Practice Exam 4 NCMA UPDATED
ACTUAL Exam Questions and CORRECT
Answers
What is caused by an enzyme deficiency, causes abnormal lipid metabolism in the brain, and
affects people of the Ashkenazi Jewish population? - CORRECT ANSWER -Tay-Sachs
disease
What is a doctrine that holds physician employers responsible for the actions of their employees?
- CORRECT ANSWER -Respondeat superior
Practice expenses for the month of June are $8,500. Revenue for the same month is $16,180. The
practice has total assets of $283,000 and liabilities of $55,000. What is the net income for the
practice for the month of June? - CORRECT ANSWER -$7,680
The code for intravenous administration of chemotherapy is found in what sections of the
Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) manual? - CORRECT ANSWER -Medicine
What is a breathing pattern marked by a period of apnea lasting 10 to 60 seconds, followed by
gradually increasing depth and frequency of respiration? - CORRECT ANSWER -Cheyne-
Stokes
When injecting a medication, what parts of the needle allows the medication to flow from the
syringe to the needle? - CORRECT ANSWER -lumen
A pediatrician is unexpectedly delayed, and there are patients in the waiting room. What is the
most appropriate action for the medical assistant to take? - CORRECT ANSWER -explain
the delay to the patients and estimate how long the physician will be unavailable
The physician orders promethazine (Phenergan) 25 mg intramuscularly for a patient with nausea.
The bottle of promethazine is labeled "50 mg per ml." How much of the drug should be
administered to the patient? - CORRECT ANSWER -0.5 mL
,What should you offer to do immediately after a patient calls to cancel an appointment? -
CORRECT ANSWER -offer to reschedule the appointment
When using standard-sized letterhead to prepare a full- page business letter, the left and right
margins should each be how many inches wide? - CORRECT ANSWER -1
What is a type of reimbursement by a health maintenance organization (HMO) to a group of
physicians on a per-person-per-month contract? - CORRECT ANSWER -capitation
The medical assistant is giving instructions to a patient. What types of body language on the part
of the patient most effectively communicates understand- ing of the instructions? - CORRECT
ANSWER -facial expression
A 67-year-old deaf woman is scheduled for an appointment and is sitting in the waiting room.
When the medical assistant is ready to escort the patient to an examination room, what is the
most appropriate method of getting her attention? - CORRECT ANSWER -gently
touching her shoulder
What portions of a blood smear should
be used to perform the differential blood cell count? - CORRECT ANSWER -feathered
edges of the smear
When a physician offers open office hours, what best describes when patients are seen by the
physician? - CORRECT ANSWER -in the order of their arrival
A 53-year-old woman comes to the medical clinic because she has a headache. Her blood
pressure is 120/75 mm Hg, her pulse is 130 bpm, her temperature is 37.3°C (99.2°F), and her
respirations are 18/min. What term would most likely be documented in the patient's chart? -
CORRECT ANSWER -tachycardia
,Quality-control tests are performed daily in laboratories for what reasons? - CORRECT
ANSWER -to determine whether test results are accurate
What additives is used as an anticoagulant in a blood specimen collected to determine a complete
blood cell count? - CORRECT ANSWER -EDTA
What protects a computer monitor's screen from "burning in" by changing the display at short
intervals? - CORRECT ANSWER -screen saver
A 71-year-old woman with weak leg muscles is advised to use axillary crutches. She can bear
weight on both legs, but she has poor balance. When instructing her in the use of axillary
crutches, the medical assistant should show her which crutch-gait patterns? - CORRECT
ANSWER -four-point alternating
A 13-year-old boy with type 1 diabetes mellitus needs to modify his lifestyle. What is the most
effective way for the medical assistant to educate him? - CORRECT ANSWER -explain
type 1 diabetes mellitus on a level he can understand
When a child is covered by separate insurance policies through each parent, the policy of which
parent is considered primary? - CORRECT ANSWER -the parent whose birthday falls
first
If a patient is chronically late and requires more of the physician's time than most patients, when
should this patient's appointment be scheduled? - CORRECT ANSWER -last appointment
of the day
A physician advises a 28-year-old patient to increase his daily intake of complex carbohydrates.
To do this, it is most appropriate to increase intake of which foods? - CORRECT
ANSWER -breads
A 14-year-old boy has an obvious bony deformity of the thigh. An X-ray study of which bones
should be ordered? - CORRECT ANSWER -femur
, A blood sample is collected from a patient, and the plasma is pink to red in color. What is the
most likely cause? - CORRECT ANSWER -hemolysis
How should a medical assistant conduct a patient interview when the patient is an eight-year-old
boy who has severe bruises on the right leg? - CORRECT ANSWER -allow the child to
answer each question in his own words
What has jurisdiction over the manufacture and distribution of controlled substances in the
United States? - CORRECT ANSWER -Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
What is the most appropriate reference for a medical assistant to identify the action of a
particular medication? - CORRECT ANSWER -The Physician's Desk Reference (PDR)
A medical assistant earns $15.00 per hour and works
40 hours during a one-week pay period. Federal taxes for the Federal Insurance Contributions
Act (FICA) are with- held at 7.65%. How much money will be withheld from her gross earnings
for a one-week pay period? - CORRECT ANSWER -$45.90
When submitting an insurance claim, which of the fol- lowing International Classification of
Diseases, Clinical Modification (ICD-CM) codes should be placed on the form first? -
CORRECT ANSWER -principal diagnosis
Physicians who administer controlled substances are required to register with what
organizations? - CORRECT ANSWER -Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
A patient calls the office and angrily states that he is dis- satisfied with his medical care. What is
the most appropriate initial responses? - CORRECT ANSWER -ask him to describe the
problem
NOT:
- suggest that he calm down and call back later
- tell him the physician will return his call
ACTUAL Exam Questions and CORRECT
Answers
What is caused by an enzyme deficiency, causes abnormal lipid metabolism in the brain, and
affects people of the Ashkenazi Jewish population? - CORRECT ANSWER -Tay-Sachs
disease
What is a doctrine that holds physician employers responsible for the actions of their employees?
- CORRECT ANSWER -Respondeat superior
Practice expenses for the month of June are $8,500. Revenue for the same month is $16,180. The
practice has total assets of $283,000 and liabilities of $55,000. What is the net income for the
practice for the month of June? - CORRECT ANSWER -$7,680
The code for intravenous administration of chemotherapy is found in what sections of the
Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) manual? - CORRECT ANSWER -Medicine
What is a breathing pattern marked by a period of apnea lasting 10 to 60 seconds, followed by
gradually increasing depth and frequency of respiration? - CORRECT ANSWER -Cheyne-
Stokes
When injecting a medication, what parts of the needle allows the medication to flow from the
syringe to the needle? - CORRECT ANSWER -lumen
A pediatrician is unexpectedly delayed, and there are patients in the waiting room. What is the
most appropriate action for the medical assistant to take? - CORRECT ANSWER -explain
the delay to the patients and estimate how long the physician will be unavailable
The physician orders promethazine (Phenergan) 25 mg intramuscularly for a patient with nausea.
The bottle of promethazine is labeled "50 mg per ml." How much of the drug should be
administered to the patient? - CORRECT ANSWER -0.5 mL
,What should you offer to do immediately after a patient calls to cancel an appointment? -
CORRECT ANSWER -offer to reschedule the appointment
When using standard-sized letterhead to prepare a full- page business letter, the left and right
margins should each be how many inches wide? - CORRECT ANSWER -1
What is a type of reimbursement by a health maintenance organization (HMO) to a group of
physicians on a per-person-per-month contract? - CORRECT ANSWER -capitation
The medical assistant is giving instructions to a patient. What types of body language on the part
of the patient most effectively communicates understand- ing of the instructions? - CORRECT
ANSWER -facial expression
A 67-year-old deaf woman is scheduled for an appointment and is sitting in the waiting room.
When the medical assistant is ready to escort the patient to an examination room, what is the
most appropriate method of getting her attention? - CORRECT ANSWER -gently
touching her shoulder
What portions of a blood smear should
be used to perform the differential blood cell count? - CORRECT ANSWER -feathered
edges of the smear
When a physician offers open office hours, what best describes when patients are seen by the
physician? - CORRECT ANSWER -in the order of their arrival
A 53-year-old woman comes to the medical clinic because she has a headache. Her blood
pressure is 120/75 mm Hg, her pulse is 130 bpm, her temperature is 37.3°C (99.2°F), and her
respirations are 18/min. What term would most likely be documented in the patient's chart? -
CORRECT ANSWER -tachycardia
,Quality-control tests are performed daily in laboratories for what reasons? - CORRECT
ANSWER -to determine whether test results are accurate
What additives is used as an anticoagulant in a blood specimen collected to determine a complete
blood cell count? - CORRECT ANSWER -EDTA
What protects a computer monitor's screen from "burning in" by changing the display at short
intervals? - CORRECT ANSWER -screen saver
A 71-year-old woman with weak leg muscles is advised to use axillary crutches. She can bear
weight on both legs, but she has poor balance. When instructing her in the use of axillary
crutches, the medical assistant should show her which crutch-gait patterns? - CORRECT
ANSWER -four-point alternating
A 13-year-old boy with type 1 diabetes mellitus needs to modify his lifestyle. What is the most
effective way for the medical assistant to educate him? - CORRECT ANSWER -explain
type 1 diabetes mellitus on a level he can understand
When a child is covered by separate insurance policies through each parent, the policy of which
parent is considered primary? - CORRECT ANSWER -the parent whose birthday falls
first
If a patient is chronically late and requires more of the physician's time than most patients, when
should this patient's appointment be scheduled? - CORRECT ANSWER -last appointment
of the day
A physician advises a 28-year-old patient to increase his daily intake of complex carbohydrates.
To do this, it is most appropriate to increase intake of which foods? - CORRECT
ANSWER -breads
A 14-year-old boy has an obvious bony deformity of the thigh. An X-ray study of which bones
should be ordered? - CORRECT ANSWER -femur
, A blood sample is collected from a patient, and the plasma is pink to red in color. What is the
most likely cause? - CORRECT ANSWER -hemolysis
How should a medical assistant conduct a patient interview when the patient is an eight-year-old
boy who has severe bruises on the right leg? - CORRECT ANSWER -allow the child to
answer each question in his own words
What has jurisdiction over the manufacture and distribution of controlled substances in the
United States? - CORRECT ANSWER -Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
What is the most appropriate reference for a medical assistant to identify the action of a
particular medication? - CORRECT ANSWER -The Physician's Desk Reference (PDR)
A medical assistant earns $15.00 per hour and works
40 hours during a one-week pay period. Federal taxes for the Federal Insurance Contributions
Act (FICA) are with- held at 7.65%. How much money will be withheld from her gross earnings
for a one-week pay period? - CORRECT ANSWER -$45.90
When submitting an insurance claim, which of the fol- lowing International Classification of
Diseases, Clinical Modification (ICD-CM) codes should be placed on the form first? -
CORRECT ANSWER -principal diagnosis
Physicians who administer controlled substances are required to register with what
organizations? - CORRECT ANSWER -Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
A patient calls the office and angrily states that he is dis- satisfied with his medical care. What is
the most appropriate initial responses? - CORRECT ANSWER -ask him to describe the
problem
NOT:
- suggest that he calm down and call back later
- tell him the physician will return his call
