Patient Intake and Vitals
Which of the following methods should a medical assistant use to help patients feel comfortable about having their weight measured in the office? (A) Reassure them that their weight is at a healthy level (B) Let them keep their shoes and outerwear on during the weighing process. (C) Allow them to weigh themselves at home and bring the results into the office. (D) Place the scale in a private area within the office.
Privacy is a significant factor when weighing a patient, and placing the scale in a private area typically helps them feel more comfortable.
Which of the following vital signs for a 67-year old patient is outside of the expected reference range? (A) Temperature 36.5º C (97.8º F), heart rate 106/min, respiratory rate 20/min, BP 116/74 mm Hg (B) Temperature 37º C (98.6º F), heart rate 98/min, respiratory rate 14/min, BP 118/78 mm Hg (C) Temperature 36.7º C (98.2º F), heart rate 98/min, respiratory rate 20/min, BP 114/76 mm Hg (D) Temperature 37.0º C (98.6º F), heart rate 88/min, respiratory rate 18/min, BP 108/78 mm Hg
Temperature 36.5º C (97.8º F), heart rate 106/min, respiratory rate 20/min, BP 116/74 mm Hg. The heart rate is elevated. An expected heart rate for this patient is 60 to 100/min.
A Medical Assistant should identify that a patient who has a body mass index greater than 30 falls into which of the following categories? (A) Underweight (B) Normal (C) Overweight (D) Obese
A BMI greater than 30 is considered obese.
A 3-year old child is being seen for ear pain. Which of the following should be used to obtain the child's temperature? (A) Axillary (B) Oral (C) Tympanic (D) Temporal Artery
A temporal artery thermometer is not invasive and provides a fast and accurate reading since the artery is so close to the surface.
A stethoscope is typically placed over which of the following arteries when blood pressure is auscultated? (A) Radial (B) Brachial (C) Femoral (D) Carotid
Blood pressure readings are most commonly auscultated over the brachial artery in the antecubital space.
A medical assistant is obtaining a patient's vital signs. After measuring the heart rate, the assistant documents 50/minute. Which of the following term best describes this? (A) Hypotension (B) Bradycardia (C) Tachypnea (D) Tachycardia
Bradycardia best describes this pulse rate. Bradycardia refers to a slow heart rate. "Brady" means slow and "cardia" means heart.
The patient states, "it burns when I urinate," when asked for their reason for their visit. In which of the following sections of the patient's medical record should the medical assistant document this information? (A) Review of Systems (B) Chief Complaint (C) Past Medical History (D) Social History
Chief Complaint. This is the reason the patient is being seen and is usually in the patient's words. Therefore, the assistant should document the patient's statement in this section of the patient's medical record.
A 35-year-old established patient is in the office for an annual check up. They report feeling great, and they appear to be in good physical condition. According to the office policy, a medical assistant should check their blood pressure with an aneroid sphygmomanometer and temperature using an axillary thermometer. Their vital signs are BP 118/88 mm Hg, respiratory rate 16/min, temperature 39.1 C (102.4 F), heart rate 62/min. Given these vital signs, which of the following steps should the medical assistant take next? (A) Recheck the blood pressure using an electronic sphygmomanometer (B) Notify the provider of the patient's elevated temperature. (C) Measure their temperature again with a different type of thermometer. (D) Ask the patient if they have had anything hot or cold to drink within the last hour.
If a temperature reading using an axillary thermometer is higher than 37.2° C (99° F) and does not appear to match the patient's general condition, the assistant should repeat the temperature measurement using a different method.
A patient states they work in construction and that their primary job is breaking up concrete with jack hammers. In which of the following sections of the patient's medical record should the medical assistant document this information? (A) Medical History (B) Chief Complaint (C) Social History (D) Occupational History
Occupational history relates to exposures in a patient's place of work that could be hazardous to their health, such as hazardous machinery.
Which of the following manifestations should a medical assistant expect to see in a patient who has COPD? (A) Orthopnea (B) Weight Gain (C) Hypotension (D) Bradycardia
Orthopnea is difficulty breathing in a recumbent position and is relieved by sitting or standing. It often occurs in patients who have COPD because they need to sit up to breath or use multiple pillows to allow them to breathe as they sleep.
A 21-year-old patient arrives at the office and reports lower abdominal pain. During the patient interview process, the patient seems to have difficulty concentrating and appears to have a sense of panic. Which of the following should the medical assistant identify as a potential cause for this behavior? (A) Depression (B) Dementia (C) Aggression (D) Anxiety
Signs of anxiety include difficulty focusing, a sense of panic, and irritability. Anxiety can be a response to fear or feeling anxious when visiting any type of health care facility.
A patient's blood pressure is 136/84 mm Hg. The Medical Assistant should identify that this blood pressure reading falls into which of the following categories? (A) Normal (B) Stage 1 Hypertension (C) Elevated (D) Hypertensive Crisis
Stage 1 hypertension is considered 130 to 139 systolic and 80 to 89 diastolic.
A patient states that they have smoked a pack of cigarettes every day for the past 20 years. In which section of the medical record should the assistant document this information in? (A) Family history (B) Social History (C) Past Medical History (D) Occupational History
The assistant should document this information in the social history section of the patient's medical record. This section includes diet, exercise, tobacco use, and substance use.
A patient who had a stroke has left-sided weakness and uses a cane to ambulate. Which of the following actions should the medical assistant take to ensure the patient's safety? (A) Stay with the patient until the provider comes into the examination room. (B) Set the patient's cane against the examination table so it does not obstruct the patient's path. (C) Assist the patient onto the examination table. (D) Wait until the provider is ready to call the patient into the examination room.
The assistant should help the patient onto the examination table to make sure they are safe and secure.
A 64-year old patient arrives at the office and reports frequent dizzy spells. After completing routine vital signs, which of the following actions should the medical assistant take next? (A) Perform a pulse oximetry. (B) Recheck body temperature. (C) Perform orthostatic vital signs. (D) Assess pain level
The assistant should obtain orthostatic vital signs to determine if there is a change in blood pressure or pulse since the patient is reporting dizziness.
Which of the following is found in the demographic section of the patient record and needs verification at the beginning of each visit? (A) Medications (B) Address (C) Medical Record Number (D) Diagnosis Codes
The patient's address is found in the demographic section and should be verified at the beginning of each visit to ensure it is still accurate.
A medical assistant enters a patient's examination room to administer a pneumococcal vaccination. Which of the following identifiers should the assistant use to verify the patient? (A) Name and Address (B) Name and Social Security Number (C) Name and Mother's Maiden Name (D) Name and Date of Birth
The patient's name and date of birth are the two standard identifiers used to verify a patient.
A patient enters the office and lets the medical assistant know the handrail outside is loose. Which of the following actions should the assistant take? (A) Thank the patient and let the supervisor know immediately so it can be fixed. (B) Thank the patient for the information and let the supervisor know when the assistant has time. (C) Thank the patient for the information and write a note to let maintenance know at the end of the day so they can fix it. (D) Thank the patient for the information and make no changes, since the patient may or may not be correct about the state of the handrail.
The supervisor should be notified immediately. The assistant is responsible for ensuring the patient area is comfortable and free of potential causes of harm.
A 7-year old patient reports feeling "hot and sweaty." After taking the patient's oral temperature, a medical assistant documents a temperature that falls within the expected range for their age. Which of the following numbers should the assistant expect to see? (A) 36° C (96.8° F) (B) 37.6° C (99.7° F) (C) 38.9° C (102° F) (D) 37° C (98.6° F)
This temperature is within the expected reference range for those who are 6 years and older.
Which of the following methods should a medical assistant use to obtain a weight measurement from a patient who uses a walker and has balance concerns? (A) Use a scale with built-in handrails. (B) Ask the patient to report their approximate weight. (C) Place the patient's walker over the scale. (D) Help the patient onto the scale and assure them they only need to stand for a few seconds.
Using a scale with built-in handrails is the safest and best option for a patient who has balance concerns.