*SAMPLE QUESTIONS

what agency dictates the operations of physician office clinic laboratories?

the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regulates laboratory testing through the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA).

what body systems work together to move hormones throughout the body?

circulatory and endocrine systems.

how should surgical sutures be removed?

grasp and life the knot away from the skin, then slide the suture scissors up under the suture and cute the suture, not the knot, at the skin level.

when performing routine follow-up calls to patients what should be done first if a patient provides an unsatisfactory progress report?

notify the provider immediately then document the phone call.

what is the final step to ensure an EKG tracing will be clear with a horizontal baseline?

double-check the electrodes’ attachment.

how should a butterfly needle set be used to obtain a blood sample from a vein in a patient’s hand.

hold the needle by its wings for better control, insert it at a 10 to 15-degree angle almost parallel to the skin.

an MA administers an injection and the patient faints. what actions should the MA take?

place the patient in a supine position to allow the patient’s legs to be raised above the level of their heart.

what tube should be used to draw a blood glucose level?

gray tube tope.

which quadrant is the gallbladder located in?

right upper quadrant (RUQ).

which quadrant is the appendix located in?

right lower quadrant (RLQ).

an MA has an order to draw blood for a lead level on an 18-month-old toddler. which site should the MA use for venipuncture?

superficial dorsal hand veins.

what letter format uses indented paragraphs?

the semi-block letter starts each paragraph indented by five spaces.

what temperature must a urine sample be to be usable for a patient drug test?

90 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

how should roller bandages be applied for wound care?

wrap the wound from distal to proximal. the area should be clean and try prior to bandaging.

how should patients over the age of 3 be positioned when administering ear drops?

infected ear facing up with the pinna pulled up and back.

how should patients under the age of 3 be positioned when administering ear drops?

infected ear facing up with the earlobe pulled down and back.

what period of time should a patient collect a urine specimen for a urine creatinine test?

24-hour period.

what document is required when billing a patient’s third-party payer for an office visit?

837P/CMS-1500 claim form.

what vaccine should newborn patients receive at birth?

Hepatitis B vaccine.

at what age should patients receive their first Varicella vaccine?

12 months of age.

at what age should patients receive their first Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis) vaccine?

age 7 or older.

at what age should patients receive their first MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine?

12 months of age.

at what age should patients receive their first HPV (human papilloma virus) vaccine?

11 to 12 years of age.

how far should the probe be inserted when obtaining a rectal temperature?

½ inch into the rectum for an infant, 1 inch for an adult.

what position should a patient be placed in for a colposcopy procedure?

lithotomy position.

how should a medical assistant prepare a patient to have a mole excised?

cleanse the surgical area with surgical soap and an antiseptic before the provider performs the procedure.

a patient who regularly comes into contact with coal and wood dust is at an increased risk of developing what disorder?

emphysema due to damage to alveoli in the lungs from contact with coal and wood dust.

what regulation allow a medical office to release information to a patient’s insurance company if they call to obtain additional information regarding a recently submitted claim?

the HIPPA privacy rule allows the office to release the information without a written authorization.

which class of fire extinguisher should be used on flammable liquids?

class B extinguishers contain carbon dioxide that can be used on flammable liquids such as grease. class C for electrical fires.

what instructions should patients be provided with to assist in hemostasis following a venipuncture procedure?

instruct the patient to hold pressure on the site and elevate their arm above their heart.

what is the correct spacing for the small amounts of allergens scratched onto the skin during a scratch allergy test.

allergens should be scratched onto the skin with 1.5 to 2 inches between test sites.

what is commonly included in electronic prescription templates?

the medication choice and dosage.

how should a blood pressure cuff be inflated for an accurate reading?

inflate the cuff to approximately 30 mm Hg above the previously measured radial pulse reading.

what body systems work together to control and maintain homeostasis?

endocrine and nervous systems.

what is an example of disease prevention coaching?

providing a patient with instructions about effective hand washing is an example of disease prevention coaching because it supports the patient’s ability to stop the spread of disease.

what substance should be used to wipe the area where the EKG electrodes will be placed on the patient?

alcohol.

what type of procedures require prior authorization?

procedures performed outside the medical office, such as surgical procedures, radiology tests, endoscopies, and hospital visits.

what disinfectant should be used to disinfect examination room tables between patients?

a 10% solution of household bleach in water should be used to disinfect the table and any work surfaces with visible contamination from body fluids.

what is an example of the defense mechanism of reaction formation?

the patient expresses the opposite of what they actually feel.

what is an example of the defense mechanism of regression?

the patient reverts to expressively immature behavior.

how long should a medical assistant observe the venipuncture site after releasing pressure and applying a bandage to ensure there is no leakage?

5 to 10 seconds.

what is the proper time period for the collection of a newborn screening card?

within 24 to 48 hours after birth.

a medical assistant is having difficulty locating a palpable vein for venipuncture. what vein should the assistant use only as a last resort?

basilic veins should be used as a last resort because they are close to the brachial artery and median nerves and should only be used by experienced phlebotomists.

what venipuncture method should be used to obtain a blood sample from an infant?

the capillary puncture method performed as a heel stick.

how should the EKG leg electrodes be placed on a patient?

above the ankles on the inner side of the lower leg.

how often should the Zoster (Zostavax) vaccine be administered?

once in a lifetime for adults over the age of 60.

how often should Tetanus and diphtheria vaccine be administered?

every 10 years for adults.

at what time should the medical assistant post the adjustment to the patient ledger when performing a credit adjustment?

at the same time the payment is posted.

which tube should be used when performing a hematology test?

a lavender tube is used for hematology tests.

how should OPIMs (other potentially infectious materials) be handled?

broken specimens contained should be immediately disposed of into a sharps container. spills from OPIMs should be cleaned using a disinfectant.

at what angle should the needle be inserted when performing venipuncture?

15° angle.

how long does it take for reactions from a allergy scratch test to occur?

10 to 30 minutes.

how are reactions from an allergy scratch test noted?

numerical values from 2 to 4.

can allergy scratch tests identify multiple allergies?

yes, allergy scratch tests can identify over 70 allergies at one time.

what drug classification reduces progression of cancer cells?

antineoplastic slow the growth of cancer cells.

what form must be on file in the patient’s electronic health record in order for the MA to discuss the patient’s claim with a third-party payer?

a release of information form is signed by the patient to discuss confidential account information with a third-party payer.

a provider orders nitroglycerin tablet for a patient experiencing chest pain, what route should the medication be administered?

sublingual administration under the tongue allows for rapid absorption.

how should patients be instructed to dispose of used needles for at home medication administration?

dispose used needles in a biohazard sharps container which can be obtained at a local pharmacy or medical supply store.

what orders must be entered directly by a provider into the computerized physician order entry as they are outside the scope of practice for an MA to order.

hospital orders must be ordered by the provider.. the MA can enter lab, diagnostic, and medication orders under the supervision of a provider.

what is the correct order for donning personal protective equipment (PPE)?

gown, mask, googles, gloves.

what is the purpose of epinephrine when used alongside an anesthetic, such as when repairing a laceration?

epinephrine reduces bleeding and prolongs the anesthetic’s numbing effects. reduced bleeding makes laceration repair easier.

what equipment should a medical assistant place on a side counter for a cyst removal?

the specimen container, dressing and bandages, splits and guards.

what equipment should a medical assistant place in the sterile field for a cyst removal?

a syringe and needle.

what time of day will a patient’s body temperature be at its lowest?

body temperature is at its lowest in the morning and increases throughout the day.

what must be included in a superbill to ensure accurate billing?

the patient’s name, date of service, provider, services provided, and the diagnosis code.

how should eye ointment be administered?

ointment should be applied along the conjunctival sac from the inner canthus to the outer canthus.

during a venipuncture, the patient becomes pale and diaphoretic, what is the patient experiencing?

the patient is exhibiting signs of syncope and precautions should be taken in case the patient faints.

what is the first step before performing wound care?

don gloves prior to wound are to prevent further contamination.

a parent calls and reports a child might have ingested a household cleaner, what actions should be taken?

keep the parent on the line and contact the local poison control center, forward all directions to the parent.

how can a medical assistant better communicate with an older patient who has moderate hearing loss?

using hand gestures when speaking can assist in the communication process.

how should the skin be prepared prior to a surgical procedure?

clean the surgical site with antiseptic to decrease the number of micro-organisms. do not sterilize the skin as it would damage the cells and tissues.

what instructions are provided to a patient when performing the Weber hearing test?

ask the patient if they hear the vibration louder in one ear than the other. used to determine if a patiene’s hearing is better in one ear.

what information should be shared with a patient about obtaining a stool sample?

the sample should be plated within 72 hours without use of laxatives and cannot be collected from a diaper or toilet water

what community resource should a medical assistant provide to a patient pursing holistic care?

a PCMH community resource provides holistic patient care.

how should a medical assistant feel a vein bounce to locate the best vein for venipuncture?

palpate the area to feel the vein bounce. the vein should bounce back.

what is the first steps to prepare a community resource library?

research, identify, and compile a list of available local community resources and services.

when preparing a sterile field what can cause potential contamination?

touching the inside of the sterile pack.

what must be manually written on collected venipuncture specimen?

time and assistant’s initials.

what pieces of equipment require only sanitization and not disinfection or sterilization.

otoscopes, ophthalmoscopes, stethoscopes, penlights, tuning forks.

which stage of the communication cycles involves translating a message based on subjective perceptions or personal factors?

receiver decoding the message.

the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1988 requires what information to be documented in a pediatric patient’s permanent medical record?

lot number of the vaccine.

what should be verified when preparing a medication prescription for a patient?

verify the right medication administration when preparing the prescription, including the right patient, medication, dose, route, time, technique, and doucmentation.

what treatment should the medical assistant expect a provider to prescribe for patient who experienced an ankle sprain?

the provider will likely prescribed ice as part of RICE treatment (rest, ice, compression, and elevation).

what is the standard gain on an EKG?

10 mm/mV, as indicated by the calibration box.

how should blood-soiled gauze dressing be disposed?

in a red biohazard bag.

what can contribute to an erroneous pulse rate when measuring patient vitals?

patient movement can alter pulse measurement because it impacts the heart rate.

what must be done to reuseable equipment that encounters patient mucous membrane after use?

disinfection is required to remove most micro-organisms including equipment like a nasal specula.

providing a family members confidential information about a patient without checking the release of information violates what act?

HIPPA.

how does a medical assistant measure a patient’s height properly when using a scale with a height bar?

lower the horizontal bar to rest on top of the patient’s head. the patient should stand up straight and look ahead.

what are the OSHA guidelines for disposing biomedical waste?

collection containers for biomedical waste must be leak proof and strong. health care facilities are required to hire a biomedical waste disposal service. waste containers must be labeled with the chemical name and should not be retained for more than 30 days.

when filling out an incident report following exposure to a patient’s blood, what statements should be included in the report?

any witness statements about how the incident occurred should be documented in the report.

what regulatory agency should be contacted if a medical office is not providing personal protective equipment (PPE) for staff?

OSHA regulates workplace safety and should be contacted to report a violation regarding PPE.

what is the typical blood glucose level reference range?

70 to 99 mg/dL.

what is the expected potassium reference range?

3.5 to 5 mEq/L.

what is the expected hematocrit reference range?

42 to 50% for male patients, 37 to 47% for female patients.

what is the expected hemoglobin level reference range?

14 to 18 g/dL for male patients, 12 to 16 g/dL for female patients.

how often should colonoscopies screenings be performed?

once every 3 years for patients who are between 45 to 75 years old.

how often should bone density screenings be performed?

once every 2 years for females age 65 and older.

what technique is used to remove staples from a wound?

gently place the jaw of the staple remover under the staple. this will lift the staples out of the wound smoothly without causing further discomfort.

what is the minimum temperature for an autoclave to sterilize instruments?

121.1 °C or 250 °F