CMA Practice Exam Questions QUESTION AND CORRECT ANSWER

CMA Practice Exam Questions QUESTION AND CORRECT ANSWER What should the medical assistant do if in doubt about the sterility of an article? - CORRECT ANSWER-Do not use the article; obtain another one. Which of the following instruments has teeth that are used to grasp tissue? - CORRECT ANSWER-Tissue forceps Which of the following instruments has serrated blades, ring handles, and ratchets and is used to clamp off blood vessels? - CORRECT ANSWER-Hemostatic forceps When not in use, an instrument with a ratchet should be stored - CORRECT ANSWERin an open position. The purpose of swabbing the cervix with acetic acid during colposcopy is to - CORRECT ANSWER-allow visualization of abnormal areas. Which of the following instruments is used to hold tissue aside to improve exposure of the operative area? - CORRECT ANSWER-Retractors Which of the following is not a local sign of inflammation? - CORRECT ANSWER-Fever What occurs during the inflammatory phase in the healing process? - CORRECT ANSWER-A blood clot plugs the opening of the wound. What occurs during the maturation phase of the healing process? - CORRECT ANSWER-Scar tissue forms. Which of the following types of exudates contains both serum and blood? - CORRECT ANSWER-Serosanguineous Which of the following types of exudates contains pus? - CORRECT ANSWER-Purulent The function of sutures is to - CORRECT ANSWER-approximate a wound. What is another name for a furuncle? - CORRECT ANSWER-Boil What is the name given to the type of sutures that are digested gradually by the body? - CORRECT ANSWER-Absorbable sutures All of the following are characteristics of benign moles except - CORRECT ANSWERpainful and tender. All of the following are characteristics of dysplastic nevi except - CORRECT ANSWERalways develop into malignant melanoma. The purpose of inserting gauze packing after incising a localized infection is to - CORRECT ANSWER-facilitate drainage of the exudate. All of the following are examples of materials used for nonabsorbable sutures except - CORRECT ANSWER-surgical gut. What type of suture needle has a sharp point? - CORRECT ANSWER-Cutting What information is found on the label of a swaged suture packet? - CORRECT ANSWER-a. Type of suture material b. Length and gauge of the suture material c. Type of needle point d. Shape of suture needle Correct. All of the above The purpose of adding epinephrine to a local anesthetic is to - CORRECT ANSWERprolong the effect of the anesthetic. Sutures inserted into the arms or legs are usually removed after - CORRECT ANSWER-7 to 14 days. Which of the following is not a characteristic of a sebaceous cyst? - CORRECT ANSWER-It usually occurs on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. What would a physician do if a sebaceous cyst is infected? - CORRECT ANSWERIncise and drain the cyst. Shave excision is often used to remove - CORRECT ANSWER-skin tags. What is an abscess? - CORRECT ANSWER-A collection of pus in a cavity surrounded by inflamed tissue Laser mole surgery is used to remove - CORRECT ANSWER-small or flat moles. A biopsy is usually performed to - CORRECT ANSWER-determine whether a tumor is benign or malignant. Cryosurgery can be used to - CORRECT ANSWER-remove warts and skin tags. Cryosurgery is used most often for the treatment of - CORRECT ANSWER-cervical dysplasia. Which of the following is not a postoperative instruction for cryosurgery? - CORRECT ANSWER-Use tampons to absorb drainage. Which of the following bandage turns is used to anchor a bandage? - CORRECT ANSWER-Circular turn The Z-track method is used to administer medications that are - CORRECT ANSWERirritating to subcutaneous tissue. Cardiac glycoside - CORRECT ANSWER-Increases strength and force of myocardial contractions and slows heart rate The abbreviation for "left eye" is - CORRECT ANSWER-OS - The abbreviation for left eye is "OS" (oculis sinister). The first three digits of the ICD code are helpful in - CORRECT ANSWER-Locating the general area in which the code can be found The "Pap" smear is the primary diagnostic test for cancer of the - CORRECT ANSWERCervix - The Pap (Papanicolaou) smear is used for the early detection of cervical cancer. Adopting the feelings of others best describes - CORRECT ANSWER-Introjection An electrocardiogram is a recording of - CORRECT ANSWER-The electrical action of the heart in relation to time All of the following should be considered in evaluating an employee except - CORRECT ANSWER-Comments and observations made by other staff members The type of urine specimen to be collected to test for a urinary tract infection should be - CORRECT ANSWER-Clean-catch specimen The plan that pays the primary doctor monthly, quarterly, semiannual, or annual payments in return for providing all care to the patient, including visits to specialists, is - CORRECT ANSWER-Capitation The type of urine specimen collected for culture and sensitivity testing is a - CORRECT ANSWER-Clean-catch midstream specimen A business envelope - CORRECT ANSWER-Is 9½ inches long Blood specimens collected for culture are collected in a sterile evacuated tube with a - CORRECT ANSWER-Yellow top - Tubes with yellow tops are sterile and used for collection of specimens for blood culture. According to the AMA Code of Ethics, all of the following are permitted by ethical standards except - CORRECT ANSWER-Euthanasia The needle gauge that should be used for a patient with very small veins is - CORRECT ANSWER-22 gauge - Needles for venipuncture range from 20G to 22G. Any smaller size could damage the cells and hemolize the specimen. The system used by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for the coding of procedures that are covered by federal insurance is the - CORRECT ANSWERHCPCS If a person who has ingested poison is transported to the hospital, the patient may be given a substance in the emergency department to prevent the poison from being absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract. This substance is - CORRECT ANSWERActivated charcoal The authorization to withdraw artificial life support that is made in advance is called - CORRECT ANSWER-An advance directive There are a number of advantages to administering a medication by the parenteral route. They include all of the following except - CORRECT ANSWER-The action of the drug is prolonged The physician must have a controlled substance identification number in order to prescribe or dispense controlled substances. This number is issued by - CORRECT ANSWER-The Drug Enforcement Administration The drug name that identifies a drug no matter which company manufactures it is the - CORRECT ANSWER-Generic name of the drug Which of the following indicates medication administration times? - CORRECT ANSWER-bid, qid, stat For a patient who is short of breath and is experiencing cardiac problems, a helpful position may be - CORRECT ANSWER-Fowler's The Americans with Disabilities Act is concerned with - CORRECT ANSWER-Providing opportunities for physically challenged persons At age 2 years, a child's pulse rate should be in the range of - CORRECT ANSWER-90- 140 beats per minute - The pulse rate for a toddler (1-3 yrs) is 90-140 bpm (average: 115 bpm). The skull bone that makes up the forehead is the - CORRECT ANSWER-Frontal The contrast medium that is most often used for gastrointestinal studies is - CORRECT ANSWER-Barium The three levels of infection control, from the lowest to the highest, are - CORRECT ANSWER-Sanitization, disinfection, sterilization Childhood illnesses, surgical procedures, hospital stays, and invasive diagnostic tests are all included in which portion of the medical history? - CORRECT ANSWER-Past history In order to terminate a contract with the patient, the physician should - CORRECT ANSWER-Notify the patient in writing When an ECG is performed, chest lead V2 is placed - CORRECT ANSWER-At the fourth intercostal space at the left margin of the sternum An item that is free from all microorganisms, including spores, is considered - CORRECT ANSWER-Sterile If a wound has to be cleaned out or irrigated, the solution that is usually used is - CORRECT ANSWER-Sterile saline Many medical offices subscribe to answering services. These services - CORRECT ANSWER-Answer calls when the office is closed Which route of obtaining a body temperature is considered to be the most accurate? - CORRECT ANSWER-Rectal Incision into the eardrum is termed a(n) - CORRECT ANSWER-MyringotomyMyringotomy is the incision into the tympanic membrane (eardrum). Urine specimens that are allowed to sit at room temperature can show an increase in - CORRECT ANSWER-Bacteria Dysuria is - CORRECT ANSWER-Painful urination When a person receives an immunization, the result is - CORRECT ANSWER-Acquired active immunity Which of the following is not a surgical procedure? - CORRECT ANSWER-Gastritis Lead I of an ECG measures the activity of the heart from the - CORRECT ANSWERRight arm to the left arm - Lead I, a bipolar lead, records the heart's voltage difference between the right arm and the left arm. "Tell me how the medication is working" is an example of - CORRECT ANSWER-An open-ended question In SOAP charting, redness, swelling, and a rash would be included under - CORRECT ANSWER-O The movement of a bone or limb toward the midline of the body is known as - CORRECT ANSWER-Adduction Venipuncture equipment usually used on a child is - CORRECT ANSWER-A winged infusion set (butterfly) The physician has certain contractual obligations to the patient, which include - CORRECT ANSWER-The physician will not abandon the patient, The physician will allow sufficient time for the patient to retain the services of another physician, should the need arise, The physician will possess and exercise the degree of skill and care similar to the degree of skill and care of other physicians in a similar type of practice The status of a woman who has been pregnant four times and has had three live births would be noted in the medical record as - CORRECT ANSWER-Gravida 4, para 3 - Gravida = pregnant; para = birth. A woman who has been pregnant four times and has given birth to three live babies would be designated gravida 4, para 3. For the most part, all classification systems are updated every year. CPT updates are available from - CORRECT ANSWER-The American Medical Association Results of laboratory tests can be used to - CORRECT ANSWER-Diagnose, manage, and assess The pituitary gland is also known as the - CORRECT ANSWER-Master gland Kelly forceps (hemostats) are used to - CORRECT ANSWER-Control bleeding - Hemostats are used to clamp off blood vessels and establish hemostasis. In administration of an intramuscular injection to an infant, the muscle that is usually used is the - CORRECT ANSWER-Vastus lateralis A complete blood count includes - CORRECT ANSWER-RBC, WBC, hematocrit, and hemoglobin - A complete blood count (CBC) includes RBC count, WBC count, hematocrit, and hemoglobin. It may also include a differential count and red cell indices. Once a medical facility has received notice that a patient has initiated a lawsuit, the patient usually signs a statement releasing the facility and the doctor from the requirements of - CORRECT ANSWER-Confidentiality A diagnostic finding that the ST segment is elevated above the baseline on an electrocardiogram could indicate - CORRECT ANSWER-Myocardial ischemia The word gravida refers to - CORRECT ANSWER-Pregnancy Diagnostic tests, medications, and treatments ordered are documented in the SOAP format under - CORRECT ANSWER-P Changes that the patient experiences are called - CORRECT ANSWER-Subjective complaints Maintaining the office and its equipment and supplies involves managing the relationship between - CORRECT ANSWER-The office administrator and the contractors or vendors All medical records, including computer data back-up disks, should be - CORRECT ANSWER-Kept in a fire-resistant file cabinet For correspondence directed to a specific individual in a company, the designation should be listed on the envelope - CORRECT ANSWER-Directly above the address A voluntary form of credentialing is - CORRECT ANSWER-Registration and Certification What part of the nervous system does the physician test when flashing a light into the patient's pupils, asking the patient to stick out the tongue, and brushing a piece of cotton along the patient's jaw? - CORRECT ANSWER-Cranial nerves - The cranial nerves relay information to and from the sensory organs and muscles of the face and neck. The use of arm gestures, facial expressions, and turning one's head are all examples of - CORRECT ANSWER-Nonverbal communication For established patients, the height and weight are recorded in the - CORRECT ANSWER-Progress notes To show empathy, the medical assistant could - CORRECT ANSWER-Acknowledge the patient's feelings If a patient has a secondary diagnosis or a complication, it is necessary to - CORRECT ANSWER-Code the underlying disease first The opposite of medial is - CORRECT ANSWER-Lateral