Medical Assistant Final Exam NHA NOW

A medical assistant is reinforcing teaching with a patient who is going home after having extensive suturing to a laceration. Which of the following instructions should the assistant include?

"Be sure to call your provider if you have a fever over 100 degrees Fahrenheit."

A medical assistant is measuring the vital signs of an adult patient. The assistant should identify which of the following blood pressure readings as stage 2 hypertension?

150/95 mm Hg

A medical assistant is reviewing a Medicare claim denial. The assistant determines that there are charges that exceed the usual, customary , & reasonable fees. Which of the following actions should the assistant take?

Adjust the patient's account to reflect no unpaid charges & write off the balance.

When performing a first aid procedure to control bleeding of a wound, which of the following actions should a medical assistant take?

Apply layers of sterile gauze

Which of the following steps for a fingerstick should a medical assistant complete first?

Confirm the correct identity of the patient

Which of the following type of written correspondence can be signed by a medical assistant?

A notification letter to a patient about surgery arrangements.

A medical assistant discovers an unidentifiable liquid on the floor of one of the clinic's treatment rooms. Which of the following materials should the assistant use to remove & dispose of the liquid?

A clean-up kit

Which of the following techniques should a medical assistant use to put a 7-year-old child at ease prior to administering an injection?

Explain the procedure to the child in simple steps

A medical assistant is preparing a patient for a physical examination when he notices that the patient's eyes are moving back & forth in a constant, involuntary manner. Which of the following terms should the assistant use when documenting this finding in the patient's medical record?

Nystagmus

A medical assistant is preparing the room for a patient's general physical examination. The assistant should recognize that which of the following instruments should be available to the provider for the examination?

Otoscope

A medical assistant is preparing to sanitize contaminated equipment. Which of the following pieces of equipment can a medical assistant sanitize & reuse without needing to disinfect or sterilize it?

Otoscope

A medical assistant is speaking with a patient who has seasonal allergies. Which of the following health care providers should the assistant identify as being able to make a diagnosis & initiate the necessary treatment?

Physician Assistant

Which of the following actions should a medical assistant take when performing aseptic hand washing?

Turn off the faucet with a paper towel

A medical assistant is observing a patient after administering an antibiotic injection. The patient develops an itchy rash with pinkish, raised lesions. Which of the following terms should the assistant use when documenting this finding in the patient's medical record?

Urticaria

A medical assistant has a blood pressure cuff inflated & partially opens the valve to deflate as he listens with a stethoscope. When should he read the diastolic pressure?

When the sound disappears.

Which of the following instructions should a medical assistant provide to a patient regarding transdermal patch use & care?

"Make sure to rotate patch placement to avoid skin irritation."

Which of the following is a CLIA-waived laboratory test?

Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) test

Which of the following actions should a medical assistant take to verify the quality of venipuncture supplies before beginning a blood draw?

Inspect the integrity of the needle's seal

A medical assistant is making a new sign-in sheet for the patients who have appointments that day. Which of the following information should the sign-in sheet include?

Provider's name

A first-time patient is late arriving to the office. Which of the following should the medical assistant say first?

"Hello. Welcome to our office."

A medical assistant should recognize which of the following blood pressure readings as indicative of an adult patient whose blood pressure level is classified as elevated?

128/78 mm Hg

The provider orders the medical assistant to prepare a tablespoon of medication for a patient. How many milliliters of medication should the assistant draw up?

15 mL

A medical assistant is to use the Snellen chart to test an adult patient's visual acuity. The assistant should instruct the patient to stand which of the following distances away?

20 feet

A medical assistant is administering eye ointment to a patient. Which of the following actions should the assistant take?

Apply a thing ribbon of ointment along the conjunctvial sac.

A medical assistant is checking a patient's hearing using the Rinne test. Which of the following actions should the assistant take?

Ask the patient to raise his hand when he no longer hears any sound.

A medical assistant is preparing sterilization for hemostats before an invasive procedure. Which of the following techniques should the assistant use?

Autoclave

A patient loses consciousness. The EKG tracing reveals ventricular fibrillation. Which of the following actions should a medical assistant take first?

Call for help & begin CPR

A pulse oximeter can register an artificially low oxygen saturation measurement for a patient who has which of the following conditions?

Cold fingers

A medical assistant is adding to a patient's computerized problem-oriented medical record (POMR). Into which of the following sections of the POMR should the assistant enter the patient's health history & laboratory results?

Database

A medical assistant is completing a progress note using the SOAP format. Which of the following patient information should the assistant include in the assessment section?

Diagnosis

A provider requests a medical assistant to initiate a referral for a patient to a mental health facility. Which of the following pieces of information is required for the assistant to include in the initial referral.

Diagnosis

A provider asks a medical assistant to reinforce teaching with a patient about her new diagnosis. Which of the following actions should the assistant take?

Document the patient's response to the teaching

The primary code in the CPT coding system consists of how many digits?

Five Digits

A medical assistant receives a chemical splash in her eyes. Which of the following actions should the assistant take first?

Flush the eyes with tepid water

Which of the following organs is located in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen?

Gallbladder

A medical assistant is preparing to draw venous blood samples. The assistant is required by OSHA regulations to wear which of the following pieces of personal protective equipment while performing this procedure?

Gloves

A medical assistant is educating an older adult patient on wound care. Which of the following should the assistant do to ensure patient understanding?

Have the patient repeat information

Which of the following actions should the medical assistant take to safeguard a patient's protected health information?

Log off to computers when not is use

When performing diagnostic coding, how many characters are used to provide the highest level of specificity with an ICD-10-CM code?

Seven characters

A medical assistant needs to remove all living micro-organisms from a contaminated towel clamp. Which of the following methods should the assistant use to cleanse the instrument?

Sterilization

During a routine venipuncture, the patient becomes pale & diaphoretic. What condition is most likely to occur in this patient?

Syncope

A patient contacts the facility to report a burn injury to her right arm. A medical assistant should identify which of the following pieces of information as necessary when screening for a possible emergency situation?

The cause of the patient's burn

In which of the following locations should a medical assistant place the electrode for lead V4?

The fifth intercostal space, left midclavicular line

When informed consent is required for a procedure, which of the following steps should occur prior to the patient signing the form?

The provider should review alternative procedures with the patient.

A patient arrives at the clinic with a tick bite on his leg. The provider asks a medical assistant to help remove the tick. Which of the following actions should the assistant take?

Use tweezers to pull the tick away from the skin slowly.

A pharmacist calls the clinic to confirm an e-prescription request to fill a patient's medication order. Which of the following actions should the assistant take?

Verify the order with the provider prior to confirming the e-prescription

A medical assistant is preparing a patient for a physical examination. Which of the following steps should the assistant take first?

Verify the patient's identity

A medical assistant is providing instruction to a patient on how to take an extended-release medication PO. Which of the following statements made by the patient indicates a need for further testing?

"I can crush or chew the pill if it is too hard for me to swallow."

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."

A medical assistant is reinforcing teaching with a patient about lifestyle modifications to help regulate his hypertension. Which of the following statements by the patient indicates an understanding of the teaching?

"I only smoke a half a pack each day, so I'll just cut it out completely."

A medical assistant is reinforcing teaching with a patient about the self-administration of insulin injections. Which of the following patient statements indicates an understanding of the teaching?

"I will roll the bottle between my hands before drawing the medication."

A medical assistant is explaining a venipuncture procedure to a patient. Which of the following statements should the assistant make?

"I'll be collecting a blood sample from you today. There will be a small stick in your arm."

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 responses should the assistant make?

"It is a medication that suppresses the cough reflex."

A medical assistant receives a call from a patient who is irate about a letter she received from her insurance carrier denying a claim. Which of the following statements should the assistant make?

"Let's see if there is something we can do at out end. I'll ask our claims specialist to review the claim."

A medical assistant is reviewing discharge information with a patient who is postoperative following cryosurgery to the cervix. Which of the following statements should the assistant include?

"You may experience a watery discharge for up to 1 week after your procedure."

A medical assistant is preparing a patient for wearing a Hotler monitor. Which of the following instructions should the assistant include?

"You should avoid using an electric blanket

A medical assistant is preparing 1 g/kg of activated charcoal for a patient who weighs 176 lb. How many grams of charcoal should the assistant prepare?

79 g

A medical assistant is assisting a patient who is obese with an insulin injection. Which of the following is the correct angle for this patient's injection?

90 Degree's

A medical assistant is performing spirometry testing for a patient who has shortness of breath. Which of the following results of the spirometry test indicates a successful maneuver?

A fast and steady flow with no variability

A medical assistant is composing business correspondence using the simplified letter style. Which of the following features should the assistant use?

A subject line is all capital letters

A medical assistant is preparing to apply ointment to several abrasions on a patient's leg. Which of the following supplies should the assistant use to remove the medication from the jar?

A tongue blade

A medical assistant is performing hand hygiene using an alcohol-based hand rub. The assistant should recognize that which of the following information about alcohol-based hand rubs is correct?

Alcohol-based hand rub should be applied to one hand and then rubbed between both hands.

A medical assistant in an outpatient facility is preparing a patient for a venipuncture. Which of the following actions should the assistant take to confirm the patient's identify?

Ask the patient to state her full name & date of birth.

A patient requests a female provider to perform her examination due to a religious conviction. A female provider is not available. Which of the following is the appropriate response by the medical assistant?

Assist the patient in locating a provider to accommodate the patient's needs.

According to OSHA guidelines for universal precautions, which of the following types of patient contact would require a medical assistant to wear gloves, a mask, a face shield, and protective apparel?

Assisting a provider with the removal of a cyst.

When should the code on glucose cuvettes be compared to the code on the glucometer?

Before a patient is tested

Which of the following laboratory values should a medical assistant immediately report to a patient's provider?

Blood glucose 500 mg/dL

A medical assistant is preparing a patient who has intermittent peripheral cyanosis for an examination by the provider. The assistant should understand that healthy perfusion of the hands & feet depends on adequate interaction between which of the following two body streams?

Circulatory & Respiratory

A medical assistant is administering an intramuscular immunization to a patient. Which of the following actions should the medical assistant take?

Cleanse the site in a circular motion from the center outward.

A medical assistant is preparing a patient for a procedure to have a mole excised. Which of the following actions should the assistant take?

Cleanse the site with surgical soap and an antiseptic

A medical assistant receives a phone call from a parent of a child who has possibly ingested a household cleaner. Which of the following actions should the assistant take?

Contact the local poison control center

A medical assistant is preparing a CMS-1500 insurance claim form for a patient who was treated for a burn injury. Which of the following pieces of information is required on the form?

Current procedural terminology code

When assisting a provider qith a vaginal examination & a Papanicolaou (Pap) test, a medical assistant should identify that which of the following instruments is necessary?

Cytobrush

Which of the following information should the medical assistant enter into the appointment calendar when scheduling a patient for a skin rash?

Daytime phone number

A medical assistant is monitoring a patient during a stress test. The patient becomes increasingly short of breath & tachycardic. Abnormalities appear in his EKG rhythm. Which of the following actions should the assistant take first?

Discontinue the test.

A medical assistant in an acute care facility is checking in a patient who has a deep laceration. The patient tells the assistant that he cannot accept blood transfusions due to his religious beliefs. Which of the following actions should the assistant take?

Document the statement in the patient's chart

A medical assistant is disposing of the syringe & needle she used to inject a seasonal influenza vaccine. Which of the following actions should the assistant take?

Drop the syringe, needle first, into the bio-hazardous sharps container.

Which of the following terms should a medical assistant use to tell a provider that a patient is having discomfort & difficulty breathing?

Dyspnea

A medical assistant is reviewing the medical history of a patient who regularly comes into contact with coal & wood dust. The assistant should recognize that this patient is at an increased risk for developing which of the following disorders?

Emphysema

A medical assistant is checking a patient out of the clinic. In which of the following documents should the assistant locate information about provider referrals or follow-up appointment requests for the patient?

Encounter form

A medical assistant discovers a garbage can fire has started in the break room of the medical office. According to the RACE acronym for emergency response, which of the following actions should the assistant take first?

Evacuate staff and patients from the immediate area.

Which of the following body systems should be evaluated for a diagnosis of pyloric stenosis?

Gastrointestinal

A medical assistant is asked to assist a provider with an orthopedic examination. Which of the following instruments should the assistant prepare for the examination?

Goniometer

The patient of a child who has pinworms is asking a medical assistant for more information about his child's condition. The assistant should begin by explaining that pinworms are which of the following types of micro-organism?

Helminths

A patient at an urgent care facility reports that she vomited and saw blood in the vomitus. Which of the following terms should a medical assistant use to document the patient's report?

Hematemesis

A medical assistant is using a butterfly needle set to obtain a blood sample from a vein in a patient's hand. Which of the following actions should the assistant take?

Hold the needle by its wings

Which of the following terms describes the body's internal adaption & change to keep body functions in balance?

Homeostasis

A medical assistant is collecting data from a patient who is experiencing heatstroke. Which of the following manifestations should the assistant expect to find?

Hot Skin

A medical assistant should complete documentation in a patient's medical record at which of the following times?

Immediately following a procedure

A medical assistant is preparing to collect a patient's temperature via the tympanic membrane. In which of the following locations should the assistant place the thermometer?

In the ear

At what time of day will a patient's body temperature be at its lowest?

In the morning

A provider asks a medical assistant to administer oxygen to a patient who is experiencing respiratory distress. Which of the following actions should the medical assistant take when administering oxygen to the patient?

Insert the tips of the cannula into the patient's nostrils

Which of the following EKG artifacts is caused by a disconnected electrode & results in the tracing going into the margins of the paper?

Interrupted baseline

A medical assistant is caring for patient who has come in contact with concrete debris. Upon inspection of the eye, the assistant sees debris on the surface of the sclera. Which of the following actions should the assistant take?

Irrigate the eye starting at the inner canthus & flowing to the outer canthus.

A medical assistant is assisting with the examination of an older adult patient who has a curvature of the thoracic spine. Which of the following terms should the assistant use when documenting this finding in the patient's medical record?

Kyphosis

Which of the following groups of EKG leads are bipolar?

Leads I, II, & III.

A medical assistant has a request to collect routine CBC from a healthy 10-month-old infant. Which of the following is the most appropriate collection site?

Left Heel

A patient is entitled to which of the following medical records?

List of medications with diagnosis

A medical assistant is administering an intradermal injection for allergy testing. Which of the following actions should the assistant take?

Locate the area two to three finger-widths below the antecubital space

A medical assistant is using a scale with a height bar to measure a patient's height. Which of the following actions should the assistant take?

Lower the horizontal bar gently so that it rests on the top of the patient's head.

A provider is performing a routine rectal examination on a patient. Which of the following supplies should a medical assistant have available during the examination?

Lubricating jelly

A medical assistant is preparing a patient for a physical examination & is helping the patient into the dorsal recumbent position. The assistant should identify that this position is described by which of the following?

Lying face up, with the legs bent & feet flat on the table.

A medical assistant is measuring a patient's blood pressure with an aneroid sphygmomanometer and a stethoscope. Which of the following actions should the assistant take?

Make sure the midpoint of the patient's arm is at the level of the patient's heart.

A medical assistant is talking with an older adult patient who sustained a foot fracture in a fall. She reports managing mot tasks at home well but has difficulty navigating with her crutches and is currently home-bound. To which of the following resources should the assistant refer the patient?

Meals on Wheels

When unloading an autoclave machine, a medical assistant notices spots on the instruments. The assistant should recognize that this is a result of which of the following?

Mineral deposits from tap water

Which of the following cell structures is the source of energy for a cell?

Mitochondria

A medical assistant is reviewing the laboratory results of a patient who has the Epstein-Barr virus. The assistant should identify that this micro-organism can cause which of the following conditions?

Mononucleosis

A medical assistant observes a provider failing to perform hand hygiene before beginning to remove sutures from a patient's hand. The patient's hand later becomes infected. The assistant should identify which of the following legal torts has occurred?

Negligence

A medical assistant is reviewing the list of medications a patient reports currently taking. The assistant should recognize that which of the following medications is available in a sublingual form?

Nitroglycerin

A medical assistant is caring for a patient who has a body mass index (BMI) of 23. This patient should be categorized as which of the following?

Normal Weight

Which of the following techniques should a medical assistant use to confirm a patient's understanding of insulin administration?

Observe the patient as she performs a self-demonstration.

A medical assistant us preparing to use a glucometer to measure a patient's blood glucose level. Which of the following actions should the assistant take?

Obtain the blood sample after inserting the test strip into the glucometer.

Where should a medical assistant place the electrode for lead V5?

On the left anterior axillary line, horizontal to V4

Which of the following is outside of a medical assistant's scope of practice?

Order additional laboratory tests to confirm the patient's condition.

A patient arrives at a clinic with a bill for x-rays that were required due to an injury at the patient's place of employment. The patient has private insurance and is eligible for workers' compensation. The assistant should recognize that which of the following parties is responsible for payment of this bill?

Paid in full by workers' compensation

A medical assistant is examining the skin on a patient's forearm where the patient reports developing a rash. The assistant notes multiple solid elevations that are less than 0.5 cm (0.2 in) in diameter. Which of the following terms should he use to document his observations in the patient's medical record?

Papules

The parent of a child who has pediculosis is asking a medical assistant for more information about her child's condition. The assistant should begin by explaining that pediculosis is which of the following types of infection?

Parasitic

A medical assistant should follow chain of custody guidelines for which of the following types of laboratory results?

Parentage testing

A medical assistant is measuring the circumference of an infant's head. Which of the following actions should the assistant take?

Place the zero mark of the measuring tape against the infant's forehead.

As a medical assistant is collecting a blood sample, the patient begins to faint. Which of the following actions should the medical assistant take to help ensure the patient's safety?

Position the patient flat on her back.

A medical assistant at a facility receives a call from a patient who is requesting the total cost of surgical procedure. Which of the following is an appropriate response by the assistant?

Provide the patient with an estimated cost for the procedure

A medical assistant is transcribing a patient's routine prescription for oxycodone. Which of the following methods should the assistant use to process the prescription?

Provide the prescription in writing for the patient to take to the pharmacy.

When assigning a CPT code, which of the following is the purpose of a modifier?

Provides additional information or circumstances for a procedure

Which of the following stages of the cardiac cycle on an EKG strip represents ventricular depolarization?

QRS complex

Prior to a patient's follow-up appointment, which of the following information should a medical assistant report to the provider?

Recent laboratory results

Which of the following routes for taking a patient's temperature is the most accurate?

Rectal

According to OSHA guidelines, a medical assistant should dispose of blood-soiled gauze dressings in which of the following?

Red bio-hazard bag

A medical assistant is discussing information with a patient about a new medication that the provider prescribed. Which of the following actions should the assistant take?

Reinforce teaching about the frequency of medication administration.

Which of the following methods is used to notify the provider of the denial of a claim by an insurance carrier?

Remittance advice

A medical assistant is assisting in the treatment of a patient who experienced a chemical burn. Which of the following steps should the assistant take?

Remove any chemical-covered clothing

Which of the following tasks is within the scope of practice for a medical assistant in a clinical setting?

Removing sutures from a healing laceration

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 day's encounter forms to determine if another patient received the services.

In which of the following positions should a medical assistant place and 18-month-old patient when administering ear drops to the right ear?

Right ear facing up with the earlobe pulled down & back.

A medical assistant is collecting a urine specimen from a patient for a drug screening. Which of the following actions should the assistant take to adhere to the chain of custody for this specimen?

Send the specimen to the testing laboratory on the same day as the collection

A medical assistant is preparing a patient who has psoriasis to be examined by the provider. When inspecting the patient's skin lesions, the assistant should expect to observe which of the following characteristics?

Silver, scaly.

In which of the following positions should a medical assistant place a patient when obtaining a rectal temperature?

Sims'

Which of the following medical record documentation templates is organized by the entity that supplied the data?

Source-oriented

A medical assistant has requested a re-authorization for a patient's referral to a specialist. Which of the following is a reason for the claim submitted by the specialist to be denied?

The service is provided after the expiration date

A medical assistant is obtaining information for a patient's medical history & physical examination. The patient reports intermittent episodes of ringing in his ears. Which of the following terms should the assistant use when documenting this finding in the patient's medical record?

Tinnitus

A medical assistant is reporting a patient fall that occurred in the front lobby of the clinic. What is the purpose of the assistant preparing an incident report?

To avoid future re-occurrences

Which of the following should a medical assistant identify as the purpose of a Category II code in procedural coding?

Tracks provider performance measures

When speaking with a patient who has moderate hearing loss & reads lips, which of the following actions should a medical assistant take to aid in communication with the patient?

Use hand gestures

A medical assistant is witnessing a patient sign an informed consent form. Which of the following is the responsibility of the assistant acting as a witness?

Validate the patient's signature

A medical assistant is administering cough syrup to a patient. Which of the following actions should the assistant take?

View the medication cup at the eye level when pouring

When preparing a patient for Holter monitoring, which of the following actions should a medical assistant take?

Vigorously dry the patient's skin prior to electrode placement.

A medical assistant is preparing to perform a capillary collection from an older adult patient who has poor circulation in his hands. Which of the following techniques should the assistant use to increase circulation at the collection site?

Warm the patient's hand

Which of the following types of appointment systems allows flexibility to allow the most consistent patient flow?

Wave scheduling

A medical assistant is drawing five blood collection tubes. When should the assistant release the tourniquet?

Within 1 min of application

Which of the following techniques should a medical assistant use when bandaging a wound?

Wrap the wound from distal to proximal

A medical assistant is collecting multiple blood samples from a patient. Which of the following vacuum tubes should the assistant fill first?

Yellow (blood culture)