1|Page
, NHA CCMA 2026 ULTIMATE EXAM BREAKER
1. Which of the following is the most appropriate method for verifying a
patient's identity before performing a phlebotomy procedure?
A. Ask the patient, "Are you Mr. Smith?"
B. Check the name on the patient's wristband and match it to the room number.
C. Ask the patient to state their full name and date of birth, and
match it to the requisition.
D. Confirm the patient's name with the nurse on duty.
**Rationale:**This is the "two-identifier" protocol. Having the patient actively state
both their full name and date of birth is the safest method to prevent identification
errors.
2. What is the primary purpose of the Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act (HIPAA)?
A. To ensure all patients have health insurance.
B. To regulate the safety of medications and medical devices.
C. To protect the privacy and security of patients' protected health information
(PHI).
D. To standardize medical billing codes across the United States.
**Rationale:**HIPM's Privacy and Security Rules establish national standards to
protect individuals' medical records and other personal health information.
3. The suffix "-ectomy" means:
A. Inflammation
of.
B. Disease of.
C. Surgical removal of.
D. Study of.
**Rationale:**ln medical terminology, "-ectomy" denotes surgical excision (e.g.,
appendectomy, tonsillectomy).
4. Which of the following is an example of maintaining medical
asepsis (clean technique)?
A. Performing a sterile
catheterization. B.Autoclaving
surgical instruments.
C. Washing hands with soap and water after removing gloves.
D. Wearing sterile gloves to suture a wound.
2|Page
,**Rationale:**Hand hygiene is the most fundamental practice in medical asepsis,
which aims to reduce the number and transmission of pathogens.
5. A patient has a known severe allergy to sulfa drugs. How should this be
documented?
A. Only in the patient's past medical history section.
B. Verbally reported to the provider at each visit.
C. Prominently on the front of the chart, in the medication list, and in the
EHR allergy alert field.
D. ln a note to the pharmacy, but not on the patient's chart.
**Rationale:**Life-threatening information must be redundantly documented in highly
visible locations to prevent accidental exposure.
6. The principle of "standard precautions" assumes that:
A. Only patients with diagnosed infections are hazardous.
B. All blood and body fluids are potentially
infectious. C.Handwashing is only required after
direct patient contact. D.Gloves are necessary only for
invasive procedures.
**Rationale:**Standard precautions are applied to all patients, regardless of diagnosis,
because any person's blood or certain body fluids may contain pathogens.
7. Which organization requires employers to provide a safe workplace,
including informing employees about chemical hazards via Safety Data
Sheets (SDS)? A.CDC
B. OSHA
C.CLIA
D.DEA
**Rationale:**The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) mandates
the Hazard Communication Standard, which requires access to SOS for hazardous
chemicals.
8. The term "proximal" refers to a location that is:
A. Closer to the point of attachment or the trunk of the body.
B. Farther from the point of attachment or the trunk.
C. Toward the front of the body.
D. Toward the back of the body.
3|Page
, **Rationale:**Proximal means nearer to the center of the body or point of origin (e.g.,
the shoulder is proximal to the elbow).
9. The primary federal law regulating the dispensing of controlled substances is
enforced by the:
A. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
B. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
C.Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) D.Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS)
**Rationale:**The DEA enforces the Controlled Substances Act, which governs the
manufacture, distribution, and dispensing of controlled medications.
10. Which of the following represents a breach of patient confidentiality?
A. Discussing a patient's lab results with the ordering provider in a private office.
B. Sharing a patient's diagnosis with a family member who calls, without
the patient's consent.
C. Accessing only the medical records of patients you are assigned to
care for. D.Sending a referral fax containing PHI to a specialist's
confirmed fax number.
**Rationale:**Disclosing protected health information to anyone, including family,
without the patient's explicit permission is a confidentiality breach, unless in an
emergency where the patient cannot consent.
11. A medication label reads "store at 2°C to 8°C." This means the
medication must be kept:
A. At room temperature.
B. ln a freezer.
C. Refrigerated.
D. Protected from light.
**Rationale:**2°C to 8°C is the standard temperature range for a refrigerator. Freezer
temperatures are typically -20°C or lower.
12. The "R" in the RACE fire safety acronym stands for:
A. Run.
B.Remove
.
4|Page
, NHA CCMA 2026 ULTIMATE EXAM BREAKER
1. Which of the following is the most appropriate method for verifying a
patient's identity before performing a phlebotomy procedure?
A. Ask the patient, "Are you Mr. Smith?"
B. Check the name on the patient's wristband and match it to the room number.
C. Ask the patient to state their full name and date of birth, and
match it to the requisition.
D. Confirm the patient's name with the nurse on duty.
**Rationale:**This is the "two-identifier" protocol. Having the patient actively state
both their full name and date of birth is the safest method to prevent identification
errors.
2. What is the primary purpose of the Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act (HIPAA)?
A. To ensure all patients have health insurance.
B. To regulate the safety of medications and medical devices.
C. To protect the privacy and security of patients' protected health information
(PHI).
D. To standardize medical billing codes across the United States.
**Rationale:**HIPM's Privacy and Security Rules establish national standards to
protect individuals' medical records and other personal health information.
3. The suffix "-ectomy" means:
A. Inflammation
of.
B. Disease of.
C. Surgical removal of.
D. Study of.
**Rationale:**ln medical terminology, "-ectomy" denotes surgical excision (e.g.,
appendectomy, tonsillectomy).
4. Which of the following is an example of maintaining medical
asepsis (clean technique)?
A. Performing a sterile
catheterization. B.Autoclaving
surgical instruments.
C. Washing hands with soap and water after removing gloves.
D. Wearing sterile gloves to suture a wound.
2|Page
,**Rationale:**Hand hygiene is the most fundamental practice in medical asepsis,
which aims to reduce the number and transmission of pathogens.
5. A patient has a known severe allergy to sulfa drugs. How should this be
documented?
A. Only in the patient's past medical history section.
B. Verbally reported to the provider at each visit.
C. Prominently on the front of the chart, in the medication list, and in the
EHR allergy alert field.
D. ln a note to the pharmacy, but not on the patient's chart.
**Rationale:**Life-threatening information must be redundantly documented in highly
visible locations to prevent accidental exposure.
6. The principle of "standard precautions" assumes that:
A. Only patients with diagnosed infections are hazardous.
B. All blood and body fluids are potentially
infectious. C.Handwashing is only required after
direct patient contact. D.Gloves are necessary only for
invasive procedures.
**Rationale:**Standard precautions are applied to all patients, regardless of diagnosis,
because any person's blood or certain body fluids may contain pathogens.
7. Which organization requires employers to provide a safe workplace,
including informing employees about chemical hazards via Safety Data
Sheets (SDS)? A.CDC
B. OSHA
C.CLIA
D.DEA
**Rationale:**The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) mandates
the Hazard Communication Standard, which requires access to SOS for hazardous
chemicals.
8. The term "proximal" refers to a location that is:
A. Closer to the point of attachment or the trunk of the body.
B. Farther from the point of attachment or the trunk.
C. Toward the front of the body.
D. Toward the back of the body.
3|Page
, **Rationale:**Proximal means nearer to the center of the body or point of origin (e.g.,
the shoulder is proximal to the elbow).
9. The primary federal law regulating the dispensing of controlled substances is
enforced by the:
A. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
B. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
C.Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) D.Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS)
**Rationale:**The DEA enforces the Controlled Substances Act, which governs the
manufacture, distribution, and dispensing of controlled medications.
10. Which of the following represents a breach of patient confidentiality?
A. Discussing a patient's lab results with the ordering provider in a private office.
B. Sharing a patient's diagnosis with a family member who calls, without
the patient's consent.
C. Accessing only the medical records of patients you are assigned to
care for. D.Sending a referral fax containing PHI to a specialist's
confirmed fax number.
**Rationale:**Disclosing protected health information to anyone, including family,
without the patient's explicit permission is a confidentiality breach, unless in an
emergency where the patient cannot consent.
11. A medication label reads "store at 2°C to 8°C." This means the
medication must be kept:
A. At room temperature.
B. ln a freezer.
C. Refrigerated.
D. Protected from light.
**Rationale:**2°C to 8°C is the standard temperature range for a refrigerator. Freezer
temperatures are typically -20°C or lower.
12. The "R" in the RACE fire safety acronym stands for:
A. Run.
B.Remove
.
4|Page
