NHA: Medical Assistant(CCMA) Certification Test 2.0 A
Answered 2022.
A medical assistant is preparing a patient who has congestive heart failure (CHF) for an
examination by the provider. Which of the following manifestations should the assistant expect?
✅Ans - Shortness of breath (SOB)
Expected manifestations of CHF include shortness of breath, fatigue, and edema
When measuring a patients respiratory rate, which of the following actions should a medical
assistant take to ensure an accurate reading?
✅Ans - Count the respiration's while the patient thinks his pulse is being obtained.
In order to obtain the most accurate reading, the assistant should count the respirations without
the patient being aware that his breathing is being assessed. The patient can easily control or alter
breathing patterns when he is conscious that the assistant is paying attention to his respirations
Which of the following laboratory results should the medical assistant recognize is abnormal?
✅Ans - Potassium 3 mEq/L
This potassium level is below the expected reference range of 3.5 to 5 mEq/L.
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?
✅Ans - 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 replacing a sharps container in an examination room and receives a small
laceration on her arm from the plastic lid. Which of the following types of documentation should
the assistant complete as a result of this incident?
✅Ans - OSHA Form 301
The assistant should recognize that the OSHA Form 301 is an incident report used when
reporting details about a work-related injury or illness.
A medical assistant is reviewing a patient's history prior to the patient's appointment. Which of
the following laboratory results indicates the need to schedule an extension of the current visit?
✅Ans - Fasting blood glucose 168 mg/dL
This fasting blood glucose level is above the expected reference range of 70 to 130 mg/dL. The
assistant should notify the provider and schedule an extension of the patient's visit.
A medical assistant is reinforcing instructions with a patient about how to take a buccal
tablet.which of the following instructions should the assistant give the patient?
,✅Ans - "Place the tablet between you or gums and cheek."
The assistant should instruct the patient to place the buccal tablet between his gums and his
cheek. A buccal tablet acts faster than oral tablets because it does not need to pass through the
gastrointestinal tract to be absorbed.
Which of the following terms should a medical assistant use to tell a provider that a patient is
having discomfort and difficulty breathing?
✅Ans - Dyspnea
Dyspnea is a term used to indicate that a patient is experiencing difficult or painful breathing.
Which of the following methods is used to notify a provider of the denial of a claim by an
insurance carrier?
✅Ans - 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.
Which of the following positions is appropriate for a pelvic exam?
✅Ans - Lithotomy
The lithotomy position is appropriate for pelvic examinations.
Which of the following cardiac procedures is within a medical assistants scope of practice and
does not require a licensed technician or provider to assist or perform it?
✅Ans - Holter monitor application
A Holter monitor is a system for recording cardiac activity for 24 hr or longer. It is within an
assistant's scope of practice to place and remove a Holter monitor.
Which of the following EKG artifacts is caused by a disconnected electrode and results in the
tracing going into the margins of the paper?
✅Ans - 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 medical assistant receives a telephone call from a patient who seems anxious about the results
of a test. Which of the following responses should the assistant make?
,✅Ans - "I know you are concerned about your test results. We'll call you as soon as your results
come in."
This response shows empathy and active listening skills on the part of the assistant, which
communicates to the patient that the assistant recognizes his emotions. Empathy allows the
assistant to validate the patient's emotions without becoming unprofessional and losing
objectivity. This response is an example of an appropriate way to communicate with the patient.
A medical assistant is assisting with the physical examination of a patient who has scabies.
Besides gloves, which of the following pieces of personal protective equipment should the
assistant wear?
✅Ans - Gown
Scabies requires contact precautions; therefore, the assistant should wear gloves and a gown.
Other patient conditions that require contact precautions include hepatitis A, rotavirus, and
herpes zoster (shingles).
A patient loses consciousness. The EKG reveals ventricular fibrillation. Which of the following
actions should a medical assistant take first?
✅Ans - Call for help and begin CPR
According to the American Heart Association's resuscitation guidelines, the assistant should call
for help and perform CPR immediately after witnessing a cardiac arrest.
A medical assistant is composing business correspondence using the simplified letter style.
Which of the following features should the assistant use?
✅Ans - A subject line in all capital letters.
In the simplified letter style, the subject line is in all capital letters and replaces the salutation.
Where should a medical assistant place the electrode for lead V5?
✅Ans - On the left anterior axillary line, horizontal to V4.
This is the proper placement for lead V5.
A medical assistant is caring for a patient who is 5'7" tall. Which of the following is the patient's
height in centimeters?
✅Ans - 170 cm
, When making this conversion, the assistant should first convert 5' 7'' to 67 inches. Next, the
assistant should convert inches to centimeters by multiplying by 2.54. The result is 170.18 cm,
which rounds to 170 cm.
Which of the following techniques should a medical assistant use when bandaging a wound?
✅Ans - Wrap the wound from distal to proximal
Wounds should always be wrapped from distal to proximal.
Which of the following is outside of a medical assistant's scope of practice?
✅Ans - Order additional laboratory tests to confirm the patient's condition.
It is outside of a medical assistant's scope of practice to order additional laboratory tests without
a provider's prescription.
A patient is seen in an urgent care center for a laceration to the left foot. The provider evaluates
the injury, determines sutures are not needed, applies a dressing, and releases the patient. Which
of the following levels of examination should a medical assistant use for the procedural coding
for this visit?
✅Ans - Problem focused examination.
Problem-focused examinations are limited to the single body area or system mentioned in the
chief complaint.
Prior to a patient's follow-up appointment, which of the following information should a medical
assistant report to the provider?
✅Ans - Recent laboratory results.
The assistant should report recent laboratory results to the provider prior to the visit so the
provider can review them with the patient during the follow-up appointment.
A medical assistant is reviewing a provider's instructions as the patient is preparing to leave the
office. The provider recommends that the patient purchase an over-the-counter antitussive, but
the patient tells the assistant that she does not know what an antitussive is. Which of the
following responses should the assistant make?
✅Ans - "It is a medication that suppresses the cough reflex."
An antitussive suppresses the cough reflex. One of the active ingredients used in antitussive
medications is dextromethorphan.
Answered 2022.
A medical assistant is preparing a patient who has congestive heart failure (CHF) for an
examination by the provider. Which of the following manifestations should the assistant expect?
✅Ans - Shortness of breath (SOB)
Expected manifestations of CHF include shortness of breath, fatigue, and edema
When measuring a patients respiratory rate, which of the following actions should a medical
assistant take to ensure an accurate reading?
✅Ans - Count the respiration's while the patient thinks his pulse is being obtained.
In order to obtain the most accurate reading, the assistant should count the respirations without
the patient being aware that his breathing is being assessed. The patient can easily control or alter
breathing patterns when he is conscious that the assistant is paying attention to his respirations
Which of the following laboratory results should the medical assistant recognize is abnormal?
✅Ans - Potassium 3 mEq/L
This potassium level is below the expected reference range of 3.5 to 5 mEq/L.
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?
✅Ans - 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 replacing a sharps container in an examination room and receives a small
laceration on her arm from the plastic lid. Which of the following types of documentation should
the assistant complete as a result of this incident?
✅Ans - OSHA Form 301
The assistant should recognize that the OSHA Form 301 is an incident report used when
reporting details about a work-related injury or illness.
A medical assistant is reviewing a patient's history prior to the patient's appointment. Which of
the following laboratory results indicates the need to schedule an extension of the current visit?
✅Ans - Fasting blood glucose 168 mg/dL
This fasting blood glucose level is above the expected reference range of 70 to 130 mg/dL. The
assistant should notify the provider and schedule an extension of the patient's visit.
A medical assistant is reinforcing instructions with a patient about how to take a buccal
tablet.which of the following instructions should the assistant give the patient?
,✅Ans - "Place the tablet between you or gums and cheek."
The assistant should instruct the patient to place the buccal tablet between his gums and his
cheek. A buccal tablet acts faster than oral tablets because it does not need to pass through the
gastrointestinal tract to be absorbed.
Which of the following terms should a medical assistant use to tell a provider that a patient is
having discomfort and difficulty breathing?
✅Ans - Dyspnea
Dyspnea is a term used to indicate that a patient is experiencing difficult or painful breathing.
Which of the following methods is used to notify a provider of the denial of a claim by an
insurance carrier?
✅Ans - 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.
Which of the following positions is appropriate for a pelvic exam?
✅Ans - Lithotomy
The lithotomy position is appropriate for pelvic examinations.
Which of the following cardiac procedures is within a medical assistants scope of practice and
does not require a licensed technician or provider to assist or perform it?
✅Ans - Holter monitor application
A Holter monitor is a system for recording cardiac activity for 24 hr or longer. It is within an
assistant's scope of practice to place and remove a Holter monitor.
Which of the following EKG artifacts is caused by a disconnected electrode and results in the
tracing going into the margins of the paper?
✅Ans - 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 medical assistant receives a telephone call from a patient who seems anxious about the results
of a test. Which of the following responses should the assistant make?
,✅Ans - "I know you are concerned about your test results. We'll call you as soon as your results
come in."
This response shows empathy and active listening skills on the part of the assistant, which
communicates to the patient that the assistant recognizes his emotions. Empathy allows the
assistant to validate the patient's emotions without becoming unprofessional and losing
objectivity. This response is an example of an appropriate way to communicate with the patient.
A medical assistant is assisting with the physical examination of a patient who has scabies.
Besides gloves, which of the following pieces of personal protective equipment should the
assistant wear?
✅Ans - Gown
Scabies requires contact precautions; therefore, the assistant should wear gloves and a gown.
Other patient conditions that require contact precautions include hepatitis A, rotavirus, and
herpes zoster (shingles).
A patient loses consciousness. The EKG reveals ventricular fibrillation. Which of the following
actions should a medical assistant take first?
✅Ans - Call for help and begin CPR
According to the American Heart Association's resuscitation guidelines, the assistant should call
for help and perform CPR immediately after witnessing a cardiac arrest.
A medical assistant is composing business correspondence using the simplified letter style.
Which of the following features should the assistant use?
✅Ans - A subject line in all capital letters.
In the simplified letter style, the subject line is in all capital letters and replaces the salutation.
Where should a medical assistant place the electrode for lead V5?
✅Ans - On the left anterior axillary line, horizontal to V4.
This is the proper placement for lead V5.
A medical assistant is caring for a patient who is 5'7" tall. Which of the following is the patient's
height in centimeters?
✅Ans - 170 cm
, When making this conversion, the assistant should first convert 5' 7'' to 67 inches. Next, the
assistant should convert inches to centimeters by multiplying by 2.54. The result is 170.18 cm,
which rounds to 170 cm.
Which of the following techniques should a medical assistant use when bandaging a wound?
✅Ans - Wrap the wound from distal to proximal
Wounds should always be wrapped from distal to proximal.
Which of the following is outside of a medical assistant's scope of practice?
✅Ans - Order additional laboratory tests to confirm the patient's condition.
It is outside of a medical assistant's scope of practice to order additional laboratory tests without
a provider's prescription.
A patient is seen in an urgent care center for a laceration to the left foot. The provider evaluates
the injury, determines sutures are not needed, applies a dressing, and releases the patient. Which
of the following levels of examination should a medical assistant use for the procedural coding
for this visit?
✅Ans - Problem focused examination.
Problem-focused examinations are limited to the single body area or system mentioned in the
chief complaint.
Prior to a patient's follow-up appointment, which of the following information should a medical
assistant report to the provider?
✅Ans - Recent laboratory results.
The assistant should report recent laboratory results to the provider prior to the visit so the
provider can review them with the patient during the follow-up appointment.
A medical assistant is reviewing a provider's instructions as the patient is preparing to leave the
office. The provider recommends that the patient purchase an over-the-counter antitussive, but
the patient tells the assistant that she does not know what an antitussive is. Which of the
following responses should the assistant make?
✅Ans - "It is a medication that suppresses the cough reflex."
An antitussive suppresses the cough reflex. One of the active ingredients used in antitussive
medications is dextromethorphan.
