CCMA Certification Study Guide

These flashcards cover key terms and definitions essential for the CCMA certification exam.

Chief complaint (CC)

The reason a patient called for help, including their response to questions like 'What's wrong?' or 'What happened?'.

History of present illness (HPI)

A chronological description that explains the chief complaint and the development of the present illness.

Vital Signs

Temperature, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure are all __________ __________.

Normal oral temperature

Range from 97.6F to 99.6F.

Intermittent fever

Fever that alternates between elevated and normal or subnormal body temperatures.

Remittent fever

Fever in which the temperature fluctuates greatly but never falls to the normal level.

Continuous fever

A fever that remains constant above the baseline without fluctuation.

Normal pulse rate

Range from 60 to 100 BPM.

Respirations

Rate, rhythm, and depth are taken into account when measuring what?

Systole

Contraction of the heart.

Diastole

Relaxation of the heart.

Anthropometric measurements

Measurements of height, weight, BMI, head circumference in infants, waist to hip, % of body fat.

Inspection

Evaluation of general appearance, state of nutrition, body habits, symmetry, posture and gait, speech.

Palpation

To examine by touch.

Percussion

A physical examination method of tapping over the body to elicit vibrations and sounds.

Auscultation

The act of listening to sounds arising within organs for diagnosis and treatment.

OSHA

A government agency in the Department of Labor responsible for maintaining a safe and healthy work environment.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)

An emergency procedure for life support including artificial respiration and manual cardiac compression.

Shock

Caused by inadequate blood flow to the heart and to the rest of the body.

Symptoms of shock

Pale, cold, clammy skin, rapid weak pulse, increased shallow breathing, expressionless face.

First aid for shock

Maintain open airway, call for assistance, keep victim lying down with head lower than body; control bleeding if known.

Portal of exit

The method in which an infectious agent leaves the reservoir, such as through blood or saliva.

Mode of transmission

Includes contact, droplet, air, vehicles, or vectorborne.

Portal of entry

A pathway by which the causative agent enters the host.

Susceptible host

An individual with little resistance to an infectious agent.

Disinfection

Process to destroy microorganisms; it destroys all pathogenic organisms except spores.

Chemical sterilization

Uses the same chemicals as disinfection, but with longer exposure time.

Steam sterilization (Autoclave)

Uses steam under pressure to achieve higher temperatures (250-254F) with specific exposure times.

Hand washing

The most important means of preventing the spread of infection.

Hand antisepsis

The removal and destruction of transient microorganisms using antimicrobial soaps.

PPE

Personal protective equipment such as masks, goggles, face shields, and respirators.

Intradermal Injection (ID)

15 degrees, no aspiration; used for TB tests, allergy tests, and local anesthetics.

Intramuscular Injection (IM)

90 degrees with aspiration.

Subcutaneous Injection (SQ)

45 degrees for administration.

Pericardium

Protective sac enclosing the heart, composed of two layers with fluid in between.

Right atrium

The upper right chamber of the heart, receives deoxygenated blood from the vena cava.

Right ventricle

The chamber that pumps deoxygenated blood into the pulmonary trunk.

Left atrium

The chamber that receives oxygenated blood returning from the lungs.

Left ventricle

The chamber that pumps oxygenated blood into the aorta.

Aorta

The largest artery in the body.

Pulmonary arteries

The only arteries in the body that carry deoxygenated blood.

Pulmonary veins

The only veins in the body that carry oxygenated blood.

Atrioventricular valves

Separate the atria and ventricles; include tricuspid and mitral valves.

Tricuspid valve

Located between the right atrium and right ventricle.

Mitral valve

Located between the left atrium and left ventricle.

Pulmonary valve

Located between the right ventricle and pulmonary trunk.

Aortic Valve

Located between the left ventricle and aorta.

Depolarization

Process where sodium rushes into the neuron, creating a positive charge.

Repolarization

Process where K+ ions leave the inside of the axon, making the inside charge negative.

SA NODE

The pacemaker of the heart; where impulse conduction begins.

AV node

Located at the posterior septal wall of the right atrium, includes a delay for blood flow.

Lead I

Left arm positive, right arm negative (LA-RA).

Lead II

Left leg positive, right arm negative (LL-RA).

Lead III

Left leg positive, left arm negative (LL-LA).

aVR

The right arm is positive, with other limbs negative.

aVL

The left arm is positive, with other limbs negative.

aVF

The left leg is positive and other limbs negative.

V1

4th intercostal space, right sternal border.

V2

4th intercostal space, left sternal border.

V3

Equidistant between V2 and V4.

V4

5th intercostal space on the left midclavicular line.

V5

5th intercostal space at the anterior axillary line.

V6

5th intercostal space, midaxillary line.

1mm

One small square on EKG grid is equal to 0.04 seconds.

5mm

One large square on EKG grid is equal to 0.2 seconds.

1mV

Two large squares on EKG grid is equal to 1 mV.

.04 seconds

Time equivalent of one small square on EKG grid.

.2 seconds

Time equivalent of one large square on EKG grid.

1 second

Time equivalent of five large squares on EKG grid.

25mm per second

The running speed of an EKG.

Horizontal axis

Represents time on an EKG.

Vertical axis

Represents amplitude on an EKG.

P Wave

Deflection produced by atrial depolarization; does not exceed 0.11s in duration.

T wave

Deflection produced by ventricular repolarization.

QRS complex

Represents ventricular depolarization.

Somatic tremors

Produced by patient tremors or shaking the wires, creating jittery EKG patterns.

Wandering baseline

Interference with the EKG signal caused by sweat/lotion or tension on wires.

60-cycle interference

Deflections occurring rapidly due to nearby electrical appliances; may mimic atrial flutter.

Broken recording

Occurs when the stylus is unable to find the signal; caused by loose electrodes or cable.

Arrhythmia

Abnormal heart rhythms.

Ischemia

Decreased blood flow to tissues due to constricted or occluded blood vessels.

Myocardial infarction

Death of myocardial cells.

PR segment

.16 mm/s; segment from the end of the P wave to the onset of the QRS complex.

ST segment

From J point to the onset of the T wave; elevation can indicate myocardial infarction.

Beta Blockers

Medications that reduce heart rate and blood pressure; contraindicated for cardiac stress tests.

5-6 liters

The average adult blood volume.

55%

Percentage of plasma in the blood.

45%

Percentage of formed elements in the blood, such as RBC, WBC, and platelets.

99%

Percentage of formed elements that are red blood cells.

Erythrocytes

Oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells.

120 days

Normal lifespan of a red blood cell.

4.2-6.2 million

Normal RBC count per microliter of blood.

Thrombocytes

Platelets that promote blood coagulation.

140,000-440,000

Average number of platelets per microliter of blood.

Leukocytes

White blood cells that protect the body against infection.

5,000-10,000

Normal amount of leukocytes for an adult per microliter.

Leukocytosis

Increased number of WBCs.

Leukopenia

Decreased number of WBCs.

Neutrophils

The most numerous type of WBCs, comprising 40-60% of total WBC count.

Lymphocytes

Second most numerous WBCs, comprising 20-40% of total WBC count.