NHA: Medical Assistant(CCMA) Certification Practice
Test 2.. with questions and well detailed answers. Lates
update
1. A medical assistant is preparing a patient who has congestive heart failure
(CHF) for an examination by the provider. Which of the following manifesta-
tions should the assistant expect?: Shortness of breath (SOB)
Expected manifestations of CHF include shortness of breath, fatigue, and edema
2. 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?: Scissors
Scissors are considered cutting and dissecting instruments because they include
a sharp blade or surface that can cut, dissect, or scrape.
3. 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?: "Place the tablet between you or gums and cheek."
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.
4. Which of the following positions is appropriate for a pelvic exam?: Litho-
tomy
The lithotomy position is appropriate for pelvic examinations.
,5. 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?: "I know you are concerned about your test results. We'll call
you as soon as your results come in."
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.
6. 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.
In the simplified letter style, the subject line is in all capital letters and replaces the
salutation.
7. Where should a medical assistant place the electrode for lead V5?: On the
left anterior axillary line, horizontal to V4.
This is the proper placement for lead V5.
8. Which of the following is outside of a medical assistant's scope of
practice?: Order additional laboratory tests to confirm the patient's condition.
It is outside of a medical assistant's scope of practice to order additional laboratory
tests without a provider's prescription.
9. A medical assistant is reviewing a provider's instructions as the patient
is preparing to leave the office. The provider recommends that the patient
purchase an over-the-counter antitussive, but the patient tells the assistant
that she does not know what an antitussive is. Which of the following re-
sponses should the assistant make?: "It is a medication that suppresses the
cough reflex."
,An antitussive suppresses the cough reflex. One of the active ingredients used in
antitussive medications is dextromethorphan.
10. Which of the following steps for a finger stick should a medical assistant
complete first?: Confirm the correct identity of the patient.
The assistant should confirm the patient's identity before preparing for the finger-
stick procedure.
11. A medical assistant is reinforcing teaching about a cardiac event monitor
with a patient. Which of the following statements by the patient indicates an
understanding of the procedure?: "I will record any symptoms I experience in
the event log."
This statement indicates an understanding of the procedure. The patient should
update the event log with any irregular symptoms he experiences during cardiac
event monitoring.
12. A medical assistant is contacting a patient to schedule a repeat Pa-
panicolaou test due to abnormal results. The assistant should identify that
which of the following factors can interfere with the test results?: Using an
over-the-counter vaginal cream prior to the test.
A patient should avoid using over-the-counter vaginal creams prior to the test.
13. A patient tells a medical assistant that his provider's office is incompe-
tent, as there is no improvement in his condition. Which of the following is
an appropriate response for the assistant to make?: "I think that you feel that
your treatment is not effective."
This response validates the patient's feelings. This also allows the assistant to
restate the patient's words in order to verify an understanding of what is being
communicated.
, 14. A patient asks a medical assistant to explain the difference between
a liniment and a medical lotion. Which of the following responses should
the assistant make?: "Liniments contain a higher portion of oil than medicated
lotions."
The assistant should recognize that liniments are made to contain a higher portion
of oil than medicated lotions in order to protect dry and cracked skin.
15. A patient reports getting a bill that includes services she did not receive.
Which of the following actions should a medical assistant take to reconcile
these charges?: Review that days encounter forms to determine if another patient
received the services.
The purpose of the encounter form is to account for current charges, payments,
and balances for each patient. The assistant can review these documents to
determine that the patient was seen on the indicated date of service and what
services the patient received.
16. A medical assistant is collecting a health history from an older adult
patient who exhibits moderate hearing loss. Which of the following actions
should the assistant take?: Remain within the patient's view to allow lip-reading.
Remaining within the patient's view allows for lip-reading and association of facial
expressions with verbal communication. This technique promotes successful com-
munication with patients who exhibit moderate hearing loss.
17. A medical assistant is reinforcing teaching with a patient about the
self-administration of insulin injections. Which of the following patient state-
ments indicates an understanding of the teaching?: I will roll the bottle between
my hands before drawing the medication.
The patient should roll the bottle of insulin between his hands prior to injection
to ensure the medication is suspended properly. Shaking the bottle of insulin is
discouraged because it can cause bubbles to form in the insulin, leading to an
Test 2.. with questions and well detailed answers. Lates
update
1. A medical assistant is preparing a patient who has congestive heart failure
(CHF) for an examination by the provider. Which of the following manifesta-
tions should the assistant expect?: Shortness of breath (SOB)
Expected manifestations of CHF include shortness of breath, fatigue, and edema
2. 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?: Scissors
Scissors are considered cutting and dissecting instruments because they include
a sharp blade or surface that can cut, dissect, or scrape.
3. 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?: "Place the tablet between you or gums and cheek."
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.
4. Which of the following positions is appropriate for a pelvic exam?: Litho-
tomy
The lithotomy position is appropriate for pelvic examinations.
,5. 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?: "I know you are concerned about your test results. We'll call
you as soon as your results come in."
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.
6. 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.
In the simplified letter style, the subject line is in all capital letters and replaces the
salutation.
7. Where should a medical assistant place the electrode for lead V5?: On the
left anterior axillary line, horizontal to V4.
This is the proper placement for lead V5.
8. Which of the following is outside of a medical assistant's scope of
practice?: Order additional laboratory tests to confirm the patient's condition.
It is outside of a medical assistant's scope of practice to order additional laboratory
tests without a provider's prescription.
9. A medical assistant is reviewing a provider's instructions as the patient
is preparing to leave the office. The provider recommends that the patient
purchase an over-the-counter antitussive, but the patient tells the assistant
that she does not know what an antitussive is. Which of the following re-
sponses should the assistant make?: "It is a medication that suppresses the
cough reflex."
,An antitussive suppresses the cough reflex. One of the active ingredients used in
antitussive medications is dextromethorphan.
10. Which of the following steps for a finger stick should a medical assistant
complete first?: Confirm the correct identity of the patient.
The assistant should confirm the patient's identity before preparing for the finger-
stick procedure.
11. A medical assistant is reinforcing teaching about a cardiac event monitor
with a patient. Which of the following statements by the patient indicates an
understanding of the procedure?: "I will record any symptoms I experience in
the event log."
This statement indicates an understanding of the procedure. The patient should
update the event log with any irregular symptoms he experiences during cardiac
event monitoring.
12. A medical assistant is contacting a patient to schedule a repeat Pa-
panicolaou test due to abnormal results. The assistant should identify that
which of the following factors can interfere with the test results?: Using an
over-the-counter vaginal cream prior to the test.
A patient should avoid using over-the-counter vaginal creams prior to the test.
13. A patient tells a medical assistant that his provider's office is incompe-
tent, as there is no improvement in his condition. Which of the following is
an appropriate response for the assistant to make?: "I think that you feel that
your treatment is not effective."
This response validates the patient's feelings. This also allows the assistant to
restate the patient's words in order to verify an understanding of what is being
communicated.
, 14. A patient asks a medical assistant to explain the difference between
a liniment and a medical lotion. Which of the following responses should
the assistant make?: "Liniments contain a higher portion of oil than medicated
lotions."
The assistant should recognize that liniments are made to contain a higher portion
of oil than medicated lotions in order to protect dry and cracked skin.
15. A patient reports getting a bill that includes services she did not receive.
Which of the following actions should a medical assistant take to reconcile
these charges?: Review that days encounter forms to determine if another patient
received the services.
The purpose of the encounter form is to account for current charges, payments,
and balances for each patient. The assistant can review these documents to
determine that the patient was seen on the indicated date of service and what
services the patient received.
16. A medical assistant is collecting a health history from an older adult
patient who exhibits moderate hearing loss. Which of the following actions
should the assistant take?: Remain within the patient's view to allow lip-reading.
Remaining within the patient's view allows for lip-reading and association of facial
expressions with verbal communication. This technique promotes successful com-
munication with patients who exhibit moderate hearing loss.
17. A medical assistant is reinforcing teaching with a patient about the
self-administration of insulin injections. Which of the following patient state-
ments indicates an understanding of the teaching?: I will roll the bottle between
my hands before drawing the medication.
The patient should roll the bottle of insulin between his hands prior to injection
to ensure the medication is suspended properly. Shaking the bottle of insulin is
discouraged because it can cause bubbles to form in the insulin, leading to an
