NHA MEDICAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT CERTIFICATION
EXAM TEST ALL DONE QUESTIONS AND ACCURATE ANSWERS 2025
LATEST UPDATE.
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 Answer - Shortness of breath (SOB)
Rationale: Expected manifestations of CHF include shortness of breath, fatigue,
and edema
When measuring a patient’s respiratory rate, which of the following actions should
a medical assistant take to ensure an accurate reading? - Correct Answer - Count
the respiration's while the patient thinks his pulse is being obtained.
Rationale: 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 Answer - Potassium 3 mEq/L
Rationale: 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 Answer - Scissors
Rationale: 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 Answer - OSHA Form 301
,Rationale: 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 Answer - Fasting blood
glucose 168 mg/dL
Rationale: 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 Answer - “Place the tablet between you or gums and cheek."
Rationale: 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 Answer - Dyspnea
Rationale: 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 Answer - Remittance advice
Rationale: 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
Answer - Lithotomy
Rationale: The lithotomy position is appropriate for pelvic examinations.
,Which of the following cardiac procedures is within a medical assistant’s scope of
practice and does not require a licensed technician or provider to assist or perform
it? - Correct Answer - Holter monitor application
Rationale: 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 Answer -
Interrupted baseline
Rationale: 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 Answer - “I know you are concerned about your test results. We'll
call you as soon as your results come in."
Rationale: 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 Answer - Gown
Rationale: 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 Answer - Call
for help and begin CPR
, Rationale: 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? - A subject
line in all capital letters.
Rationale: 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
Answer - On the left anterior axillary line, horizontal to V4.
Rationale: 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 Answer - 170 cm
Rationale: 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 Answer - Wrap the wound from distal to proximal
Rationale: Wounds should always be wrapped from distal to proximal.
Which of the following is outside of a medical assistant's scope of practice? -
Correct Answer - Order additional laboratory tests to confirm the patient's
condition.
Rationale: It is outside of a medical assistant's scope of practice to order additional
laboratory tests without a provider's prescription.
EXAM TEST ALL DONE QUESTIONS AND ACCURATE ANSWERS 2025
LATEST UPDATE.
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 Answer - Shortness of breath (SOB)
Rationale: Expected manifestations of CHF include shortness of breath, fatigue,
and edema
When measuring a patient’s respiratory rate, which of the following actions should
a medical assistant take to ensure an accurate reading? - Correct Answer - Count
the respiration's while the patient thinks his pulse is being obtained.
Rationale: 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 Answer - Potassium 3 mEq/L
Rationale: 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 Answer - Scissors
Rationale: 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 Answer - OSHA Form 301
,Rationale: 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 Answer - Fasting blood
glucose 168 mg/dL
Rationale: 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 Answer - “Place the tablet between you or gums and cheek."
Rationale: 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 Answer - Dyspnea
Rationale: 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 Answer - Remittance advice
Rationale: 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
Answer - Lithotomy
Rationale: The lithotomy position is appropriate for pelvic examinations.
,Which of the following cardiac procedures is within a medical assistant’s scope of
practice and does not require a licensed technician or provider to assist or perform
it? - Correct Answer - Holter monitor application
Rationale: 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 Answer -
Interrupted baseline
Rationale: 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 Answer - “I know you are concerned about your test results. We'll
call you as soon as your results come in."
Rationale: 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 Answer - Gown
Rationale: 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 Answer - Call
for help and begin CPR
, Rationale: 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? - A subject
line in all capital letters.
Rationale: 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
Answer - On the left anterior axillary line, horizontal to V4.
Rationale: 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 Answer - 170 cm
Rationale: 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 Answer - Wrap the wound from distal to proximal
Rationale: Wounds should always be wrapped from distal to proximal.
Which of the following is outside of a medical assistant's scope of practice? -
Correct Answer - Order additional laboratory tests to confirm the patient's
condition.
Rationale: It is outside of a medical assistant's scope of practice to order additional
laboratory tests without a provider's prescription.
