CMA FINAL REVIEW

CMA Final Review Notes

Medical Conditions and Diseases

  • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): Pulmonary Function Tests (PFTs) are useful in monitoring this condition.

  • Glomerulonephritis: A urinary disease likely treated with corticosteroids.

  • Cardiac Arrhythmias: Antiarrhythmic drugs are used to normalize the heartbeat.

  • Nystagmus: Uncontrolled eye movement. If drug use is denied, alcohol consumption is admitted, and stroke/brain lesion is ruled out, alcohol rehabilitation therapy would be expected as a treatment suggestion.

  • Impetigo: A highly contagious dermatologic disease causing inflammation and pustules that crust before healing.

  • Syphilis: Treatable with penicillin. Following the treatment regimen prevents complications like brain damage.

  • Heart Attack: Symptoms include chest pain radiating to the arm, shoulder, and jaw.

  • Cystitis: Can be indicated by cloudy urine. To prevent future episodes, clean the perineal area from front to back.

  • Corneal Ulcer: An eye disorder resulting from injury or infection, treated with antibiotics and an eye patch.

  • AIDS: Suspected if a patient presents with weakness, significant weight loss, a T-cell count of 178178, a temperature of 102.4102.4 degrees, and blood pressure of 100/62100/62.

  • Concussion: Patients should avoid pain medicines other than acetaminophen.

  • Hyperglycemia: Symptoms include dry mouth, intense thirst, muscle weakness, and blurred vision.

  • Hypoglycemia: Can cause confusion in diabetic patients.

  • Graves' Disease: An autoimmune condition where antibodies attack the thyroid gland, leading to overproduction of thyroid hormones.

  • Macular Degeneration: A progressive eye disease causing central vision loss while peripheral vision remains intact.

  • Presbycusis: A type of sensorineural hearing loss, most common in older adults.

  • Cerebral Palsy: A birth-related disorder, the most frequent crippling disease in children.

  • Depression in Elderly Patients: Low treatment rates are often due to the belief that depression is a normal consequence of aging.

  • Food Poisoning: Most likely transmitted via foodborne transmission from a restaurant salad bar.

  • Protozoal or Parasitic Infection: May require an O&P (ova and parasite) specimen order.

Anatomy and Physiology

  • Muscle: Can be voluntary or involuntary.

  • Cilia: Help remove pathogens from the nasal cavity.

  • Nervous Tissue: Specializes in sending electrical messages.

  • Aortic Semilunar Valve: Prevents blood from flowing back into the left ventricle.

  • Epithelial Tissue: Covers the body and most organs.

  • Helper T Cells: Activated T cells that increase phagocytosis and antibody formation.

  • Purkinje Fibers: Located in the walls of the ventricles, causing them to contract.

  • Amnion: The protective sac around the embryo.

  • Eccrine Sweat Glands: Produce watery sweat.

  • Midsagittal Plane: Divides the body equally into right and left halves.

  • Flat Bones: Primarily located in the skull and rib cage.

  • Menarche: The normal age range for the beginning of menstruation is 1010 to 1515 years.

  • Metatarsals: Bones forming the front of the foot.

  • Auditory Ossicles: The three tiny bones that vibrate in response to sound.

  • Semen: A mixture of sperm cells and fluids from the seminal vesicles, prostate gland, and bulbourethral glands.

  • Plasma: Constitutes 55%55\% of the blood in the human body.

  • Pancreatic Lipase: The enzyme that digests lipids.

  • SA Node: Considered the pacemaker of the heart.

  • Cyanosis: Bluish skin appearance when the blood's oxygen supply is low.

Medical Procedures and Practices

  • Sterilization: Cleaning process required for instruments penetrating the skin or contacting normally sterile tissues/organs.

  • Cervical Smear: Potassium hydroxide (KOH) is added to dissolve epithelial cells and mucus.

  • Medication Administration: Ms. Anderson neglected to perform the three checks of medication administration.

  • Autoclave: A positive biological indicator means the items in that load are not sterile.

  • Cystoscopy: Procedure where the practitioner examines bladder and urethra walls by visualization and inspection.

  • Fasting for Blood Tests: If a patient has consumed anything (e.g., coffee) when instructed to fast, inform the physician to determine if blood can still be collected.

  • Stopping Bleeding: Apply direct pressure over the injury.

  • Culture and Sensitivity (C&S): Involves culturing a specimen and testing the isolated bacterium's susceptibility to antibiotics.

  • Inspection: Visual examination of the patient's entire body and overall appearance.

  • Lower GI Series: A diagnostic test where a barium enema is given rectally before an x-ray.

  • Cryosurgery Preparation: Inform the patient about an initial sensation of cold followed by a burning sensation.

  • Infant Measurements: In addition to length and weight, head circumference is also measured.

  • PET Scan: Used to diagnose Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

  • Blood Collection: The red stopper collection tube is used for blood chemistries and HIV/AIDS antibody tests. The Butterfly system is appropriate for patients with small or fragile veins. A Lancet is used in the capillary puncture technique.

  • Preoperative Patient Education: Providing written instructions and encouraging calls for questions helps patients and families remember and comply with postoperative instructions.

  • Patient Positioning: The sitting position is best for evaluating a patient's lung expansion ability.

  • Infant Development (9 months): Infants are typically able to sit and creep on their hands and knees.

Pharmacology and Dosage Calculation

  • Drug A Syrup Dosage Calculation:

    • Patient weight: 3333 lbs

    • Conversion to kilograms: 33 lbs/2.2 kg/lb=15 kg33\text{ lbs} / 2.2\text{ kg/lb} = 15\text{ kg}

    • Ordered dose: 15 mg/kg/day15\text{ mg/kg/day} divided into 22 doses/day

    • Total dose per day: 15 mg/kg/day×15 kg=225 mg/day15\text{ mg/kg/day} \times 15\text{ kg} = 225\text{ mg/day}

    • Amount per single dose: 225 mg/day/2 doses/day=112.5 mg/dose225\text{ mg/day} / 2\text{ doses/day} = 112.5\text{ mg/dose}

    • Concentration on hand: 250 mg/5 mL250\text{ mg/5 mL}

    • Calculation for volume per dose (x mLx\text{ mL}):
      250 mg/5 mL=112.5 mg/x mL250\text{ mg} / 5\text{ mL} = 112.5\text{ mg} / x\text{ mL}
      250(x)=112.5×5250(x) = 112.5 \times 5
      250(x)=562.5250(x) = 562.5
      x=562.5/250x = 562.5 / 250
      x=2.25 mLx = 2.25\text{ mL}

    • Administer 2.25 mL2.25\text{ mL} per dose.

  • Pain Medication Dosage:

    • Ordered: 120 mg120\text{ mg}

    • Tablet strength: 30 mg/tablet30\text{ mg/tablet}

    • Tablets to administer: 120 mg/30 mg/tablet=4 tablets120\text{ mg} / 30\text{ mg/tablet} = 4\text{ tablets}

Professionalism and Patient Communication

  • Point of Entry: Factors of host susceptibility related to the pathogen.

  • Three Checks of Medication Administration: Essential to prevent medication errors.

  • Closed-ended Questions: Offer little freedom for patient explanation, requiring yes-or-no answers.

  • Active Listening: Interviewing a patient is an example.

  • Body Language: Includes facial expressions, eye contact, posture, attention to personal space, and touch.

  • Professional Judgment: A medical assistant demonstrates professional judgment when prioritizing an unscheduled patient with chest pain over a scheduled patient.

  • Addressing Elderly Patients: Appropriately address as