CMA NHA Practice Exams 1, 2 & 3

You are drawing on a patient who becomes dizzy, sweaty, and flushed. What are they experiencing?

syncope

What is the best position to place a patient in if they are experiencing critically low blood pressure?

trendlenburg

When should a medical assistant verify a new patient's insurance information?

When the appointment is scheduled

How would a medical assistant handle an irate or angry patient about a bill they had received?

Listen to the patient's concerns and try to resolve the issue

What should you have handy when assisting a provider for a post-operative suture removal?

Sterile thumb dressing forceps

What would be the most appropriate position to place a patient in for a vaginal exam?

Lithotomy

What would describe the reversible transfer of a drug from one location to another within the body?

Distribution

When a patient is changing a transdermal patch, what is the first thing they should do?

Document the date and time on each new pad applied to the patient

When should a medical assistant disinfect an exam room?

After each patient encounter

How would a medical assistant weigh a patient who either has Vertigo or are having trouble balancing themselves?

Position a walker over the scale and have the patient hold onto it

If a medical assistant suspects that a pediatric patient as being abused, what is the next action to be taken?

Notify the provider

How would a medical assistant calculate BMI on a patient?

Height and weight

What tort law violation would be deception with the intent to deprive another person of their rights?

Fraud

If a patient is given an advance beneficiary notice for an elective plastic surgery, who would be the responsible party for paying the charges incurred?

The patient

How would a medical office dispose of a full sharps container?

Document the proper removal of the container into the facility log book

When using CPT main text, what code should be used to show that one procedure was used multiple times on a patient?

Modifier

What should a medical assistant document on a patient's requisition form when delivering a specimen for a wound culture to the microbiology department?

If the patient has been, or is still on, an antibiotic

What should be used to clean the floor after an accidental blood spill?

1:10 solution of sodium hypochlorite (bleach) solution

What is the main goals or purpose of patient centered care?

To include the patient and their family or loved ones in the patient's care

If you fail to knock on a patient's door or enter without permission come on this is considered which of the following?

Invasion of privacy

If a medical assistance suspects intimate spousal abuse, what would be the most appropriate action?

Present to the patient a list of resources and organizations for help

To which part of the body would a figure 8 bandage be applied?

Ankle

What would be considered part of the chain of infection?

Reservoir host

What should the medical assistant do if they notice a patient is sweating during a cardiac stress test?

Continue with a stress test as this as a normal reaction

Foods rich in iodine include:

Shellfish

How far should a patient be standing away from a vision chart when performing a distance visual examination?

20 feet

Which of the following patients would have an apical pulse rate outside the normal range?

10 week-old infant with a HR of 70 bpm

What drug type would be prescribed to a patient to help lower body temperature?

Antipyretic

What is the proper way to clean a site for venipuncture?

Clean with a circular motion from inside to out

In which section would a medical assistant document a patient's vital signs?

Objective

What type of fever is characterized by temperatures that come and go?

Intermittent

If a laboratory specimen requires an anaerobic collection container, be cautious not to unduly exposed the specimen to:

Oxygen

Which position should the patient be in when performing a EKG?

Supine

A medical assistant has been notified by a patient that she is refusing a particular medication. What response is the most appropriate?

Ask the patient to elaborate on her concerns about this medication

When performing a capillary finger stick on a one-year-old patient, what is the most important step to follow?

Ask the child's parent or guardian to hold a child securely during the procedure

A medical assistant is educating a patient who has recently had coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG). Which organization could the medical assistant refer the patient to for additional information about their disease?

American Heart Association

How would you file a problem-oriented medical record?

Chronological

A medical assistant is billing a patient from an outpatient facility? Which universal claim form would the medical assistant submit for reimbursement?

CMS-1500

If a patient has her arms crossed, leaning back in the chair, and looking at the ceiling, which emotion are they most likely feeling?

Angry

Which of the following conditions is most likely to be caused by smoking?

Atherosclerosis

What should patients always be provided when educating them on HIPAA?

Confidentiality statement

A medical assistant has arrived to the phlebotomy room and a patient is already present. What is the next step that the medical assistant should take?

Identify the patient using two identifiers

Part of a medical assistant's job is to provide:

Pre- and post-operative instructions

A provider is running extremely late. After apologizing, what would be the next step the medical assistant should take to communicate with the waiting patients?

Offer to reschedule appointments

When autoclaving surgical instruments for sterilization, what solution should be used?

Distilled water

The most appropriate action to take to ensure quality control testing on a urine dipstick tests, the medical assistant should do what?

Verify the reagent solution expiration date

Spontaneity and creativity corresponds to which level in Maslow's hierarchy of needs?

Self-actualization

Where does electrical conduction begin and a healthy human heart?

Sinoatrial (SA) node

What type of measurements would be used to complete a growth chart?

Anthropometric

Which of the following tasks would require the use of gloves?

Removal of a cyst

What is an example of implied consent?

The patient removes her clothes for an examination

A medical assistant instructs a patient not to use bronchodilators prior to which tests?

Pulmonary function test

What is the most appropriate site for an intramuscular injection on an infant?

Vastus lateralis

Which of the following is a reason to perform eye irrigation on a patient?

To flush the eye and relieve inflammation and discomfort

A medical assistant should use a winged infusion set for which of the following?

Small or fragile veins

A fecal occult blood test is screening to find which of the following in a stool sample?

Erythrocytes

If a medical assistant inadvertently documents inaccurate information in a patient's electronic medical record (EMR), which of the following is the next proper course of action?

Create a new note

A patient with limited mobility is being transferred from a sitting position to a bed by a medical sistant working alone. Which of the following actions must be taken?

Bend at the knees when lifting the patient

Which of the following would be considered a HIPAA violation?

Discussing a patient's medical diagnosis in the facility elevator

For the medical assistant to maintain a sterile field while assisting with a procedure, which of the following should he adhere to?

Place sterile instruments gently on to the sterile field

One of the possible side effects of chemotherapy treatment is hair loss. What term means "hair loss"?

Alopecia

Informing the patient of the risks, benefits, and potential outcomes of a procedure is called:

Informed consent

How would a medical assistant prepare a blood specimen for transport to and outside laboratory?

Place to requisition in the outer pocket of the transport bag

What is the proper way to clean a patient's wound?

Clean from center of wound outwards

Scheduling three patients to arrive at the same time for each hour of the day and seeing them in the order they arrive is which type of scheduling?

Wave scheduling

If a medical assistant spills blood on her uniform, she should do which of the following?

Complete the procedure

A patient takes Excedrin for a migraine headache. This is an example of which of the following?

Indication

The medical assistant finds packages of autoclave sterile instruments with no dates on the packages. What is the most appropriate action for the medical assistant to take?

Repackage and reprocess the instruments

How many compressions per minute should be performed during CPR?

100

What is included inside the package to properly prepare instruments for sterilization in the autoclave?

Sterilization indicators

Of the following, which is considered outside the scope of practice for a medical assistant?

Identifying pathogenic microorganisms

What pharmacokinetic process is disrupted if a patient has a diseased liver?

Metabolism

Why is it necessary for the medical assistant to educate patients?

It allows patients to actively participate in their medical care

A patient in your care as experiencing a hypoglycemic emergency. Of the following, which is the most appropriate action to be taken by the medical assistant to help this patient?

Give the patient Orange juice to drink

What eye chart is used to detect color blindness?

Ishihara chart

Where would a medical assistant place the ground lead of an EKG to decrease interference?

Right leg

Why is it important to invert laboratory tubes after performing phlebotomy?

To properly mix additives with the blood

What is the term used to describe decreased flow of oxygen-rich blood to a body part?

Ischemia

Prolonged tourniquet application longer than one minute can cause which of the following to the blood sample?

Hemoconcentration

What is the function of hemostasis?

Promotes coagulation

Parathyroid hormone is associated with the regulation of which element in the body?

Calcium

One of the Joint Commission's main goals in patient safety is to:

Identify patient's correctly

Which of the following should the medical assistant perform to maintain quality control for CLIA-waived testing?

Performing tests under supervision

What is the definition of aerophagia?

Swallowing air

Which form would a medical assistant use to document a patient's next scheduled office visit?

Encounter form

Mrs. Miller comes to the office with symptoms of body aches, cough, and fever. This could indicate a diagnosis of:

Influenza

Where should the leads of an EKG be placed if patient is known to have dextrocardia (condition in which the apex of the heart is oriented towards the patient's right side)?

Precordial (chest)

What is the correct position to place a patient when obtaining a rectal temperature?

Sims

How would a medical assistant start the disinfection process for soiled surgical instruments?

Rinse the instruments under cold water

The medical assistant notices that the provider is taking a patient's heart rate by checking the apical pulse. Which is the most likely age group for this patient?

Infants

What should the medical assistant take into consideration when selecting the appropriate cuff size for a patient prior to taking his blood pressure?

Weight

What is the correct definition of the term "basal state"?

Not eating anything for 12 hours

Where should the medical assistant place a tape measure to measure the circumference of an infants head?

Slightly above the eyebrows

If a patient is having an emotional crisis and their blood pressure is elevated, what should the medical existent do?

Recheck the blood pressure after giving the patient time to calm down

Low to mid back pain could be a sign of:

Pyelonephritis (inflammation of kidney)

When a patient is being given an Influenza vaccination, which of the following information should be documented on the patient's chart?

Expiration date and lot number of the vaccine

Which cell structure produces energy?

Mitochondrion

What is the expected observation on an ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate)?

The distance red blood cells (RBC's) have dropped

In which chamber of the heart is the sinoatrial (SA) node located?

Right atrium

A medical assistant has documented that a patient is jaundiced, appears to be confused, is anemic, and has had occasional abdominal pain in the past few days, which is indicated of a chronic liver disorder. Which of the following conditions may be present?

Cirrhosis