Mission: to empower a future generation of healthcare professionals.

01/06/2026

🧤 Speciment Handling 101

- Time is critical!
⏱️ Urine must be tested within 1 hour of collection. After that, bacteria multiply and results can be skewed (like glucose levels dropping and PH rising)

- Shake it off? Nope!
🚫 Never shake the specimen, gentle mixing is okay if needed. Shaking can break cells or distort results.

- Avoid cross contamination
🔬 never transfer urine between containers unless instructed. Always use original sterile containers for testing!

- PPE + Disinfection = Key
🧼 Disinfect the area if there are any spills and always dispose of PPE and specimen waste properly. Biohazard rules apply!

🌈⭐️

12/15/2025

🎉CONGRATULATIONS 🎉 to Fabiola, Emori, and Juan! On becoming Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) you’ve earned it 🔅🩺

11/17/2025

💓 The Heart 💓

💗 Main idea
Your heart is like a double pump, the right side handles deoxygenated blood (low oxygen), and the left side handles oxygenated blood (high oxygen).

🫀 External View (Outside of the heart)

• Atrium - (right & left): The upper chambers; they receive blood

•Ventricles - (right & left): The lower chambers they pump out blood

•Coronary arteries: small vessels on the surface that feed the heart muscle itself

•Apex: The pointed tip of the heart (at the bottom).

💫Internal Parts (Inside the Heart)

1. Superior and Inferior vena cava - Bring deoxygenated blood from the body to the right atrium.

2.Right atrium - Receives deoxygenated blood and sends it through the tricuspid valve.

3. Tricuspid Valve - Keeps blood flowing in one direction → into the right ventricle.

4. Right Ventricle - Pumps blood to the lungs through the pulmonary valve.

5.Pulmonary Valve → Pulmonary Arteries → Lungs (where blood gets oxygen!).

6.Pulmonary Veins - Bring oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium.

7. Left Atrium - Sends blood through the mitral (bicuspid) valve.

8. Mitral (bicuspid) Valve → Into the Left Ventricle.

9. Left Ventricle - Pumps oxygen-rich blood through the aortic valve.

10. Aortic Valve → Aorta → Body!

🫁 Circulation systems

1. Pulmonary Circulation - O2 station to “Fill er’ Up”

2.Systemic Circulation - O2 rich blood, spreading the wealth to all organ systems

💗 Valve Recap (the one-way doors!)

- Tricuspid → between right atrium & ventricle

- Pulmonary → between right ventricle & pulmonary artery

- Mitral (bicuspid) → between left atrium & ventricle

- Aortic → between left ventricle and aorta

💡 TIP to remember valves in order:
→ “Try Pulling My Aorta” (Tricuspid, Pulmonary, Mitral, Aortic)

☀️

11/07/2025

✨ Nine Abdominal Regions & Their Major Organs✨

🔹 Right Hypochondriac Region: liver, gallbladder, right kidney

🔹 Epigastric Region: Stomach, pancreas, part of liver

🔹 Left Hypocondriac Region: Spleen, part of the stomach, left kidney

🔹 Right Lumbar Region: Ascending colon, small intestine, right kidney

🔹 Umbilibal Region: Small intestine, transverse colon

🔹 Left Lumbar Region: Descending colon, small intestine, left kidney

🔹 Right Liliac (Inguinal) Region: Appendix, cecum

🔹 Hypogastric (p***c) Region: Bladder, reproductive organs, small intestine

🔹 Left Iliac (Inguinal) Region: Sigmoid colon, small intestine

10/16/2025

🌟 Anatomical Planes of the Body 🌟

🔷 Coronal Plane (Frontal Plane)

- Divides the body into front (anterior) and back (posterior) parts.

- Think of it like slicing the body so you can see the face and chest separated from the back.

- Example: A 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗫-𝗿𝗮𝘆 is often viewed in this plane.

🔷 Sagittal Plane

- Divides the body into left and right sides.

- If it’s directly in the middle, splitting the body into equal left and right halves → it’s called the midsagittal plane.

- If it’s off to one side → it’s called the parasagittal plane.

- Example: An 𝗠𝗥𝗜 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗻 may use sagittal images.

🔷 Transverse Plane (Horizontal Plane)

- Divides the body into upper (superior) and lower (inferior) parts.

- Like cutting the body in half horizontally at the waist.

- Example: 𝗖𝗧 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘀 often show cross-sections in this plane.

💡 TIP for remembering:

FRONTAL = Front & Back
SAGITTAL = Separate Sides(Left / Right)
TRANSVERSE = Tops & Bottom

🌈⭐️

09/26/2025

💧 PLASMA PROTEINS - THE VIPS IN THE LIQUID LIFE

What is plasma Protein? 🤔
➡ A group of proteins present in the blood plasma, the liquid compound of blood. 🌸 These plasma proteins are important proteins in your blood that help maintain balance, fight infections, and aid in clotting. 🐝

What they do ➡They play a crucial role in maintaining blood volume, transporting nutrients and hormones, and supporting the immune system.

1. Albumin - Keeps fluid in your blood vessels. Think of it as the ‘pressure manager” 💦

2. Globulins - Help fight infections (immunoglobulins = antibodies) 🛡️

3. Fibrinogen - needed for clotting, turns into fibrin (think: blood bandages) 🩹

09/18/2025

💉It’s all about the angle!💉

When giving injections, the angle of needle insertion is crucial depending on the type:

- Intramuscular (IM) 👉 90° like a tiny dart into a bullseye 🎯

- Subcutaneous (SubQ) 👉 45° a gentle slide to the cushion 🛋️

- Intradermal (ID) 👉 10-15° just tickling the skin’s surface 🏄

👉 Why it matters: The right angle ensures the medicine gets to the correct tissue layer for proper absorption and effectiveness. Get it wrong, and you risk pain, poor absorption, or complications.

🌈⭐️ ❤️

08/27/2025

💉 Blood Specimens - The Phlebotomy Power Move

You might not draw blood in every clinic, but knowing the basics is MA gold 🥇

💡 Key Factors to consider:

🌟 Follow the order of draw (to avoid additive contamination!)
🌟 Always label tubes in front of patient
🌟 Invert tubes, don’t shake! 🔄 (prevents hemolysis)
🌟 Use the correct tube color for the test:

Tube Color: Lavender 💜
-Additive: EDTA
-Used For: CBC, blood counts

Tube Color: Light blue 💙
-Additive: Sodium citrate
-Used For: Coagulation (PT/INR)

Tube Color: Green 💚
-Additive: Heparin
-Used For: Chemistry Panels

Tube Color: Red/Gold ❤️ 💛
-Additive: No additive/Gel
-Used For: Serum tests

Tube Color: Gray 🩶
-Additive: Fluoride
-Used For: Glucose, alcohol levels

08/21/2025

🌈 THE 5 TYPES OF ANTIBODIES (immunoglobulins):

1. lgG - “the OG”

-Most abundant antibody in the blood
-Provides long term immunity (after infection or vaccine)
-Crosses the placenta → protects the baby 👶🛡️
-Mood: “I’ll remember this for life.”

2. IgA - “the secret keeper”

-Found in secretions saliva, tears, mucus, breast milk 💧
-First line of defense on mucosal surfaces (respiratory, Gl, etc.)
-Mood: “I protect you quietly, daily.”

3. lgM - “The First Responder”

-First antibody made when infection hits ⚡
-Big and bulky → too large to cross the placenta
-Mood: “I don’t wait around.”

4. lgE - “The Drama Queen”

-Triggers allergic reactions 🌸🐝
-Works with histamine → Causes sneezing, swelling, itching
-Mood: “I over react, It’s my job.”

5. IgD - “The Mysterious One”

-Found on immature B cells
-Function not fully understood, but helps activate immune response
-Mood: “I’m lowkey, but valid.”

💉💊

08/13/2025

💥L.A.B.D.R.A.W.💥

💉 L – Label right away 🏷️
💉 A – Ask about fasting or meds 💬
💉 B – Be calm and talk them through it
💉 D – Draw in the right order
💉 R – Rotate tubes gently (invert, don’t shake!) 🔄
💉 A – Apply pressure after
💉 W – Write it up in documentation 📋

07/25/2025

📍 Common Types of Needles Used In Clinical Practice

1. Hypodermic Needles - The All-Rounder Queen 💁
        ★Used for IM, SubQ, or IV injections
        ★Lengths ½ to 1½ inches
        ★Gauge: 18G-27G

2. Intradermal (ID) Needles - The Skin-Deep starlet 🌸

       ★Used for TB test, allergy testing
       ★Length ¾ to ½ inches
       ★Gauge: 26G-28G
       ★Insert at a 10-15° angle, just under the top layer of skin

3. Subcutaneous (subQ) Needles - The Soft Queen 🍭

       ★ For insulin, heparin, some vaccines
       ★ Length: ½ to ⅝ inches
       ★ Gauge: 22G-27G
       ★Insert at a 45° or 90° angle depending on body fat

4. Intramuscular (IM) Needles - The Deep Diva 💪

       ★ Used for vaccines, pain meds, vitamin shots
       ★ Length: 1 to 1½ inches (longer for adults with more body mass)
       ★Gauge: 20G-25G
       ★Insert at a full 90° angle

5. Butterfly Needles (Winged Infusion Set) - The Delicate Icon 🦋

       ★Used for venipuncture, especially in kids or hard to stick veins
       ★Attached tubing allows more control
       ★Gauge: 21G-23G

🧠 MA Level Pro Tips

👉Always choose needle size based on:
       ★Medication type (thicker meds need lower gauge)
       ★Route (IM, SubQ, etc.)
       ★Patient size/age
       👉Rotate injection sites when needed (especially for insulin)
       👉NEVER recap a used needle, sharps box is their forever home 🗑️

07/16/2025

🌈 HOW YOUR BODY REACTS TO A VACCINE 🌈

🧬 Step 1: Vaccine Enters the Chat
👉 It's a small, safe version of the germ or its code.
👉 Goal: Train the body, not to make you sick!

🛡️ Step 2: Immune System Pops Off
👉 White blood cells: “Who’s this intruder?” 🕵️
👉 T cells: The fighters 💪
👉 B cells: Antibody makers

🧠 Step 3: Memory Cells Activated
👉 Body starts to store the info 💾
👉 If the real virus shows up later? It’s game over for the germ 😤

🔥 Step 4: Side Effects = Training Day
👉 Sore arm 💢
👉 Fever 🤧
👉 Fatigue
Totally Normal = Body learning!

📋 MA Tips to Remember: ✅ Explain why vaccines matter
✅Reassure about side effects
✅Watch for serious reactions (rash, difficulty breathing)
✅Keep track of vaccine schedules!

Address

3510 WEST 79TH Street
Chicago, IL
60652

Opening Hours

Monday	9:30am - 5pm
Tuesday	9:30am - 5pm
Wednesday	9:30am - 5pm
Thursday	9:30am - 5pm
Friday	9:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+17737788800

Website

https://www.medwayinstitute.com/

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