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Quiz Session - Attempts With Random Questions

NHA CCMA Exam Questions

Page 6 of 25

101.

You have properly prepared a patient's injection and have verified the correct medication, correct dose, correct route, and correct time. What is the next thing you should do before giving this patient the injection?

  • Verify that you have the correct patient

  • Use an alcohol wipe in a circular motion over the administration site

  • Check that you are using the correct needle based on the patient's arm size and medication

  • Place a turnicate on the patient's arm where you plan to give the injection

Correct answer: Verify that you have the correct patient

Before medication administration, the patient must be identified as the correct patient to receive the medication ordered. Ask the patient to state their name, spell their last name, and provide a birth date before administering the medication. 

102.

As a medical assistant, you are tasked with performing an ear instillation on a patient. The patient has been prescribed otic drops. While preparing for the ear instillation, you notice that the drug label does not bear the word "otic." What should be your immediate course of action?

  • Find the doctor to confirm the prescription and the use of otic drops.

  • Proceed with the ear instillation as planned, assuming the label is accurate.

  • Use the medication but document the label discrepancy in the chart notes.

  • Skip the ear instillation and inform the patient that the prescribed medication is unavailable.

Correct answer: Find the doctor to confirm the prescription and the use of otic drops. 

It is important to confirm the prescription and the use of otic drops directly with the healthcare provider. The absence of the term "otic" on the drug label could indicate a potential error, and it's crucial to seek clarification before proceeding with the instillation.

103.

What is the first thing you should do when providing health maintenance coaching to a patient who is deaf?

  • Face the patient while speaking

  • Communicate directly with the sign language interpreter, if one is present

  • Speak at a normal pace but in a louder tone

  • Sit close to the patient and speak as close to their ear as is comfortable

Correct answer: Face the patient while speaking

Facing the patient while speaking shows respect. Medical assistants should speak at a normal pace and in a normal tone unless the patient asks otherwise.

Communicating directly with the sign language interpreter and not the patient may give the impression that your patient's disability is the primary focus, not the process of coaching them. Communicate with your deaf patient in the same way you would an able-hearing individual by making eye contact and speaking face-to-face. You should maintain a normal distance between yourself and the patient while providing coaching.

104.

As a medical assistant in a busy clinic, you are responsible for handling specimens and ensuring proper disposal procedures. During your routine duties, you accidentally spill a small amount of blood on the counter. What should you do?

  • Immediately clean the spill with a disinfectant and dispose of any waste according to chemical disposal guidelines.

  • Dispose of the spilled blood in the regular trash and inform your supervisor.

  • Wipe the spilled blood from any broken containers with sharp edges using a paper towel and discard it in regular trash.

  • Clean the spill with a germicide and dispose of contaminated items in regular trash.

Correct answer: Immediately clean the spill with a disinfectant and dispose of any waste according to chemical disposal guidelines.

OSHA guidelines require medical staff to take care of any spills of blood or potentially infectious materials immediately. Using a disinfectant helps reduce the risk of transmission of any pathogens. Contaminated items, especially those with sharp edges, must go in a biohazard sharps container.  

105.

An elderly patient says the pharmacy won't fill her prescription because it's not on their formulary. However, the pharmacy didn't explain what a formulary is. What should you tell the patient?

  • A formulary is a list of approved drugs that her insurance company will pay for, with some exceptions.

  • A formulary is a suggested list of generic medications that her insurance will cover.

  • A formulary offers a list of insurance-approved medications with no exceptions.

  • She should call the pharmacy and speak to them directly to get more information.

Correct answer: A formulary is a list of approved drugs that her insurance company will pay for, with some exceptions.

A formulary is a list of approved brand-name and generic medications that an insurance company will cover. There are sometimes exceptions to the formulary depending on the patient's pharmaceutical history and physician preference.

106.

An elderly patient is particularly interested in exploring alternatives to traditional antibiotic pill forms. What information can the medical assistant provide to address the patient's concerns?

  • Offer to call a specialty pharmacy in th area that compounds medications.

  • Advise the patient to choose enteric-coated tablets or capsules, as they can be easily crushed or cut for easier consumption.

  • Ask the doctor to change the order to a different medicine.

  • Instruct the patient to call the hospital's main pharmacy to see if they have it in a liquid form.

Correct answer: Offer to call a specialty pharmacy in the area that compounds medications.

A compounding pharmacy is a specialty pharmacy that can make medications from a prescription. Since they are making the medication instead of dispensing a product made by a manufacturer, they can create different forms, such as syrups or sublingual tablets that dissolve under the tongue. 

107.

A patient asks the physician for a prescription for massage therapy to treat back pain, which she will use in conjunction with her prescribed muscle relaxers. In this case, what is massage therapy considered?

  • Complementary medicine

  • Standard medical treatment

  • Unnecessary

  • Patient-driven treatment

Correct answer: Complementary medicine

Complementary medicine is a treatment or practice used in conjunction with standard medical treatment. A massage therapist would most likely work under the direction of the doctor, acting as an allied health professional.

108.

Which option best defines the scope of practice for medical assistants (MAs)?

  • Guidelines established by law or by practice norms, depending on the state in which the M.A. provides care

  • Federal guidelines established by law

  • The skills and duties assigned to the MA by the overseeing physician

  • The complete list of services provided by a given healthcare facility

Correct answer: Guidelines established by law or by practice norms, depending on the state in which the MA provides care

A medical assistant's scope of practice is determined by law in some states. In states without set laws, it is determined by practice norms.

These guidelines vary from state to state, instead of being consistent at the federal level. They are not determined by individual physicians. An MA's scope of practice is not identical to the complete list of services provided by a healthcare facility.

109.

Carmen is a medical assistant in a primary care office. Her patient presents for an "ER Follow-up Visit" and hands Carmen the hospital discharge paperwork. The diagnosis listed is "laceration." 

Based on this information, which of the following open wounds would Carmen expect?

  • A large arm wound with jagged edges in which the tissue was torn by heavy machinery

  • A clean, smooth cut caused by a piece of glass on the patient's palm

  • A very small, dry skin opening on the foot that happened when the patient stepped on a nail

  • An oozing wound where the epidermis of the leg has been rubbed or burned off by gravel during a motorcycle accident

Correct answer: A large arm wound with jagged edges in which the tissue was torn by heavy machinery

A clean, smooth cut in the skin is called an incision. A wound in which the skin is scraped or rubbed off, resulting in oozing from ruptured capillaries, is called an abrasion. A small wound caused by a sharp object piercing the skin, such as a nail or needle, is a puncture wound. 

110.

You are assisting a physician with the incision and drainage of a large abscess. The physician incises and drains the abscess. What is the next step in this procedure?

  • The incision will be packed with gauze or a Penrose drain

  • The incision will be sutured closed

  • The physician will have you place a dressing over the wound

  • The patient will receive an injection of antibiotics to help prevent infection

Correct answer: The incision will be packed with gauze or a Penrose drain

When a physician drains a large abscess, they follow specific steps: 

  1. Apply local anesthetic.
  2.  Make an incision with a scalpel.
  3. Drain the pus using gauze to absorb pus and blood.
  4. Pack the wound with gauze or a rubber Penrose drain.
  5. Apply a sterile dressing over the site.

The incision should not be sutured closed. The dressing should only be applied after the incision is packed with gauze or a Penrose drain. The patient may or may not receive antibiotics.

111.

A medical assistant notices an electrical cord with visible cracks and fraying near a workstation. What should the medical assistant do next?

  • Immediately unplug the cord and notify the supervisor

  • Continue using the equipment but handle the cord with caution

  • Report the cord to a supervisor at the end of the shift

  • Wrap the damaged area with tape for a temporary fix

Correct answer: Immediately unplug the cord and notify the supervisor

According to safety guidelines for preventing electrical issues and fires, any equipment with a damaged electrical cord, such as visible cracks and fraying, should not be used. The immediate action should be to unplug the equipment and report the issue to the supervisor. This helps prevent accidents, injuries, and potential fires.

112.

A physician asks you to teach a patient how to take their blood pressure using a home monitor. What type of task is this?

  • Patient education

  • Patient navigation

  • Health coaching

  • Patient advocacy

Correct answer: Patient education

A medical assistant may educate patients about ways to manage their health, disease, or condition as directed by an overseeing physician.

Patient navigation involves removing obstacles to make patient care more accessible. Health coaching helps patients identify their health goals and understand their treatment options. Patient advocacy involves acting as a voice for patients who may or may not understand aspects of the healthcare system.

113.

What is the human body's ability to act against foreign substances that enter the body, such as viruses or bacteria?

  • Resistance

  • Susceptibility

  • Nonspecific defense mechanisms

  • Specific defense mechanisms 

Correct answer: Resistance

Resistance is the body's ability to act against foreign substances, including viruses and bacteria. 

Susceptibility is the absence of resistance. Resistance uses defense mechanisms to fight against foreign substances.

Nonspecific defense mechanisms act against all types of foreign substances. Specific defense mechanisms act against specific types of foreign substances.

114.

Which of the following includes information about nutrition, alcohol, and tobacco use?

  • A patient's social history

  • A patient's family history

  • A patient's past medical history

  • A patient's personal addiction history

Correct answer: A patient's social history

Social history can highlight risk factors for disease and includes personal information such as the patient's living situation, marital status, exercise regimen, and nutrition.

Family history refers to the health of a patient's family members, including any present illnesses or causes of death, among other things. Past medical history includes the patient's previous illnesses, injuries, hospitalizations, and surgeries. Other aspects of their personal history may or may not be relevant to treatment.

115.

When performing eye irrigation, how should you administer irrigation fluid to the eye?

  • Direct the fluid to the lower conjunctiva

  • Hold the tip of the irrigation syringe against the lower conjunctiva

  • Direct the fluid to the center of the eye

  • Direct the fluid toward the upper eyelid

Correct answer: Direct the fluid to the lower conjunctiva

Always direct the irrigation fluid to the lower conjunctiva. This is accomplished by gently holding the eyelids apart with your gloved fingers. Administering fluid this way helps prevent damage to the cornea, which can be easily damaged.

The tip of the irrigation syringe should never touch the patient due to the potential for injury.

116.

Which of the following is true of medical assistants (MAs)?

  • MAs are the only allied health professionals specifically trained to work in ambulatory care.

  • MAs are exclusively trained to work in emergency medicine.

  • MAs are able to diagnose patients under the direct supervision of a physician.

  • MAs are valuable bedside care providers.

Correct answer: MAs are the only allied health professionals specifically trained to work in ambulatory care.

Medical assistant education prepares an MA specifically to work in ambulatory care. However, MAs may branch into other areas of medicine after completing their training. 

MAs typically do not provide bedside care. Diagnosis is outside their scope of practice.

117.

You want to check the status of a patient's laboratory results before their upcoming appointment. Where would you look in the problem-oriented medical record to find these results?

  • Database

  • Progress notes

  • Patient plan

  • Problem list

Correct answer: Database

A clinic's database should hold information on a patient's laboratory and diagnostic test results, as well as a patient's health history.

Progress notes describe how a patient's treatment is progressing in regard to their diagnosis. The patient plan outlines physician recommendations for treating a diagnosis. The problem list is a collection of a patient's diagnoses.

118.

All the following circumstances may cause an inaccurate blood pressure reading for an adult, except:

  • The patient drank a cup of coffee 45 minutes before the measurement.

  • The patient is uncomfortable or anxious.

  • The pressure in the cuff is released too quickly.

  • The arm used for measurement is above heart level.

Correct answer: The patient drank a cup of coffee 45 minutes before the measurement.

Consuming caffeine within half an hour of a blood pressure reading can result in an error. However, drinking coffee 45 minutes before the reading should not cause an issue. 

Several additional factors can cause an error in a blood pressure reading, such as the patient being anxious, the pressure in the cuff being released too quickly, and the arm used for measurement being placed above the heart level.

119.

In addition to weight and length, what should be measured at each office visit for children up to 24 months of age?

  • Head circumference 

  • Waist circumference

  • Foot length

  • Vocabulary

Correct answer: Head circumference 

Up to age 3, the brain develops rapidly. Head circumference can help identify abnormalities in the growth of the cranium, such as microencephaly or macrocephaly.

120.

Which condition is typically associated with uric acid?

  • Gout

  • Osteoarthritis 

  • Rheumatoid arthritis

  • Osteomyelitis

Correct answer: Gout

Gout occurs when a buildup of uric acid forms within a joint, resulting in painful inflammatory crystals.

Osteoarthritis results from the breakdown of cartilage in the joint, causing rigidity and pain. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation in the joints and connective tissues. Osteomyelitis results from an infection in the bone marrow. 

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