CMA (CERTIFIED MEDICAL ASSISTANT)
CERTIFICATION EXAM PRACTICE
QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS
(VERIFIED ANSWERS) PLUS
RATIONALES 2026 Q&A | INSTANT
DOWNLOAD PDF
1. Before every patient encounter, what should the medical assistant do first?
A. Perform hand hygiene.
B. Put on gloves.
C. Prepare medications.
D. Check the patient's insurance.
CORRECT ANSWER: A — Perform hand hygiene.
RATIONALE: Hand hygiene is the most effective way to prevent the spread of healthcare-
associated infections and should be performed before and after every patient contact.
2. Which organization establishes Standard Precautions for infection control in
healthcare settings?
A. CDC.
B. IRS.
C. FDA.
D. OSHA Wage Division.
CORRECT ANSWER: A — CDC.
RATIONALE: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publishes Standard
Precautions that guide infection prevention practices. OSHA enforces workplace safety
standards, including the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard.
,3. Which pulse site is most commonly used when obtaining routine vital signs in
adults?
A. Radial artery.
B. Carotid artery.
C. Femoral artery.
D. Popliteal artery.
CORRECT ANSWER: A — Radial artery.
RATIONALE: The radial pulse is easily accessible and commonly used for routine assessment.
4. A patient's blood pressure is 88/56 mmHg. The medical assistant should:
A. Report the finding promptly to the provider.
B. Tell the patient it is normal.
C. Ignore the reading.
D. Recheck it next month.
CORRECT ANSWER: A — Report the finding promptly to the provider.
RATIONALE: Hypotension may indicate dehydration, bleeding, shock, or other serious
conditions and should be reported.
5. HIPAA primarily protects a patient's:
A. Health information and privacy.
B. Employment history.
C. Tax records.
D. Credit score.
CORRECT ANSWER: A — Health information and privacy.
RATIONALE: HIPAA establishes standards for protecting the confidentiality and security of
protected health information (PHI).
6. Which needle gauge is commonly used for routine adult venipuncture?
A. 21–23 gauge.
B. 14 gauge.
, C. 10 gauge.
D. 30 gauge.
CORRECT ANSWER: A — 21–23 gauge.
RATIONALE: A 21- or 22-gauge needle is commonly used for adult venipuncture; a 23-gauge
butterfly may be used for smaller veins.
7. Which laboratory tube is typically used for complete blood count (CBC)
testing?
A. Lavender-top tube.
B. Red-top tube.
C. Gray-top tube.
D. Yellow urine tube.
CORRECT ANSWER: A — Lavender-top tube.
RATIONALE: Lavender-top tubes contain EDTA, which preserves blood cells for hematology
testing.
8. Which action demonstrates proper patient identification before a procedure?
A. Verify at least two patient identifiers.
B. Ask only for the patient's room number.
C. Identify the patient by appearance.
D. Use only the last name.
CORRECT ANSWER: A — Verify at least two patient identifiers.
RATIONALE: Using two identifiers (such as name and date of birth) helps prevent patient
identification errors.
9. Which abbreviation should generally be avoided because it may cause
medication errors?
A. U for units.
B. mg.
C. mL.
D. PO.
CERTIFICATION EXAM PRACTICE
QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS
(VERIFIED ANSWERS) PLUS
RATIONALES 2026 Q&A | INSTANT
DOWNLOAD PDF
1. Before every patient encounter, what should the medical assistant do first?
A. Perform hand hygiene.
B. Put on gloves.
C. Prepare medications.
D. Check the patient's insurance.
CORRECT ANSWER: A — Perform hand hygiene.
RATIONALE: Hand hygiene is the most effective way to prevent the spread of healthcare-
associated infections and should be performed before and after every patient contact.
2. Which organization establishes Standard Precautions for infection control in
healthcare settings?
A. CDC.
B. IRS.
C. FDA.
D. OSHA Wage Division.
CORRECT ANSWER: A — CDC.
RATIONALE: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publishes Standard
Precautions that guide infection prevention practices. OSHA enforces workplace safety
standards, including the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard.
,3. Which pulse site is most commonly used when obtaining routine vital signs in
adults?
A. Radial artery.
B. Carotid artery.
C. Femoral artery.
D. Popliteal artery.
CORRECT ANSWER: A — Radial artery.
RATIONALE: The radial pulse is easily accessible and commonly used for routine assessment.
4. A patient's blood pressure is 88/56 mmHg. The medical assistant should:
A. Report the finding promptly to the provider.
B. Tell the patient it is normal.
C. Ignore the reading.
D. Recheck it next month.
CORRECT ANSWER: A — Report the finding promptly to the provider.
RATIONALE: Hypotension may indicate dehydration, bleeding, shock, or other serious
conditions and should be reported.
5. HIPAA primarily protects a patient's:
A. Health information and privacy.
B. Employment history.
C. Tax records.
D. Credit score.
CORRECT ANSWER: A — Health information and privacy.
RATIONALE: HIPAA establishes standards for protecting the confidentiality and security of
protected health information (PHI).
6. Which needle gauge is commonly used for routine adult venipuncture?
A. 21–23 gauge.
B. 14 gauge.
, C. 10 gauge.
D. 30 gauge.
CORRECT ANSWER: A — 21–23 gauge.
RATIONALE: A 21- or 22-gauge needle is commonly used for adult venipuncture; a 23-gauge
butterfly may be used for smaller veins.
7. Which laboratory tube is typically used for complete blood count (CBC)
testing?
A. Lavender-top tube.
B. Red-top tube.
C. Gray-top tube.
D. Yellow urine tube.
CORRECT ANSWER: A — Lavender-top tube.
RATIONALE: Lavender-top tubes contain EDTA, which preserves blood cells for hematology
testing.
8. Which action demonstrates proper patient identification before a procedure?
A. Verify at least two patient identifiers.
B. Ask only for the patient's room number.
C. Identify the patient by appearance.
D. Use only the last name.
CORRECT ANSWER: A — Verify at least two patient identifiers.
RATIONALE: Using two identifiers (such as name and date of birth) helps prevent patient
identification errors.
9. Which abbreviation should generally be avoided because it may cause
medication errors?
A. U for units.
B. mg.
C. mL.
D. PO.
