CCMA Exam - Study Guide

  1. Which of the following would be categorized as a flat bone?
  1. Scapula
  1. Flat bone is a bone that provides muscular attachment and also serves to protect the body’s vital organs or sensitive areas

  1. Freud’s theory that patient’s may deceive themselves about the seriousness of their illness is known as what?
  1. Denial
  1. Patients pretend to themselves that their illness is not as serious as they have been told to try to protect themselves from psychological harm

 

  1. What does the word “antenatal” mean?
  1. Before birth
  1. Think Latin word “ante”

  1. Which of the following would be a direct result of lipid depletion in the human body?
  1. Decrease in the amount of estrogen produced
  1. Lipids are the precursors to many hormones in the body so a decrease in lipids would create a decrease in hormone production

  1. If the name of a condition ends with the suffix “-itis”, what does that indicate?
  1. Inflamed
  1. Think of appendicitis - inflamed appendix

  1. Having your hands in your pockets when talking to a patient may be regarded as what?
  1. Dismissive body language
  1. Any impression of being casual in front of a patient may lead to the patient believing you don’t care about their case
  2. Address patient interaction as you would a formal occasion/interview

  1. If a patient makes his/her condition worse by ignoring medical advice, that may be considered:
  1. Contributory negligence
  1. Some responsibility for the deterioration lies with the patient and may count in favor of medical practitioner in lawsuit

  1. If a patient cancels an appointment it is essential that you…?
  1. Check if they need to reschedule
  1. Patients may need to get vital treatment so rescheduling is very important

  1. Which of these is most important when dealing with medical records?
  1. Confidentiality

  1. Which of these is the only one entitled to immediate access to patient medical records?
  1. The physician

  1. Which of these is the only risk a computer cable may not be present?
  1. Flood risk

  1. Who should explain the costs of their care to a patient?
  1. The administrative staff 
  1. Medical staff is not expected to explain care costs to a patient

  1. Under what circumstances should a patient’s blood be considered infective or infectious?
  1. No matter what a patient’s individual status of why they’re in the hospital, their blood should always be handled as if it has the potential to cause infection 

  1. Which of these fluids presents the greatest risk of HIV infection to medical workers?
  1. Blood
  1. It is very difficult to get infected through saliva and mucus (although possible)

  1. To ensure accuracy in testing all equipment must be properly?
  1. Calibrated

  1. Some simple tests fall under waivers from which of these bodies?
  1. CLIA
  1. Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments - tests that are simple enough to be performed by staff with basic training or even at home

  1. In order to prescribe controlled substances a medical practitioner needs a license from?
  1. The DEA gives individuals a license to prescribe controlled substances; it lasts for three years and can be taken away at any time

  1. If a patient has a problem such as deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism they may need a drug to stop the blood thickening. This is called an?
  1. Anticoagulant
  1. When a patient’s body is clotting too quickly, which can cause DVT or pulmonary embolism, they may need an anticoagulant to slow the process
  2. Common anticoagulants include Coumadin ( aka Warfarin) and Heparin

 

  1. A normal pulse rate for a healthy adult should be between?
  1. 60-100 BPM
  1. Keep in mind that very healthy individuals such as athletes may have a pulse as low as 40 BPM

  1. Which of these is the most common and effective place to read a pulse?
  1. Radial artery
  1. Side of the wrist nearest the thumb

  1. If something is described as dilated, it will be..?
  1. Expanded

  1. What is the primary function of melatonin?
  1. To regulate sleep/wake cycles

  1. In Elizabeth Kubler - Ross’s Theory, how many stages of grief are there for a patient diagnosed with terminal illness?
  1. 5
  1. Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance which may occur in any order and may be repeated

  1. The limbic system of the brain is responsible for regulation of ____?
  1. Emotion
  1. Motor movement is controlled by motor cortex
  2. Speech production is controlled by Broca’s area
  3. Emotion, behavior, and motivation are controlled by limbic system

  1. If the condition has a suffix -penia, it means?
  1. Lacking
  1. Ie. leukopenia - lack of white blood cells

  1. Which of these refers specifically to the study of ways of coping with death?
  1. Thanatology

  1. Which of these applies to a person issues with a subpoena in a medical law case?
  1. They must appear in court
  1. Subpoena literally means “under threat of punishment”

  1. At the beginning of each working day, you should check appointments?
  1. With each team member
  1. This ensures that all staff is well prepared and there’s no double booking happening

  1. When a physician asks you to write up their record consultation, you are acting as their?
  1. Transcriptionist

  1. A discharge summary report must include what?
  1. The patient’s final condition


  1. Who is generally responsible for making sure that medical personnel keep their professional status up to date?
  1. The office administrator

  1. Petty cash may not be used for which of these purposes?
  1. Advances on staff salaries
  1. Petty cash is the sum of money held in the office to meet immediate office running needs

  1. What does the Department of Health say that the chance of catching HIV from a single needlestick injury is?
  1. 3 in 1000 - 0.3%

  1. Used sharps should be disposed of in what?
  1. FDA approved containers

  1. Testing for which of these does not fall under the chain of custody procedures?
  1. Pregnancy 
  1. Chain of custody procedures must be followed for legally sensitive tests

  1.  When placing electrodes for an ECG test, which of these is the only factor that does not require patient consideration?
  1. Patient ethnicity
  1. Scars, piercings, and stents may interfere with test results

  1. If a drug is administered transdermally, it is received how?
  1. Through the skin
  1. Good option for patients who require a steady release of drugs over time or are scared of needles (via patch on skin)

  1. What are drugs designed to cause vomiting called?
  1. Emetics
  1. Often used for patients who have deliberately or accidentally consumed harmful substances ; pay leave patient dehydrated

  1. Which of these is not part of the measurement of vital signs?
  1. Sweating 
  1. Temperature, respiration, and pulse are all vital signs

  1. If a patient is displaying any abnormalities in their vital signs, how should this be reported?
  1. To the physician
  1. Patient needs immediate treatment and physician is the one to do that  

  1. Which of these would be placed under the heading of “medical etiquette”?
  1. The way you talk to a patient
  1. Acceptable behavior includes how a patient is spoken to and the body language that is employed

  1. A palpation examination is performed by?
  1. Feeling
  1. Palpation means to feel for lumps and abnormalities; should be done sensitively

  1. Which body parts are included in the acronym EENT?
  1.  Ear, Eye, Nose, and Throat

  1. Which of these terms means stopping breathing?
  1. Apnea

  1. What would result following an injury to the phrenic nerve?
  1. Inability to control breathing
  1. Phrenic nerve controls breathing and movement of diaphragm

  1. In law, what does “respondeat superior” mean?
  1. An employer can be held responsible for employee actions 

  1. What is a “tickler” system used for?
  1. To remind patients of appointments 
  1. Tickler systems send out automatic appointment reminders to patients (ie. messages/emails)

  1. Who was ownership of a patient’s medical records?
  1. The care provider
  1. Medical records are created by the care provider and therefore their property

  1. A patient release is required if you are sending the patient’s medical records to another party using which of these methods?
  1. Fax 
  1. Fax machines aren’t a secure method of communication as they are in public areas and not continually monitored

  1. What are MSDS?
  1. Material Safety Data Sheets

  1. When making up invoices for insurance companies ICD numbers should be used. What does ICD mean?
  1. International Classification of Diseases

  1. What does asepsis mean?
  1. Free of disease causing agents

  1. When washing your hands between procedures or duties, if using soap and water you should take at least?
  1. 60 seconds

  1. A patient may be placed at risk of electrocution during an ECG if you have not ensured that the machine is?
  1. Grounded
  1. Ensuring the machine is properly grounded means that any accidental charge should be drawn away from the patient

  1. During an ECG test you should monitor the patient’s?
  1. All vital signs should be measured

  1. Drugs designed for pain relief are designated what?
  1. Analgesic
  1. Aspirin falls on the more mild end and opiate drugs on the extremely strong side

  1. When a medicine is a preparation of oil suspended in fluid it is known as what?
  1. An emulsion

  1. Which of these is used to drain fluid from the body?
  1. Catheter 
  1. Catheters are used to drain fluid from the body

  1. When sterilizing instruments using an autoclave, the machine should be filled with?
  1. Distilled water
  1. Distilled water is used for purity purposes

  1. What area of the brain is the most affected if a person is unable to understand written or verbal speech?
  1. Wernicke’s area
  1. This is the site for language comprehension
  2. Broca’s area is the site for speech production

  1. Which of these would not fall under the heading of medical malpractice?
  1. Physically assaulting a patient
  1. Malpractice refers to do harm through negligence or incompetence, not purposefully

  1. Which of these is the only element that is not a vital part of an appointment matrix?
  1. Patient billing details
  1. Appointment matrix displays room availability, staff availability (and unavailability) and should have built in catch up times to make up for any overruns during the day - allows for patients to be seen with a room and doctor available

  1. Patient details should be updated as necessary every?
  1. Time the patient visits

  1. Under which of these circumstances must patient records be released?
  1. Court subpoena
  1. This is the only case in which it is obligatory to comply

  1. Every medical office should have?
  1. A safety manual
  1. Based on OHSA legislation

  1. In the event of patient mortality with payment for treatment still outstanding, where the patient is uninsured, who is liable for the payment?
  1. The patient’s estate

  1. Every medical institution is required by the OHSA to have which of these?
  1. An exposure control plan

  1. All medical workers who will be exposed to blood or other bodily fluids in the course of their work should be given which vaccine?
  1. Hepatitis B

  1. After a 24 - hour urine specimen has been obtained, it should be?
  1. Kept refrigerated

  1. Occult blood is tested for using which procedure?
  1. Stool sample
  1. Occult means hidden and this test checks for hidden blood in stool

  1. What does a palliative drug do?
  1. Relieves symptoms
  1. The median effective dose of a drug is also known as?
  1. ED50
  1. Effective for 50% of the population

  1. When using a pain scale to take a patient's history, nagging pain that doesn’t really impose on general life or activities should be categorized as?
  1. 1-3
  1. No pain = 0
  2. Nagging but doesn’t interfere with life = 1-3
  3. Moderate pain that affects daily activity = 4-6
  4. Severe pain which restricts activity = 7-8
  5. Excruciating pain = 9-10

  1. In putting a patient into the lithotomy position for examination, how should they be positioned?
  1. On their back, heels above hips
  1. Think childbirth and using stirrups

  1. Which organ does the pericardium surround?
  1. Heart

  1. Systolic and diastolic are terms used when referring to what?
  1. Blood pressure 
  1. Systolic / diastolic
  2. 120/80
  3. Systolic is pressure of blood as heart beats
  4. Diastolic is pressure between beats

  1. If a patient is faced with an upsetting diagnosis and starts to propose alternative diagnoses or treatments, they may be using which defense mechanism?
  1. Intellectualization

  1. The final stage of human psychological development is often referred to as what?
  1. Self acceptance

 

  1. The autoimmune disease, multiple sclerosis is characterized by the degradation of what?
  1. Myelin sheath
  1. Targets myelin sheath along axon which leads to slower neuron impulses

  1. Which two bones make up the structure of the lower leg?
  1. Fibula and tibia

  1. Which of these prefixes is used in words referring to the liver?
  1. Hepato-

  1. Which sequence outlines the correct flow of blood through the heart?
  1. Blood enters the heart on the right side collecting in the right atrium
  2. The blood moves through the right ventricle and leaves the heart through the pulmonary artery to travel to lungs
  3. Blood returns to left side of heart through pulmonary vein, going to left atrium and then the mitral valve to left ventricle
  4. Blood leaves heart through aorta

  1. In Erikson’s stages of human development, a young adult who maladopts in the intimacy vs. isolation stage is in danger of what?
  1. Promiscuity

  1. An OBGYN specialist deals with what?
  1. Female reproduction 

  1. What valve is responsible for preventing the backflow of blood from the right ventricle to the right atrium?
  1. Tricuspid valve

  1. If a patient starts accusing you of being frightened of something they are really frightened of themselves, they are using which defense mechanism?
  1. Projection

  1. In which of these circumstances may you refuse to give medical treatment to a person with HIV/AIDS?
  1. None of the above
  1. Patients with HIV/AIDS have a right to treatment

  1. When should patient encounter forms be prepared for staff?
  1. Before the start of the working day

  1. Which of these is not a type of patient record?
  1. Suspended
  1. The three categories are active, inactive, and closed

  1. For maximum efficiency, individual patient records should be organized by?
  1. Category

  1. What does OSHA stand for?
  1. Occupational safety and health act
  1. Payment for treatment should be taken/organized when?
  1. Any time before treatment

  1. If you have to deal with a fire and are using an extinguisher, where should you aiam the jet?
  1. At the base of the flames

  1. Which of these is the baseline procedure for preventing the spread of disease in medical institutions?
  1. Washing hands

  1. When choosing a site to place electrodes for an ECG test, the site should be all of these things except?
  1. Moist
  1. It should be clean, dry, and smooth

  1. When prepping a patient for an ECG, the electrodes from Lead #1 should be placed where?
  1. Left arm and right arm
  1. These places have no thick muscle

  1. If medication is taken sublingually it is taken?
  1. Orally

  1. Which of these is the abbreviation for a microgram?
  1. Mcg

  1. What is a healthy BMI for a normal adult?
  1. 18-25
  1. Anything under 18 is underweight
  2. Over 25 is overweight
  3. Over 30 is obese

  1. Spirometry is used to measure what?
  1. Lung function