NWCA MEDICAL ASSISTANT COMPREHENSIVE
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SET A+
✔✔Urticaria - ✔✔a spreading of reddened and elevated lesions (called hives).
✔✔Food allergies - ✔✔result in a potential life-threatening immune response to specific
foods, such as peanuts
✔✔Anaphylaxis - ✔✔Anaphylactic response is an increasingly severe antigen-antibody
reaction to repeated exposure to an allergen and can be potentially life threatening. The
antigen triggers the production of antibodies that in turn trigger the immune response.
Anaphylactic shock is a life-threatening response in which the antigen-antibody reaction
leads to a closed airway. Immediate emergency care is required. Many people with
severe allergies, such as to bees or peanuts, carry an epi-pen with them at all times.
The epinephrine in the pen gives them time for EMS to intervene after exposure to the
substance.
✔✔HIV/AIDS transmission - ✔✔Protection, abstinence
✔✔Common Allergens - ✔✔peanuts, eggs, milk, soy, wheat, shellfish
✔✔Allergy testing - ✔✔performed to test the patient for a reaction to certain substances
on the patient's forearm or back by using a common procedure called the prick
technique. The patient's skin is pricked with common allergens and then the patient is
asked to return to be assessed for reactions. A patient can be pricked for
many different types of allergens at the same time. On return, each prick is assessed for
an allergic reaction that would present as redness, swelling etc. This tells the physician
that the patient is allergic to this substance. The physician can then develop a treatment
plan for the patient based on the
results.
,✔✔Intradermal allergy testing - ✔✔a procedure in which a small amount of potential
antigen is injected under the skin. If the person has an allergy to the substance, the
area will show an immune response after a period of time.
✔✔skin patch test - ✔✔a procedure in which the physician places a patch that has been
soaked with potential antigen on the skin. If the person is allergic to the substance, the
area will show an immune response after a period of time. Typically
several antigens are tested at once
✔✔scratch test - ✔✔a procedure in which the potential antigen is placed into a scratch
made on the skin. If the person has an allergy to the substance, the skin will show an
immune response. Typically several antigens are tested at once.
✔✔CBC (complete blood count) - ✔✔to look at the red blood cells, platelets, and white
blood cells. Different white blood cells will increase with an allergic response to an
antigen.
✔✔Medical Assistant's Role in Dermatology - ✔✔1. Obtain the patient's medical history.
2. Measure and record patient vital signs as they begin the patient encounter and as
requested by the physician.
3. Instruct and assist patients in removing clothing.
4. Drape patients for specific purposes.
5. Assist patients as necessary and as requested by the physician, and provide
emotional support during procedures.
6. Assist the dermatologist as recessary during the physical exam and procedure.
7. Instruct patients about medication orders and pre- or post-procedure instructions.
8. Schedule and remind patients about appointments.
✔✔Anatomy of skin - ✔✔epidermis, dermis, hypodermis
✔✔Epidermis - ✔✔Outer protective layer of the skin. It varies in thickness depending
upon the location on the body. For example, the soles of the feet and
palms of the hand have a thicker dermis than the face or torso and has five layers:
Stratum basale
Stratum spinosa
Stratum granulosum
Stratum lucidum
Stratum corneum
,✔✔Dermis - ✔✔Middle layer. Its thickness also varies depending upon the location on
the body. This layer contains
three types of tissues: collagen, elastic tissue, and reticular fibers. It also contains
specialized cells and structures
✔✔Hypodermis (subcutaneous layer) - ✔✔The base level of the skin. It houses larger
blood vessels and many nerves and is composed of fat tissue and connective tissue. An
important function is to regulate body temperature by insulation and dilation or
constriction of the blood vessels in the skin.
✔✔Nail - ✔✔outgrowth of the skin, composed of keratin, at the end of each finger and
toe
✔✔Dermatitis - ✔✔an inflammatory condition that occurs on or in the layers of the skin,
It can be acute (sudden onset) or chronic
(ongoing or long term). There are several different types of dermatitis.
✔✔Allergic contact dermatitis - ✔✔Results from direct skin contact with an allergen,
such as poison oak, poison ivy, latex, laundry products, drugs, and other substances. It
can also be caused by exposure to radiation from sun or tanning beds. Symptoms
include skin redness and swelling and potentially burning or itching caused by oozing
from small vesicles. The main treatment includes removing the allergen, cleansing the
skin, and applying steroid cream or taking oral steroid medication.
✔✔Contact dermatitis - ✔✔similar to allergic dermatitis, but is not caused by an
allergen. The patient simply needs to have come in contact with a chemical substance
such as a dye, detergent, acid, cleaning product, etc. The skin becomes red, swells,
and presents small vesicles that ooze, burn, or itch. The treatment is the same as for
allergic contact dermatitis.
✔✔Eczema - ✔✔An inflammation of the skin that can be triggered by stress, sudden
and severe weather changes, or certain foods. Eczema presents as a rash on the face,
neck, elbows, knees, and upper trunk. The patient will have severe itching and possibly
a rash with small oozing blisters. The blisters can turn dry and leathery in adults. The
treatment is typically steroid cream, antihistamines, and antibiotics. Pimecrolimus cream
is a steroid-free anti-inflammatory cream that can be used instead of steroids.
✔✔Seborrheic dermatitis - ✔✔A chronic, inflammatory, noncancerous infection caused
by increased secretion of the sebaceous glands. In infants, it is called cradle cap.
✔✔Herpes zoster - ✔✔also called shingles and is a systemic disorder resulting from
infection with the herpes varicella virus (chickenpox). The virus moves to the nerve root
and becomes dormant. It can later be
triggered by stress or when the patient becomes immunocompromised. Patients can
suffer from post-herpetic neuralgia (Sharp, stabbing, or burning pain that occurs along
, the course of a nerve), for several months after blisters disappear. This disorder is not
contagious to those who have already had chickenpox, but can be contagious to those
who have not.
Symptoms include severe pain, fever, headache, malaise, rash, and blisters, which fill
with fluid followed by dark pus or blood and eventually turn into scabs. The blisters
typically occur on the trunk of the body and follow dermatomes (Bands of skin supplied
by one nerve). Treatment includes cool compresses to ease pain, antiviral drugs,
corticosteroids, and pain medication.
✔✔Herpes simplex - ✔✔a systemic disorder resulting from previous infection with
herpes simplex virus. The virus moves to the nerve root and is dormant until it is
triggered by stress. Typical symptoms include severe pain on the lips and in the mouth,
fever, headache, malaise, and blisters that eventually scab over. Treatment includes
cool compresses to ease the pain, antiviral drugs, corticosteroids, pain medication, and
antiviral cream for the lips.
✔✔Furuncles and Carbuncles - ✔✔A furuncle is a localized infection or abscess that
involves the entire hair
follicle and surrounding subcutaneous tissue. A carbuncle is a very large furuncle or
multiple furuncles connected by several drainage canals. The tissue becomes red and
swollen around the hair follicle. The patient experiences pain, discharge, and drainage
through the skin. The physician may prescribe warm compresses to promote
spontaneous drainage as well as oral and topical antibiotics.
✔✔Impetigo - ✔✔a highly contagious skin infection caused by the Streptococcus virus.
It is found around the nose, mouth, cheeks, and extremities. The infection becomes a
pustule and the fluid spreads the infection to the surrounding area. Lesions are yellow
or red, weeping, crusted, and swollen. The physician typically prescribes topical
antibiotics to reduce the bacteria growth.
✔✔Scalp Ringworm - ✔✔Tinea capitis, causes lesions that are round, scaly, and itchy.
✔✔Body Ringworm - ✔✔Tinea corporis, typically affects the hairless body skin. It can
be transmitted by infected animals. The patient has red scaly patches with a clear
center area that looks like a ring. These can form vesicles and itch.
✔✔Jock Itch - ✔✔caused by Tinea cruris and affects the groin area. The patient shows
patches on the groin area and inner part of the upper thigh.
✔✔Athlete's Foot - ✔✔Tinea pedis affects the feet and is common in athletes or those
who visit locker rooms and public showers. The patient has cracks and blisters between
the toes and on the soles that burn and itch.
✔✔Yellow Nail - ✔✔Tinea unguium affects the fingernails and toenails. The nails
become thick, hard, brittle, and have a yellow tinge.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SET A+
✔✔Urticaria - ✔✔a spreading of reddened and elevated lesions (called hives).
✔✔Food allergies - ✔✔result in a potential life-threatening immune response to specific
foods, such as peanuts
✔✔Anaphylaxis - ✔✔Anaphylactic response is an increasingly severe antigen-antibody
reaction to repeated exposure to an allergen and can be potentially life threatening. The
antigen triggers the production of antibodies that in turn trigger the immune response.
Anaphylactic shock is a life-threatening response in which the antigen-antibody reaction
leads to a closed airway. Immediate emergency care is required. Many people with
severe allergies, such as to bees or peanuts, carry an epi-pen with them at all times.
The epinephrine in the pen gives them time for EMS to intervene after exposure to the
substance.
✔✔HIV/AIDS transmission - ✔✔Protection, abstinence
✔✔Common Allergens - ✔✔peanuts, eggs, milk, soy, wheat, shellfish
✔✔Allergy testing - ✔✔performed to test the patient for a reaction to certain substances
on the patient's forearm or back by using a common procedure called the prick
technique. The patient's skin is pricked with common allergens and then the patient is
asked to return to be assessed for reactions. A patient can be pricked for
many different types of allergens at the same time. On return, each prick is assessed for
an allergic reaction that would present as redness, swelling etc. This tells the physician
that the patient is allergic to this substance. The physician can then develop a treatment
plan for the patient based on the
results.
,✔✔Intradermal allergy testing - ✔✔a procedure in which a small amount of potential
antigen is injected under the skin. If the person has an allergy to the substance, the
area will show an immune response after a period of time.
✔✔skin patch test - ✔✔a procedure in which the physician places a patch that has been
soaked with potential antigen on the skin. If the person is allergic to the substance, the
area will show an immune response after a period of time. Typically
several antigens are tested at once
✔✔scratch test - ✔✔a procedure in which the potential antigen is placed into a scratch
made on the skin. If the person has an allergy to the substance, the skin will show an
immune response. Typically several antigens are tested at once.
✔✔CBC (complete blood count) - ✔✔to look at the red blood cells, platelets, and white
blood cells. Different white blood cells will increase with an allergic response to an
antigen.
✔✔Medical Assistant's Role in Dermatology - ✔✔1. Obtain the patient's medical history.
2. Measure and record patient vital signs as they begin the patient encounter and as
requested by the physician.
3. Instruct and assist patients in removing clothing.
4. Drape patients for specific purposes.
5. Assist patients as necessary and as requested by the physician, and provide
emotional support during procedures.
6. Assist the dermatologist as recessary during the physical exam and procedure.
7. Instruct patients about medication orders and pre- or post-procedure instructions.
8. Schedule and remind patients about appointments.
✔✔Anatomy of skin - ✔✔epidermis, dermis, hypodermis
✔✔Epidermis - ✔✔Outer protective layer of the skin. It varies in thickness depending
upon the location on the body. For example, the soles of the feet and
palms of the hand have a thicker dermis than the face or torso and has five layers:
Stratum basale
Stratum spinosa
Stratum granulosum
Stratum lucidum
Stratum corneum
,✔✔Dermis - ✔✔Middle layer. Its thickness also varies depending upon the location on
the body. This layer contains
three types of tissues: collagen, elastic tissue, and reticular fibers. It also contains
specialized cells and structures
✔✔Hypodermis (subcutaneous layer) - ✔✔The base level of the skin. It houses larger
blood vessels and many nerves and is composed of fat tissue and connective tissue. An
important function is to regulate body temperature by insulation and dilation or
constriction of the blood vessels in the skin.
✔✔Nail - ✔✔outgrowth of the skin, composed of keratin, at the end of each finger and
toe
✔✔Dermatitis - ✔✔an inflammatory condition that occurs on or in the layers of the skin,
It can be acute (sudden onset) or chronic
(ongoing or long term). There are several different types of dermatitis.
✔✔Allergic contact dermatitis - ✔✔Results from direct skin contact with an allergen,
such as poison oak, poison ivy, latex, laundry products, drugs, and other substances. It
can also be caused by exposure to radiation from sun or tanning beds. Symptoms
include skin redness and swelling and potentially burning or itching caused by oozing
from small vesicles. The main treatment includes removing the allergen, cleansing the
skin, and applying steroid cream or taking oral steroid medication.
✔✔Contact dermatitis - ✔✔similar to allergic dermatitis, but is not caused by an
allergen. The patient simply needs to have come in contact with a chemical substance
such as a dye, detergent, acid, cleaning product, etc. The skin becomes red, swells,
and presents small vesicles that ooze, burn, or itch. The treatment is the same as for
allergic contact dermatitis.
✔✔Eczema - ✔✔An inflammation of the skin that can be triggered by stress, sudden
and severe weather changes, or certain foods. Eczema presents as a rash on the face,
neck, elbows, knees, and upper trunk. The patient will have severe itching and possibly
a rash with small oozing blisters. The blisters can turn dry and leathery in adults. The
treatment is typically steroid cream, antihistamines, and antibiotics. Pimecrolimus cream
is a steroid-free anti-inflammatory cream that can be used instead of steroids.
✔✔Seborrheic dermatitis - ✔✔A chronic, inflammatory, noncancerous infection caused
by increased secretion of the sebaceous glands. In infants, it is called cradle cap.
✔✔Herpes zoster - ✔✔also called shingles and is a systemic disorder resulting from
infection with the herpes varicella virus (chickenpox). The virus moves to the nerve root
and becomes dormant. It can later be
triggered by stress or when the patient becomes immunocompromised. Patients can
suffer from post-herpetic neuralgia (Sharp, stabbing, or burning pain that occurs along
, the course of a nerve), for several months after blisters disappear. This disorder is not
contagious to those who have already had chickenpox, but can be contagious to those
who have not.
Symptoms include severe pain, fever, headache, malaise, rash, and blisters, which fill
with fluid followed by dark pus or blood and eventually turn into scabs. The blisters
typically occur on the trunk of the body and follow dermatomes (Bands of skin supplied
by one nerve). Treatment includes cool compresses to ease pain, antiviral drugs,
corticosteroids, and pain medication.
✔✔Herpes simplex - ✔✔a systemic disorder resulting from previous infection with
herpes simplex virus. The virus moves to the nerve root and is dormant until it is
triggered by stress. Typical symptoms include severe pain on the lips and in the mouth,
fever, headache, malaise, and blisters that eventually scab over. Treatment includes
cool compresses to ease the pain, antiviral drugs, corticosteroids, pain medication, and
antiviral cream for the lips.
✔✔Furuncles and Carbuncles - ✔✔A furuncle is a localized infection or abscess that
involves the entire hair
follicle and surrounding subcutaneous tissue. A carbuncle is a very large furuncle or
multiple furuncles connected by several drainage canals. The tissue becomes red and
swollen around the hair follicle. The patient experiences pain, discharge, and drainage
through the skin. The physician may prescribe warm compresses to promote
spontaneous drainage as well as oral and topical antibiotics.
✔✔Impetigo - ✔✔a highly contagious skin infection caused by the Streptococcus virus.
It is found around the nose, mouth, cheeks, and extremities. The infection becomes a
pustule and the fluid spreads the infection to the surrounding area. Lesions are yellow
or red, weeping, crusted, and swollen. The physician typically prescribes topical
antibiotics to reduce the bacteria growth.
✔✔Scalp Ringworm - ✔✔Tinea capitis, causes lesions that are round, scaly, and itchy.
✔✔Body Ringworm - ✔✔Tinea corporis, typically affects the hairless body skin. It can
be transmitted by infected animals. The patient has red scaly patches with a clear
center area that looks like a ring. These can form vesicles and itch.
✔✔Jock Itch - ✔✔caused by Tinea cruris and affects the groin area. The patient shows
patches on the groin area and inner part of the upper thigh.
✔✔Athlete's Foot - ✔✔Tinea pedis affects the feet and is common in athletes or those
who visit locker rooms and public showers. The patient has cracks and blisters between
the toes and on the soles that burn and itch.
✔✔Yellow Nail - ✔✔Tinea unguium affects the fingernails and toenails. The nails
become thick, hard, brittle, and have a yellow tinge.
