CCMA Practice Exam #1 questions

Cardiac electrical impulses originate in:

Impulses are initiated in the sinoatrial node and are the then conducted to the atrioventricular node

Schedule 1 drug

has no accepted medical use

When collecting health history from an elderly with moderate hearing:

Remain within the patient's view allows for lip reading and facial expressions association with with verbal communication

Coding a office visit during which the provider reviewed the systems related to a patients Chief Complaint but did not discuss the patient's family or social history is considered:

An expanded problem focused history, in which includes the systems related to the Chief Complaint but does not include a family or social history

A patient who has anemia shows the manifestations of:

irregular heartbeat, fatigue, dizziness, and pale skin

The patients Bill of Rights protects patients from:

being denied fair treatment or participation in research studies due to criteria such as age

Scissors are considered:

cutting and dissecting instruments

Disinfection is the proper technique to use when:

cleaning EKG cables and effective on surfaces that come in contact with micro-organisms

EDTA is the proper additive for:

Hematology studies and when performing a Complete Blood Count (CBC)

An assistant should use a non-adherent dressing on:

a partial thickness burn, this allows the wound to be exposed to air and heal

Allow patient to cry after receiving bad news because:

it permits them to express their emotions

The Lithotomy position is appropriate for:

Pelvic examination(s)

A Notice of Privacy Practices details:

how a patient's medical records will be used and disclosed by a medical office

Buccal tablets showed be administered:

between gums and cheeks

An assistant is cleaning an examination room after assisting a provider with a biopsy. Which actions should be taken?

the assistant should hold sharps by the blunt end to avoid a needle stick injury

Microcephaly refers to:

an abnormally small head

An assistant should measure a infant's height by:

placing a infant on its back with the paper cover on an examination table, then draw a line on paper at infants head and a line at the heel of the extended legs

Enteric-coated tablets shouldn't be:

crushed, chewed, or dissolved because they need to arrive in small intestines whole

What action should the assistant take when an older adult patient who is disabled and has a lesion on a arm is admitted:

The assistant should anticipate a referral to Home health care Organizations because they provide assistance with medications, wound care, and other services that need to be provided in their residence. Most appropriate to provide daily wound care.

In a Emergency clinic there are patients who are bleeding, have fractured limbs and a older patient who has diabetes and low blood pressure, who should go first?

The older patient who has diabetes and low blood pressure

When performing the Weber test the assistant should ask patient if:

they hear the vibration louder in one ear than the other

In following the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) Code of Ethics:

the response of "I can't share any information about what happens at my job." follows this code by maintaing patient confidentiality especially when a neighbor is involved

A medical assistant is reviewing laboratory requisitions. For when there is previous thromboses the assistant should consider:

a capillary puncture when the amount of blood is minimal and a patient has a history of thromboses

When performing the palpatory method for obtaining blood pressure the method requires:

the assistant to inflate the cuff 30 mm Hg above the cessation of the radial pulse

A medical assistant should insert the needle at a 15 degree when performing a :

Venipuncture

A patient reports persistent pain in the left upper quadrant. The assistant should recognize what organ is located in this quadrant?

The stomach is located in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen

The Sim's position is appropriate for :

a rectal examination

When a medical assistant is preparing a patient who has a bilateral below-the-knee amputations for an EKG the assistant should place the electrodes on the :

abdomen or thighs of a person

A assistant is performing a feccal occult blood test using a guaiac card, they should interpret :

a blue color as a positive result indicating that there is blood in the patient's stool

A medical assistant is collecting data from a patient who has cold sores on his lips, the assistant should ask themselves, what virus causes cold sores?

The herpes simplex virus type 1

The assistant should recognize that a diagnosis code indicates the medical necessity for the:

performance of a procedure or provided treatment. Without a diagnosis the provider will not receive reimbursement for the procedure.

A assistant works at a practice that is part of an Accountable Care Organization (ACO), this designation means:

the practice's health care team will focus on improving care for patients who have Medicare since ACOs have a strong relationship with patient centered medical homes as mandated by the centers for Medicare and Medicaid services.

An assistant should recommend what source of insoluble fiber to prevent consumption and hemorrhoids?

Pears with skin, medium pear with skin contains 4 grams of insoluble fiber per serving.

An assistant is responsible for providing encouragement and guidance for patients:

discussing medication compliance. Suggesting the use of a tool designed for maintaing medication compliance is within the assistant's scope of practice.

The first step the assistant should take when providing culturally competent care is to:

understand his own individual beliefs and value system

The right upper quadrant contains the major portion of what organ?

The liver and also is the quadrant that contains the gallbladder.

The assistant must first obtain an oral or written order from the provider for:

scheduling a patient for an outpatient procedure

When measuring a patient's respiratory rate:

count the respirations while the patient thinks his pulse is being obtained

A medical assistant should refer a patient who is experiencing home displacement following a hurricane to the:

American Red Cross

An adolescent is covered by two insurance policies under divorced parents who have joint custody, whose insurance policy does the assistant use for the patient?

The primary policy falls to the parent who has the earliest birth month (the birthday rule) according to the third-party payer guidelines

A assistant is administering an injection and the patient faints, the assistant should:

place the patient in a supine position to allow the patient's legs to be raised above the level of his heart

If an infant suddenly becomes unresponsive the assistant should immediately:

initiate cardiopulmonary resuscitation for 2 minutes prior to activating emergency response measures

If a patient has a Fasting blood glucose of 168 mg/dL the assistant should notify the provider and schedule an extension of the patient's visit because:

the patient's Fasting blood glucose is above the expected reference range of 70 to 130 mg/dL

A customary term or fee is :

a range of fees charged by providers who have similar training and experience and practice in the same geographical area

A 90 degree angle is used primarily for:

intramuscular injections in adult patients such as in the gluteus medius

During a routine venipuncture the patient becomes pale and diaphoretic, what condition is most likely to occur in this patient?

a sudden loss of blood flow to the brain. The patient can experience chills, nausea, dizziness, and numbness in the extremities and pale appearance.

Open hours scheduling is described by:

patients arriving at their convenience and are seen on a first come, first serve basis

An assistant should wear gloves and a gown when assisting with:

the physical examination of a patient who has scabies

During cardiac event monitoring the patient should:

update the event log with any irregular symptoms he experiences

Letterhead, envelopes, business cards, stationery, copy paper, pens, and pencils are considered:

administrative office supplies necessary for the administration of the practice

Expected manifestation of congestive heart failure include:

shortness of breath, fatigue, and edema.

In the depression stage of grief:

the patient expresses regret over unfulfilled goals

In collecting blood samples to measure cholesterol:

patient has to not have eaten any food for the past 12 hours

Surname and Maiden names should be looked at:

while filling in alphabetical order

To avoid an insurance denial when choosing a diagnosis code, a medical assistant should be coding:

to the highest level of specificity

When transcribing a prescription for MgSO4 or any other medication:

the name should always be spelled out fully

therefore it would be written as Magnesium sulfate

The assistant is responsible for receiving and preparing tissue specimens obtained from:

a punch biopsy for processing by laboratory

The assistant should record the date on the letter by writing out:

the name of the month and follow it with the date and year

When performing a tuberculin skin test (TB test):

the route of administration is intradermal

The assistant should record the infant's head circumference to:

the nearest o.6 cm (1/4 in.)

A medical assistant drops an instrument on the floor while setting up a sterile tray for a procedure, he picks up the instrument and places it back on the sterile field. What tort has a assistant committed?

Negligence; the malpractice or improper action of a medical professional resulting in harm to a patient

Refer the patient's request to:

the provider (refill of medication)

When an assistant is applying a transdermal patch for a patient it should be applied to:

a hairless area of the patient's skin because body hair can interfere with the distribution of the medication to the skin

Sim's position for rectal instillations such as:

an enema

Converting from feet to centimeters:

first convert feet to inches; 1 foot = 12 inches.

then convert inches to centimeters by multiplying by 2.54

Providing more information of hospice care is:

a therapeutic response and gives the patient the ability to ask questions

When administrating medication subcutaneously the assistant should:

insert the needle quickly, release the skin and then slowly inject the medication

Distal femur is located:

just above the knee

Dyspnea and congestion or any life threatening emergency is:

a priority Chief Complaint

Assistant should invert anticoagulant tubes to prevent:

clotting

When preparing to administer a liquid the assistant should place the medicine cup on:

a flat surface at eye level and pour medication to prescribed dose mark

Chain custody form is used to ensure:

that a specimen is packaged as directed

After a patient leaves an examination room the assistant should:

roll up the disposable paper on the table tightly and quickly

A assistant should use chlorhexide to

prepare a patient's skin prior to drawing blood cultures

A child who has varicella zoster virus is being cared by a medical assistant. The assistant should recognize varicella is transferred through which mode of transmission?

Airborne

Liniments contain a higher portion of oil then medicated lotions:

in order to protect dry and cracked skin

Vitamin A is a fat soluble as well as

Vitamin D

Vitamin E

Vitamin K

because they are stored in adipose tissue

The following statement by an assistant, "I think that you feel that your treatment is not effective." Validates patients feelings and:

restates the patient's words in order to verify an understanding

When the assistant observes a hematoma developing at the site of a venous blood draw:

Release the tourniquet and stop the draw

In explaining to a female patient how to collect a clean-catch urine specimen, the assistant should include:

with labia spread, urinate a small amount into the toilet before collecting the sample

When an assistant is performing an EKG the appropriate placement of the electrodes is:

the Tabs should be placed downward to reduce tension and pulling on the electrodes

An assistant is assisting a provider with the repair of a laceration on a patient's head. The provider prescribed an injection of 10 ml of Lidocaine with epinephrine. The assistant should recognize that epinephrine is:

a vasoconstrictor that reduces bleeding in its inclusion in the anesthetic and prolongs the anesthetic's effects. Reducing bleeding makes it easier for provider to see laceration

In completing documentation in a patient's paper medical record the assistant realized she made an error. The assistant should:

draw a line through the error, insert the correction, write the date next to the correction , and initial or sign the correction

A clinic schedules all cardiac patients on Mondays and Wednesdays and all oncology patients on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The clinic uses what kind of scheduling?

Cluster scheduling; this refers to grouping patients who have similar conditions into specific time slots or days

A medical assistant's role in pulmonary function testing (PFT) is:

to coach and encourage the patient during the test

A assistant is cleaning counter tops and other surfaces after a surgical procedure in providers office. Which of the following disinfectants should the assistant use?

a ratio of 1:10 bleach and water solution. This combo is the most reliable and cost effective for disinfection equipment and surfaces, especially for surfaces that have come in contact with bodily fluids that contain viruses including HIV.

A assistant is performing a review of items in a clinics inventory. The assistant should classify dressings and bandages as:

Clinical supplies ; These should be stored in a clean area protected from damage and exposure to the office environment.

The rapid strep test is granted waived status under:

Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)

A medication container states there is 250 mg in each scored tablet. The provider orders 375 mg. How many tablets should be given?

1.5 tablets

The assistant should make a fraction of 250 mg over 1 tablet (250 mg/1 tab) as well as 375 mg over X (375mg/X tab)

In order to find how many tablets the cross or peanut method should be performed therefore multiplying 250 by X and 375 by 1.

250X= 375

After this find X by dividing both sides by 250 and your answer is 1.5 tablets

A assistant is reviewing laboratory results that confirm a patient has varicella zoster virus. The assistant should identify that this micro-organism causes:

chicken pox or shingles

In collecting vital signs form a 6 year old child, the assistant should recognize a heart rate of 140/min is outside of the expected reference range because:

the expected range of a heart rate is from 70 to 130/min

For a slow release of medication into the blood stream through the parental medication route, a medical assistant should administer:

transdermal patches. They are infused with medication that is slowly absorbed through the skin and in to the blood stream

In reinforcing teaching with a patient about pulse oximetry,m a medical assistant should include removing nail polish before the test because:

there is a light on the oximetry probe that measures pulse and 02 saturation and nail polish can affect the reading if it interferes with the light.

A step in the process of skin preparation prior to a surgical procedure the assistant should clean the site with:

antiseptic to decrease the number of micro-organisms on the skin and reduce the risk of wound contamination

In preparing to assist a provider with suturing a wound the sterile field should contain:

a hemostat because it would be used in a suturing procedure

A assistant is performing a 12 lead EKG and should place the V2 precordial electrode to:

the left of the sternum at the fourth intercostal space

The cerebrum is the largest and uppermost section:

of the brain. Divided into lobes and separated into the right and left hemisphere

According to the stages of grief by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross:

depression presents itself in the 4th stage

In a subcutaneous injection the assistant should use what sized needle and gauge?

An assistant should use and select a needle size of 1/2 to 5/8 inch and 25 gauge needle to reach the subcutaneous injection.

An understanding of required patient identification techniques made by an assistant is demonstrated by:

"I will ask the patient to state and spell her full name and provide her date of birth before administering vaccines."

Joint Commission requires confirmation of patient identify through 2 forms of identification and CLSI requires patient to both spell and state full name.