Health Science Theory and Practice (HSTP) Study Guide

Study Guide Upcoming Quiz: Fall 2025 Cumulative Review Health Science Theory and Practice (HSTP)

  • Overview of the Course

    • HSTP is designed to prepare students for the NHA Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) exam.

    • Course material builds through the year; retention of knowledge from previous units is crucial.

    • A “pop” quiz will be conducted in the second week of the spring semester, with readiness required for January 12, 2026.

    • This guide includes all quiz questions, covering material essential for the upcoming NHA CCMA practice exam.

    • Access previous material through Schoology > Fall 2025 Content (grey folder).

    • Topics have been drawn primarily from Unit 1, emphasizing the foundational nature of this unit for understanding medical assisting.

Unit 1 Content

Station 1

  • Medical Assistants (MAs)

    • MAs can enter certain types of orders into Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) systems.

    • In a hospital setting, only the physicians may enter hospital orders in the CPOE.

    • Providers include physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants.

Station 2

  • Duties of Medical Assistants

    • MAs have both clinical/lab and administrative duties.

    • Students should categorize MA duties accurately into clinical/lab or administrative sectors.

Station 3

  • Scope of Practice

    • The scope of practice pertains to the procedures and actions permitted for a healthcare professional as defined by their license/certifications.

    • MAs are not licensed professionals; certification is preferred by most employers.

    • The scope of practice can vary significantly by state and generally prohibits MAs from performing untrained procedures.

    • Standard of care refers to the care expected from reasonably prudent healthcare professionals of the same license in similar situations.

    • Students should familiarize themselves with tasks that fall within an MA’s scope of practice.

Station 4

  • Allied Health Professionals

    • MAs are categorized as allied health professionals, which also include fields such as:

    • Physical therapy

    • Speech therapy

    • Occupational therapy

    • Medical laboratory sciences

    • Pharmacy

    • Radiology

    • Dietetics

    • Physicians and nurses do not belong to the allied health professional category.

Station 5

  • Licensure vs. Certification

    • Licensure is legal permission to practice a profession and is mandatory for certain fields (e.g., physicians, nurses, pharmacists).

    • Certification indicates that an individual has met the necessary requirements for competency in a profession; it's generally optional for roles such as medical assistants and pharmacy technicians.

Station 7

  • Types of Physicians

    • The two main types of physician licensure are medical doctors (MD) and osteopathic physicians (DO).

    • Generalists include practitioners such as general practitioners and family doctors.

    • Specialists treat specific sets of symptoms or diagnoses (e.g., anesthesiologists, cardiologists, dermatologists).

Alternative Medicine

  • Alternative medicine involves treatment methods outside traditional (mainstream) therapies, including:

    • Acupuncture

    • Chiropractic care

    • Energy therapy

    • Dietary supplements

Ancillary Services

  • Ancillary services support primary care through diagnostic measures (e.g., imaging, lab tests) & treatment facilities (e.g., therapy centers).

  • Registered Nurses (RNs) are not considered providers; Nurse Practitioners (NPs) hold RN licenses and additional qualifications as providers.

Healthcare Delivery and Barriers to Care

  • The effectiveness of MA responsibilities is influenced by the work setting, and thus varies between patient care environments (i.e., pediatric vs. cardiology clinics).

  • Inpatient care refers to stays in a hospital where patients are admitted, while outpatient care describes services provided without an overnight stay.

  • Ambulatory care describes care at outpatient facilities such as urgent care centers.

  • Patient portals offer multiple benefits, accentuating engagement and information access.

  • Telehealth uses virtual platforms for care delivery (e.g., video calls) but is not suitable for physical exams or diagnostics.

Professionalism in Healthcare

  • Definition of Profession encompasses designated work that provides social value and strict standards.

  • Professionalism signifies the conduct, aims, and qualities characteristic of a profession.

  • Distinction between hard skills (observable clinical tasks) and soft skills (interpersonal qualities).

  • Key professional traits for MAs include accuracy, dependability, empathy, initiative, punctuality, and critical thinking.

  • MAs prioritize tasks based on urgency, with emergencies receiving the highest attention, particularly in respect of airway, breathing, circulation, and neurological functions.

Stress Management

  • Stress can be beneficial or detrimental, with excessive stress leading to burnout (exhaustion impacting care quality).

Office Environment

  • MAs should unlock reception doors approximately x minutes before appointments begin.

  • Compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a key consideration in creating physical accommodations.

  • Inventory management includes awareness of supply minimums. Proper disposal and organization of supplies are critical to safety and efficiency.

Patient Management

  • Familiarity with demographic information is necessary during patient check-in processes.

    • Established patients are defined as those who have received care within the last three years.

    • New patients are classified as never having been to the practice or not seen in over three years.

  • Third-party payers refer to entities managing healthcare costs outside the patient/provider relationship (insurance companies, governmental payers).

  • Referrals from primary care providers are often necessary for specialist appointments and require patient consent for the sharing of protected health information (PHI).

Ethical Considerations in Healthcare

  • Pillars of ethics include autonomy, beneficence, non-malfeasance, and justice.

  • Understanding defined terms: ethical dilemma, negligence, malpractice, and confidentiality.

  • Familiarity with HIPAA regulations and exceptions is crucial for safeguarding patient information.

  • Consent types should include:

    • Informed consent requires patient understanding of risks/benefits, typically necessitating the provider's explanation.

    • Identifying circumstances under which minors may not require parental consent for care.

SOAP and PQRST Documentation

  • SOAP: Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan.

    • Differentiate between subjective data (reported by patients) and objective data (measured).

  • PQRST for pain assessment represents:

    • Provocation, Quality, Region, Severity, Time.

Medical Records and Legal Implications

  • Advanced directives include living wills and DNR orders.

  • Guidelines for medical record retention vary based on context and regulations.

  • Against Medical Advice (AMA) indicates a patient's decision to discontinue care.

Unit 4 Content

  • Pulmonary Function Tests (PFTs) include incentive spirometry and peak flow meters.

  • Unique Patient Identifiers ensure accurate identification (name, DOB, medical record number).

  • Understanding vital sign ranges, especially blood pressure classifications:

    • Categories include hypotension, normal, elevated, stage 1 HTN, stage 2 HTN, and hypertensive crises.

Additional Procedures and Requirements

  • Proper patient positioning, especially for blood pressure and ECG preparations. PAIDs must be configured according to appropriate measures.

  • Knowledge of blood pressure cuff fit and common reasons for excluding certain arms in measurements.

Unit 5 Content

  • Preparing patients for an ECG requires proper positioning and skin preparation, especially in hairy areas.

  • Understanding the lead placements according to color and anatomical location is essential.

  • The PQRST complex on ECG strips must be interpreted correctly, including paper speed and relevant measurements.

  • Recognizing and responding to arrhythmias (e.g., asystole, ventricular tachycardia) and knowing which rhythms require immediate CPR or defibrillation.

Overview of the Course

  • Course Purpose: HSTP is designed to prepare students for the NHA Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) exam. Course material builds through the year; retention of knowledge from previous units is crucial.

  • Assessment Schedule: A ’pop’ quiz will be conducted in the second week of the spring semester (readiness required for January 12, 2026). This guide covers essential material for the quiz and the upcoming NHA CCMA practice exam.

  • Resources: Access previous material through Schoology > Fall 2025 Content (grey folder).

Unit 1: Foundations of Medical Assisting

Station 1: Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE)

  • Definition: CPOE is the electronic entry of medical practitioner instructions for treatment (medications, labs, imaging) over a computer network to improve safety and efficiency.

  • MA Role: Medical Assistants can enter specific types of orders, such as laboratory and radiology requests, into the CPOE to assist providers.

  • Provider Exclusivity: In a hospital setting, only physicians may enter hospital orders in the CPOE. Providers include MDs, DOs, NPs, and PAs.

Station 2: Duties of Medical Assistants

  • Administrative Duties: Focus on office management (e.g., scheduling appointments, insurance billing, patient check-ins, and medical record maintenance).

  • Clinical/Lab Duties: Focus on direct patient care and testing (e.g., performing phlebotomy, taking vital signs, preparing patients for exams, and BLS).

Station 3: Scope of Practice and Standard of Care

  • Scope of Practice: The procedures and actions permitted for a professional as defined by their license/certifications.

    • Example: MAs can administer injections but cannot prescribe medication or diagnose patients.

  • Standard of Care: The level of care expected from reasonably prudent healthcare professionals of the same license in similar situations.

    • Example: Treating every patient with the same safety protocols based on established guidelines.

Station 4: Allied Health Professionals

  • Definition: Professionals distinct from medicine, nursing, and pharmacy who provide diagnostic, technical, and therapeutic services.

  • Included Fields:

    • Physical Therapy: Rehabilitation to improve movement.

    • Occupational Therapy: Support for daily living activities (e.g., buttoning a shirt after injury).

    • Radiology: Performing imaging like X-rays or MRIs.

    • Others: Speech therapy, medical laboratory sciences, pharmacy technicians, and dietetics.

  • Exclusions: Physicians and nurses do not belong to the allied health category.

Station 5: Licensure vs. Certification

  • Licensure: Legal, mandatory permission to practice a profession issued by a state agency (e.g., MDs, RNs, Pharmacists).

  • Certification: A voluntary credential indicating competency in a profession; often required by employers despite being optional by law (e.g., CCMA, CPhT).

Station 7: Types of Providers

  • Types of Physicians:

    • Medical Doctor (MD): Focuses on allopathic medicine (treating disease with drugs/surgery).

    • Osteopathic Physician (DO): Focuses on holistic care and the musculoskeletal system.

  • Specialists: Focus on specific symptoms or diagnoses (e.g., Cardiologists for heart, Dermatologists for skin).

Alternative Medicine

  • Acupuncture: A traditional Chinese medicine technique involving thin needles inserted into acupoints to balance the body's energy (Qi) and release natural painkillers.

  • Chiropractic: Treatment focused on manual adjustment of the spinal column to improve joint function and the nervous system.

  • Energy Therapy: A category based on manipulating the vital 'life force' or energy fields surrounding the body (e.g., Reiki).

  • Dietary Supplements: Products like vitamins, minerals, and herbs intended to supplement the daily diet.

Ancillary Services and Healthcare Delivery

  • Ancillary Services: Support primary care through diagnostic measures (imaging, lab tests) and treatment facilities (PT centers).

  • Inpatient Care: Formal hospital admission, usually involving stays > 24 hours.

  • Outpatient (Ambulatory) Care: Services provided without an overnight stay (e.g., Urgent Care centers).

  • Telehealth: Virtual platforms for care (video calls); limited as it cannot perform physical exams or diagnostics.

Professionalism in Healthcare

  • Hard Skills: Observable clinical tasks (e.g., drawing blood, performing EKG).

  • Soft Skills: Interpersonal qualities (e.g., empathy, initiative, dependability).

  • Triage Priorities: MAs prioritize tasks based on urgency using the sequence: Airway, Breathing, Circulation (ABC), and neurological function.

    • heart, lungs,

  • Stress Management: Excessive stress leads to burnout, characterized by exhaustion that impacts care quality.

Office and Patient Management

  • Facility Management: Reception doors should be unlocked approximately 2020 minutes before appointments. Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is mandatory for physical accommodations.

  • Patient Status:

    • Established Patient: Seen by the provider within the last 33 years.

    • New Patient: Never seen or not seen in over 33 years.

  • Referrals: Often required for specialists; require patient consent to share Protected Health Information (PHI).

Ethics and Documentation

  • Pillars of Ethics: Autonomy (right to choose), Beneficence (acting in patient interest), Non-malfeasance (do no harm), and Justice (fairness).

  • Legal Terms:

    • Negligence: Failure to provide standard care.

    • Malpractice: Professional negligence resulting in injury.

    • HIPAA: Regulation safeguarding patient privacy.

  • Informed Consent: Provider explains risks/benefits before the patient signs; minors generally require parental consent except for specific situations (e.g., pregnancy, STIs).

  • SOAP Documentation:

    • Subjective: Patient symptoms (e.g., "My chest hurts").

    • Objective: Measured data (e.g., BP:120/80 mmHgBP: 120/80\ mmHg).

    • Assessment: Diagnosis.

    • Plan: Treatment steps.

  • PQRST Pain Assessment: Provocation, Quality, Region, Severity (1−101-10), Time.

Unit 4: Clinical Measurements

  • Vital Sign Ranges (Blood Pressure):

    • Normal: < 120 / < 80\ mmHg

    • Elevated: 120-129 / < 80\ mmHg

    • Stage 1 Hypertension: 130−139/80−89 mmHg130-139 / 80-89\ mmHg

    • Stage 2 Hypertension: 140+/90+ mmHg140+ / 90+\ mmHg

    • Hypertensive Crisis: > 180 / > 120\ mmHg

  • Patient Identifiers: Must use at least two (e.g., Name, Date of Birth (DOBDOB), or Medical Record Number (MRNMRN)).

Unit 5: Electrocardiography (ECG)

  • Preparation: Skin must be clean and dry; clip hair if necessary for electrode adhesion, prep by wiping skin with alcohol.

  • Lead Placements:

    • V1: 4th intercostal space, right sternal border.

    • V2: 4th intercostal space, left sternal border.

    • V4: 5th intercostal space, midclavicular line.

    • V6: Midaxillary line, level with V4.

  • Interpretation (PQRST Complex):

    • P wave: Atrial depolarization.

    • QRS complex: Ventricular depolarization.

    • T wave: Ventricular repolarization.

  • Arrhythmias: Recognize Asystole (flatline) and Ventricular Tachycardia (requires immediate CPR/defibrillation).

which ones require cpr? -