WorkSheet Answer keys for
Medical Assisting
Administrative & Clinical
Competencies, 10th Edition
by Michelle Blesi | Chapter
1-58
Chapter 1: The Medical Assistant, Health Care
Team, and Medical Environment
1. Which category of skills includes those that keep medical assistants
practicing within their scope of practice?
A) Communication skills
B) Legal and ethical concepts
,C) Clinical skills
D) Operational functions
ANSWER: B
Rationale: Legal and ethical concepts define the boundaries of what a
medical assistant can and cannot do. These skills ensure that MAs practice
within their defined scope, protecting both patients and themselves from
liability .
2. Which of the following is an example of an administrative skill?
A) Performing patient screenings
B) Preparing medical records
C) Administering injections
D) Collecting blood specimens
ANSWER: B
Rationale: Administrative skills involve the business side of medical
practice, including managing patient records, scheduling, billing, and
correspondence. Clinical skills involve direct patient care such as screenings
and specimen collection .
3. The majority of medical assistants work in which type of
environment?
A) Surgical centers
B) Insurance companies
C) Ambulatory care
D) Hospital laboratories
,ANSWER: C
Rationale: Ambulatory care settings—outpatient clinics, physician offices,
and urgent care centers—employ the largest number of medical assistants.
These settings provide care without requiring overnight hospitalization .
4. Candidate certification from the National Center for Competency
Testing (NCCT) is valid for how many years?
A) 1 year
B) 2 years
C) 5 years
D) 10 years
ANSWER: B
Rationale: NCCT certification is valid for two years. Recertification requires
completing continuing education requirements to maintain current
knowledge and skills .
5. The American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) routinely
completes an occupational analysis that identifies:
A) Salary ranges for medical assistants
B) Critical responsibilities performed by CMAs (AAMA)
C) State licensing requirements
D) Insurance reimbursement rates
ANSWER: B
Rationale: The AAMA conducts occupational analyses to identify the
critical responsibilities and competencies required of Certified Medical
, Assistants. This analysis informs the certification examination content and
ensures it reflects current practice .
6. Who pioneered open-heart surgery and perfected a pacemaker?
A) Louis Pasteur
B) C. Walton Lillehei
C) Hippocrates
D) Alexander Fleming
ANSWER: B
Rationale: C. Walton Lillehei was a pioneering cardiac surgeon who made
significant contributions to open-heart surgery techniques and pacemaker
technology. His work advanced surgical treatment of heart conditions .
7. Which legislation limits health administration costs, provides for
patient information privacy, and prevents fraud and abuse?
A) OSHA
B) CLIA
C) HIPAA
D) ADA
ANSWER: C
Rationale: HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) of
1996 addresses multiple areas including health insurance portability,
administrative simplification to reduce costs, privacy and security of patient
information, and prevention of healthcare fraud and abuse .
Medical Assisting
Administrative & Clinical
Competencies, 10th Edition
by Michelle Blesi | Chapter
1-58
Chapter 1: The Medical Assistant, Health Care
Team, and Medical Environment
1. Which category of skills includes those that keep medical assistants
practicing within their scope of practice?
A) Communication skills
B) Legal and ethical concepts
,C) Clinical skills
D) Operational functions
ANSWER: B
Rationale: Legal and ethical concepts define the boundaries of what a
medical assistant can and cannot do. These skills ensure that MAs practice
within their defined scope, protecting both patients and themselves from
liability .
2. Which of the following is an example of an administrative skill?
A) Performing patient screenings
B) Preparing medical records
C) Administering injections
D) Collecting blood specimens
ANSWER: B
Rationale: Administrative skills involve the business side of medical
practice, including managing patient records, scheduling, billing, and
correspondence. Clinical skills involve direct patient care such as screenings
and specimen collection .
3. The majority of medical assistants work in which type of
environment?
A) Surgical centers
B) Insurance companies
C) Ambulatory care
D) Hospital laboratories
,ANSWER: C
Rationale: Ambulatory care settings—outpatient clinics, physician offices,
and urgent care centers—employ the largest number of medical assistants.
These settings provide care without requiring overnight hospitalization .
4. Candidate certification from the National Center for Competency
Testing (NCCT) is valid for how many years?
A) 1 year
B) 2 years
C) 5 years
D) 10 years
ANSWER: B
Rationale: NCCT certification is valid for two years. Recertification requires
completing continuing education requirements to maintain current
knowledge and skills .
5. The American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) routinely
completes an occupational analysis that identifies:
A) Salary ranges for medical assistants
B) Critical responsibilities performed by CMAs (AAMA)
C) State licensing requirements
D) Insurance reimbursement rates
ANSWER: B
Rationale: The AAMA conducts occupational analyses to identify the
critical responsibilities and competencies required of Certified Medical
, Assistants. This analysis informs the certification examination content and
ensures it reflects current practice .
6. Who pioneered open-heart surgery and perfected a pacemaker?
A) Louis Pasteur
B) C. Walton Lillehei
C) Hippocrates
D) Alexander Fleming
ANSWER: B
Rationale: C. Walton Lillehei was a pioneering cardiac surgeon who made
significant contributions to open-heart surgery techniques and pacemaker
technology. His work advanced surgical treatment of heart conditions .
7. Which legislation limits health administration costs, provides for
patient information privacy, and prevents fraud and abuse?
A) OSHA
B) CLIA
C) HIPAA
D) ADA
ANSWER: C
Rationale: HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) of
1996 addresses multiple areas including health insurance portability,
administrative simplification to reduce costs, privacy and security of patient
information, and prevention of healthcare fraud and abuse .
