Medical Assistant Knowledge and Procedures, Exams of Clinical Medicine

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Which of the following laboratory values should a Medical Assistant immediately report to a patient's provider? ✔✔Blood glucose 500 mg/dL This blood glucose level is higher than the expected reference range of 70 to 110 mg/dL In which of the following locations should a medical assistant place the electrode for lead V4? ✔✔The fifth intercostal space, left midclavicular line is the correct location to place electrode V4. A medical assistant is caring for a patient who is 5'7 tall. Which of the following is the patient's height in centimeters? ✔✔170 cm. Formula multiply the length value by 30. A patient asks a Medical Assistant to explain the difference between a liniment and a medicated lotion. Which of the following responses should the assistant make? ✔✔Liniments contain higher portion of oil than medicated lotions.

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A Medical Assistant is speaking with a patient who recently received a terminal diagnosis. The pt states, "I regret not taking better care of myself. Now, I won't be able to accomplish what I Wanted to do with my life." The MA should identify that the pt is in which of the following stages of grief? ✔✔Depression A medical assistant is obtaining a blood pressure measurement from an adult patient. Which of the following actions should the assistant take to ensure an accurate reading? ✔✔Place the stethoscope's diaphragm over the patient's palpated artery. A medical assistant is measuring a patient's oxygen saturation with a pulse oximeter. Which of the following actions should the assistant take? ✔✔Check capillary refill in the patients finger. A provider prescribes oxycodone for a patient after abdominal surgery. Which of the following describes this type of medication? ✔✔Oxycodone is a Schedule II control substance A medical assistant is preparing to assist a provider with suturing a wound. Which of the following items should be in the sterile field for this procedure? ✔✔Hemostat.

A medical assistant is preparing a patient who has bilateral below-the knee amputations for an EKG, Which of the following sites should the Assistant select for electrode placement? ✔✔Abdomen. Preparing to apply ointment to several abrasions on a patient's leg. Which of the following supplies should the medical assistant use to remove the medication from the jar? ✔✔A tongue blade. A medical assistant is measuring the vital signs of an adult patient. The assistant should identify which of the following blood pressure readings as Stage 2 hypertension? ✔✔150/95 mm Hg. Stage 2 hypertension is indicated by a systolic pressure of greater than 140 mm Hg or a diastolic pressure of greater than 90 mm Hg The parent of a child who has pediculosis is asking a MA for more information about her child's condition. The assistant should begin by explaining that pediculosis is which of the following types of infection? ✔✔Parasitic. A medical assistant is explaining to a female patient how to collect a clean-catch urine specimen. Which of the following instructions should the asistant include ✔✔With the labia spread urinate a small amount into the toilet before collecting the sample

A medical assistant is assisting with the physical examination of a patient who has scabies. Besides gloves which of the following pieces of PPE should the assistant wear ✔✔Gown A medical assistant is explaining a venipuncture procedure to a patient. Which of the following statements should the assistant make? ✔✔I'll be collecting a blood sample from you today. There wil be a small stick in your arm. A medical assistant is measuring the circumference of an infant's head Which of the following actions should the assistant take? ✔✔Place the zero mark of the measuring tape against the infant's forehead A medical assistant is reinforcing teachìng with a patient about the self-administration of insulin injections. Which of the following patient statements Indicates an understanding of the teaching? ✔✔"I will roll the bottle between my hands before drawing the medication" A medical assistant discovers a garbage can fire has started in the break room of the medical office. According to the RACE acronym for emergency response. which of the following actions should the assistant take first? ✔✔Evacuate staff and patients from the immediate area.

When assisting a provider with a punch biopsy of a mole. Which of the following tasks should a Medical Assistant expect to perform? ✔✔Receive and prepare tissue specimens for processing. A medical assistant should use which of the following solutions to prepare a patient's skin prior to drawing blood cultures? ✔✔Chlorhexidine Chlorhexidine is an antiseptic A medical assistant is preparing to administer a liquid, medication to a patient. Which of the following methods should the assistan use to ensure the correct dose is delivered? ✔✔Pour the medication to the prescribed dose in the medicine cup on a flat surface. A medical assistant is scheduling diagnostic tests for a patient's liver and pancreas. Which of the following systems is being assessed? ✔✔Digestive. Which of the following actions should a Medical Assistant take to verify the quality of venipuncture supplies before beginning a blood draw? ✔✔Inspect the integrity of the needle's seal

A medical assistant is testing a patient's visual acuity using a Snellen chart. Which of the following actions should the assistant take ✔✔Make sure the patient does not lean forward during the test. A Medical Assistant is writing a piece of professional correspondence to a consulting provider. In which of the following ways should the assistant record the date on the letter? ✔✔January 1,

A medical assistant is preparing a patient who has intermittent peripheral cyanosis for an examination by the provider. The assistant should understand that healthy perfusion of the hands and feet depends on adequate Interaction between which of the following two body systems? ✔✔Circulatory and respiratory. Which of the following cell structures is the source of energy for a cell? ✔✔Mitochondria. An adolescent is covered by two insurance policies under her divorced parents who have birthdays in May and August and have joint custody. Which policy is the primary policy for the adolescent? ✔✔The policy of the parent that has the earliest birth month

Which of the following items in a medical office are considered administrative office supplies? ✔✔Letterhead, envelopes and business cards A Medical Assistant is caring for a 4 - month-old infant who has a temperature of 100.4 F. Which of the following is this temperature when converted to Celsius? ✔✔38 C Formula (100.4°F − 32) × 5/9 = 38°C A medical assistant is preparing a patient who has psoriasis to be examined by the provider. When inspecting the patient's skin lesions, the assistant should expect to observe which of the following characteristics? ✔✔Silvery scaly. A medical assistant is talking with a patient who is experiencing home displacement following a hurricane. To which of the following resources should the assistant refer the patient for information, support and links to community services? ✔✔American Red Cross According to OSHA guidelines for universal precautions, which of the following types of patient contact would require a medical assistant to wear gloves, mask, a face shield, and protective apparel? ✔✔Assisting a provider with the removal of a cyst. OSHA designates assisting with minor surgical procedures as a category 1 task which means the Medical Assistant is at risk for

exposure to blood, bodily fluids, body tissues and the possibity of splashes and spills. These tasks require an MA to wear complete PPE A medical assistant is removing sutures from a patient who has a laceration on his left lower leg. After setting up the sterile field, which of the following actions should the assistant take? ✔✔LIft the first knot away from the skin. This allows room for the assistant to sip one tip of the suture scissors under the suture. A medical assistant is performing spirometry testing for a patient who has shortness of breath. Which of the following results of the spirometry test indicates a successful maneuver? ✔✔A fast an steady flow with no variability. Must also be consistent with two other spirometry maneuvers A medical assistant is entering a new Rx Into a patient's electronic medical record (EMR). While entering the Rx, an alert notifying the assistant of a medication interaction appears on the screen. Which of the follawing actions should the assistant take? ✔✔Consult with the provider before continuing to process the Rx. If an alert appears while entering a Rx into an EMR the assistant should recognize that the provider needs to be consulted due to the medication's potential interactions with other medications or certain foods.

A medical assistant is preparing 1 g/kg of activated charcoal for a patient who weighs 176 lb. How many grams of charcoal should the assistant prepare? ✔✔79 g. Formula 176 • 0.45= 79. A medical assistant is assisting a provider with an abdominal examination. When the provider palpates the major portion of the liver, the assistant should recognize that he is palpating which of the following abdominal quadrants? ✔✔Right upper. The right upper quadrant contains the major portion of the Iiver. It is also the quadrant that contains the gallbladder A medical assistant is collecting a urine specimen from a patient for a drug screening. Which of the following actions should the assistant take to adhere to the chain of custody for this specimen? ✔✔Send the specimen to the testing laboratory on the same day as the collection. The assistant should send the specimen and completed requestion to the testing laboratory on the same day as the collection A patient requests a female provider to perform her examination due to a religious conviction. A female provider is not available. Which of the following is the appropriate response by the medical assistant? ✔✔Assist the patient in locating a provider to acommodate the patient's needs

A medical assistant is disposing of the syringe and needle she used to Inject a seasonal influenza vaccine. Which of the following actions should the medical assistant take? ✔✔Drop the syringe, needle first, into the biohazardous sharps container A medical assistant is administering Heparin subcutaneously to a patient. Which of the following actions should the assistant take? ✔✔Inject the medication slowly. Heparin needs to go into the fat layer under the skin. Pinch the skin lightly and put the needle in at a 45º angle. Push the needle all the way into the skin. Let go of the pinched skin. Inject the heparin slowly and steadily until it is all in. leave the needle in for 5 seconds Which of the following groups of EKG leads are bipolar? ✔✔Leads 1, II, and III are three bipolar limb leads that make up Einthoven's Triangle A medical assistant is composing business correspondence using the simplified letter style. Which of the following features should the assistant use? ✔✔A subject line in all capital letters

A medical assistant is reviewing a patient's recent medical history and notes that she has a healing fracture of the distal femur. Where on the patient's body should the assistant expect to find the injury? ✔✔Just above the knee. The femur is the longest and strongest bone in the body, it connects the hip to the knee. The term distal refers to a point farthest away from the trunk of the body. Therefore, the distal femur would be located above the knee Which of the following cell structures is instrumental in helping the body mobilize and secrete mucus from the respiratory tract? ✔✔Cilia. Cilia are hair-like projections found in the lungs that are capable of movement and are instrumental in helping with mobilizing and secreting mucus from the respiratory tract. Which af the following information should the MA enter into the appointment calendar when scheduling a patient for a skin rash? ✔✔Daytime phone number. The MA should enter the pt's name, daytime phone number and a brief description of the purpose of the pt's visit A patient tells a medical assistant that his provider's office is incompetent as there is no improvement in his condition. Which of the following is an appropriate response for the assistant ✔✔"I think that you feel that your treatment is not effective".

This response validates the pt's feelings A medical assistant is checking a patient's hearing using the Weber test. Which of the following actions should the assistant take? ✔✔Ask the patient if hears the vibration louder in one ear than the other. The Weber test is used to determine if a patient's hearing is better in one ear than the other A medical assistant is speaking with a patient who has seasonal allergies. Whích of the following health care providers should the assistant identify as being able to make a diagnosis and initiate the necessary treatment? ✔✔Physician assistant. As a licensed health care provider, a physician assistant is able to manage patient care, make a diagnosis and initiate treatment which includes writing Rx for medication A medical assistant is responsible for cleaning the instruments used in a minor surgery. Which of the following is the first step in this process? ✔✔Sanitization. Sanitization is the first step of cleaning instruments. All instruments that come into contact with a pt's skin should be sanitized before proceeding with disinfection and sterilization

When informed consent is required for a procedure, which of the following steps should occur prior to the patient signing the form? ✔✔The provider should review alternative procedures with the patient A provider places an open sharps container in the linen hamper by mistake. Which of the following is the appropriate action for the medical assistant to take? ✔✔Dispose of the linen hamper contents as a biohazard. Which of the following is outside of a medical assistant's scope of practice? ✔✔Order additional lab tests to confirm the patient's condition A medical assistant is administering an intramuscular injection into the gluteus medius of an adult patient. At which of the following angles should the assistant insert the needie? ✔✔90° angle. A 90° angle is used primarily for intramuscular injections in adult patients A medical assistant should follow chain of custody guidelines for which of the following types of laboratory results? ✔✔Parentage testing. Chain of custody guidelines apply to drug screens, forensic studies, blood alcohol levels and parentage testing

Which of the following terms should a medical assistant use to tell a provider that a patient is having discomfort and difficulty breathing? ✔✔Dyspnea. Dyspnea is a term used to indicate that a pt is experiencing difficult or painful breathing A patient arrives at a clinic with a bill for x-rays that were required due to an injury at the patient's place of employment. The patient has private insurance and is eligible for workers' compensation. The assistant should recognize that which of the following parties is responsible for payment of this bill? ✔✔Paid in full by workers compensation. The MA should recognize that in instances in which a pt is eligible for workers comp. the workers comp. should be accepted as payment in full by the clinic. Any remaining balance should be written off by the clinic. Therefore, neither the pt nor the pt's private insurance should be billed Which of the following instructions should a medical assistant give to a patient when administering an enteric-coated tablet? ✔✔Swallow the tablet whole with a glass of water. Enteric-coated tablets should not be crushed, chewed or dissolved. The tablets need to arrive in the small intestines whole

a MA is contacting a patient to schedule a repeat Papanicolaou test due to abnormal results. The assistant should identify that which of the following factors can interfere with the test results? ✔✔Using an over-the-counter vaginal cream prior to the test. A pt should avoid using over-the-counter vaginal creams prior to the test A medical assistant is reinforcing teaching with a patient about pulse oximetry. Which of the following statements should the assistant include in the teaching? ✔✔"Remove your nail polish before the test" There is a light on the oximetry probe that measures a patient's pulse and oxygen saturation, nail polish can affect the reading if it interferes with the light A medical assistant is encouraging a patient to increase her intake of insoluble fiber to help prevent constipation and hemorrhoids. Which of the following foods should the assistant recommend as the best source of insoluble fiber ✔✔Pears with skin. A medium pear with skin contains 4 g of insoluble fiber per serving A medical assistant is reviewing the list of medications a patient reports currently taking The assistant should recognize that which of the following medications is available in a sublingual form? ✔✔Nitroglycerin. Nitrogycerin is a vasodilator that is used to treat angina or chest pain. It is available in a sublingual tablet and sublingual spray.

When completing documentation in a patient's paper medical record, a medical assistant realizes she made an error. Which of the following actions should the assistant take? ✔✔Draw a line through the error and initial it. 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 medical assistant needs to remove all living micro-organisms from a contaminated towel clamp. Which of the following methods should the assistant use to cleanse this instrument? ✔✔Sterilization. Sterilization destroys all microbial life, including bacterial spores through physical or chemical methods. This is the method the assistant should use to cleanse the towel clamp. a MA is preparing a community resource library. Which of the following actions should the assistant take first? ✔✔Comple a list of local community agencies. The first step the MA should take is to research identify and create a list of available local community resources and services Which of the following techniques should a medical assistant use to confirm a patient's understanding of insulin administration? ✔✔Observe the patient as they perform a self- demonstration. Having the pt physicaly demonstrate their understanding of insulin administration allows the assistant to evaluate their comprehension

At work, a Medical Assistant cared for a neighbor who sustained multiple injuries in a fall. After work, another neighbor asks the MA what happened to the neighbor who fell. Following the American Association of Medical Assistants' (AAMA) Code of Ethics, which of the following responses should the MA make? ✔✔I can't share any information about what happens at my job. It is the assistants responsability to remain within the legal scope of practice and the AAMA Code of Ethics by mantaining patient confidentiality a MA is preparing to create a report about patients who have a family history of breast cancer. Which of the following types of software will allow the assistant to sort. retrieve, and combine information for this report? ✔✔Database management. The MA should use a database management system to sort and retrieve information quickly. A database allows the MA to track specific information and create customized applications to sort the information and create reports. A medical assistant is cleaning an examination room after assisting a provider with a biopsy. Which of the following actions should the assistant take? ✔✔Hold sharps by the blunt end to avoid a needlestick injury

A medical assistant works at an urgent care center that uses open hours scheduling. Which of the following describes this form of scheduling? ✔✔Patients arrive at their convenience and are seen on a first-come first served basis When performing the palpatory method for obtaining blood pressure, which of the following indicates the level at which the medical assistant should inflate the cuff? ✔✔30mm Hg above the radial pulse cessation. The palpatory method requires the assstant to anflate the cuff 30 mm Hg above the cessation of the radial pulse. A medical assistant has a blood pressure cuff inflated and partially opens the valve to deflate as he listens with a stethoscope. When should he read the diastolic pressure? ✔✔When the sound disappears. The assistant should measure the patient's diastolic pressure when the sound disappears, also known as the Korotkoff V sound. Which of the following methods is used to notify a provider of the denial of a claim by an insurance carrier? ✔✔Remittance advice. A remittance advice document itemizes all paid, denied and allowable charges for a patient. This document notifies the provider of any and all claim denials

Prior to a patient's follow-up appointment which of the following information should a medical assistant report to the provider? ✔✔Recent laboratory results. Report recent lab results prior to the pt's visit so the provider can review them with the pt during the follow-up A patient reports getting a bill that includes services she did not receive. Which of the following actions should a MA take to reconcile these charges? ✔✔Review that days encounter forms to determine if another patient received the services. The purpose of the encounter form is to account for current charges, payments and balances for each pt. The MA can review these documents to determine that the pt was seen on the indicated date of service and what services the pt received A medical assistant has requested a preauthorization for a patient's referral to a specialist. Which of the following is a reason for the claim submitted by the specialist to be denied? ✔✔The service is provided after the expiration date. An authorization provided for a specialist indicates a range of dates for evaluation and treatment. Any action taken outside of this range is subject to denial of payment. A medical assistant has a request to collect a routine CBC from a healthy 10-month-old infant Which of the following is the most appropriate collection site? ✔✔Left heel. If achild is under

12 months of age an assistant should select the child's left heel as the collection site for routine testing even if there is a well developed vein available. The heel stick is sufficient and causes less trauma A medical assistant is reviewing laboratory requisitions. For which of the following patient conditions should the assistant perform a capillary collection rather than a venipuncture? ✔✔Previous thromboses. The Medical Assistant should consider a capillary puncture when the amount of blood needed is minimal and a patient has a history of thromboses a Medical Assistant receives a phone call from a patient who seems anxious about the results of a test. Which of the following responses should the assistant make? ✔✔"I know you are concerned about your test results, we will call you as soon as your results come in." The response shows empathy and active listening skills on the part of the assistant which communicates to the patient that the MA recognices his emotions. Empathy allows the assistant to validate the patient's emotions without becoming unprofessional and losing objectivity. During a routine venipuncture, the patient becomes pale and diaphoretic. What condition is most likely to occur in this patient? ✔✔Syncope. The assistant should recognize these manifestations as the onset of syncope and should take the necessary precautions in case the patient faints.

which of the following EKG artifacts is caused by a disconnected electrode and results in the tracing going into the margins of the paper? ✔✔Interrupted baseline. Interrupted baseline is caused by an electrical disconnection or a detached electrode and results in the tracing moving into the margins of the paper. A provider has requested a dissecting instrument on a sterile tray that a medical assistant is preparing. Which of the following instruments should the assistant include on the tray? ✔✔Scissors Scissors are considered cutting and dissecting instruments because they include a sharp blade or surface that can cut, dissect, or scrape. A medical assistant is using a butterfly needle set to obtain a blood sample from a vein in a patient's hand. Which of the following actions should the assistant take? ✔✔Hold the needle by its wings. Holding the butterfly needle by its wings helps the Medical Assistant control the needle Which of the following items included on the CMS- 1500 claim form should a medical assistant recognize as indicating the medical necessity of a procedure ✔✔Diagnosis code.

A diagnosis code indicates the medical necessity for the perfomance of a procedure or provided treatment. Without a supported diagnosis the provider will not receive reimbursement for the procedure. A medical assistant is transcribing a prescription for magnesium sulfate into a patient's medical record. Which of the following should the assistant use to document this medication? ✔✔Magnesium Sulfate. No abreviations Which of the following cardiac procedures is within a medical assistant's scope of practice and does not require a licensed technician or provider to assist or perform it? ✔✔Holter monitor application. A holter monitor is a system for recording cardiac activity for 24 hr or longer, It is within an assistants scope of practice to place and remove a Holter monitor Which of the following actions should a medical assistant take when abtaining the length of an infant during a well-child visit? ✔✔Position the infant on his back. On an examination table with a paper cover and then draw a line on the paper at the infants head and a line at the heel of the extended legs

A medical assistant in an outpatient facility is preparing a patient for venipuncture. Which of the following actions should the assistant take to confirm the patient's identity? ✔✔Ask the patient to state and spell their full name and provide their date of birth. Compare it with the requisition form and labels A provider examines an older adult patient who is disabled and has a lesion on her arm A medical assistant should anticipate a referral for this patient to which of the following ancillary services? ✔✔Home health care. Home health care organizations provide assistance with medications wound care and other services that need to be provided in a patients place of residence A medical assistant is administering an intramuscular immunization to a patient. Which of the following actions should the medical assistant take? ✔✔Cleanse the site in a circular motion from the center outward. This technique helps to make the center of the site as pathogen free as possible A medical assistant is preparing to perform a capillary collection from an older adult patient who has poor circulation in his hands. Which of the following techniques should the assistant use to increase circulation at the collection site? ✔✔Warm the patient's hand. This can help increase circulation and bring capillaries to the surface of the hand.

A medical assistant is preparing to calculate a patient's heart rate from an EKG tracing Which of the following methods should the assistant use for this calculation? ✔✔Divide 1500 by the number of small boxes between two R waves. Use this 1500 method to calculate a full cardiac cycle. Where should a medical assistant place the electrode for lead V5? ✔✔On the left midaxiliary line, horizontal to V4 A medical assistant is discussing information with a patient about a new medication that the provider prescribed. Which of the following actions should the assistant take ✔✔Reinforce teaching about the frequency of medication admintstration. The assistant shoud reinforce information with the patient about new prescriptions and how to take them. When a patient does not understand the directions for taking a medication this increases the risk that the desired treatment outcome will not be achieved. A medical assistant is performing an ear irrigation for an adult patient who has a cerumnen impaction. Which of the following steps should the assistant complete prior to administering the irrigation solution? ✔✔Pull the pinna of the ear up and back The assistant should pull the pinna

of the ear up and back to manipulate the external ear canal allowing the irrigation solution to circulate through it and drain more easily A medical assistant is using a scale with a height bar to measure a patient's height. Which of the following actions should the assistant take? ✔✔Lower the horizontal bar gently so that it rests on the top of the patients head Which of the following techniques should a medical assistant use for the routine cleaning of EKG cables? ✔✔Disinfection. This is the proper technique to use when cleaning EKG cables. Disinfection is effective on surfaces that come in contact with micro-organisms and will not damage EKG cables Which of the following laboratory results should the medical assistant recognize as abnormal? ✔✔Potassiurm 3 mEq/L This potassium level is below the expected reference range of 3.5 to 5 mEq/t Where do cardiac electrical impulses originate in the heart? ✔✔SinoAtrial node - SA node Impulses are initiated in the sinoatrial node and are then conducted to the atrioventricular node. - AV node