NHA: Medical Assistant(CCMA) Certification Practice Test
2.0 A
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? Correct 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? Correct 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? Correct 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?
Correct 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? Correct 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? Correct 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? Correct
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? Correct 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? Correct 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? Correct 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? Correct 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? Correct 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? Correct 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? Correct 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? Correct 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? Correct 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? Correct 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? Correct 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?
Correct 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? Correct 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? Correct Ans: Problem focused examination.
Problem-focused examinations are limited to the single body area or system mentioned in
the chief complaint.
2.0 A
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? Correct 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? Correct 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? Correct 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?
Correct 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? Correct 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? Correct 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? Correct
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? Correct 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? Correct 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? Correct 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? Correct 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? Correct 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? Correct 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? Correct 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? Correct 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? Correct 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? Correct 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? Correct 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?
Correct 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? Correct 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? Correct Ans: Problem focused examination.
Problem-focused examinations are limited to the single body area or system mentioned in
the chief complaint.
