CCMA Certification Study Guide

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

• Dyspnea

• Tachypnea

• Orthopnea

• Pneumothorax

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

• Perform clinical duties under the direct supervision of the provider.

• Order additional laboratory tests to confirm patient’s condition.

• Provide directions to a patient about preparation for a diagnostic test.

• Reinforce instructions about medications and special diets

When assisting a provider with a punch biopsy of a mole, which of the following tasks should a medical assistant expect to perform?

• Receive and prepare tissue specimens for processing

• Swab fluids from the biopsy site

• Retract edges of the biopsy site

• Place sutures a the incision

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

• Notify provider of arrest

• Call for help and begin CPR

• Get the automated external defibrillator

• Administer oxygen

A medical assistant is reinforcing teaching with a patient about pulse oximetry. Which of the following statements should the assistant include in the teaching?

• Cold hands improve the test accuracy

• Remove your nail polish before the test

• Clip the probe onto your second toe

• This test will measure your pulmonary capacity

A medical assistant receives a denial of payment for a patient’s cholecystectomy. The reason stated is “noncovered service.” If this procedure was deemed emergent by the provider, which of the following actions should the assistant take?

• Submit an appeal for the denied claim

• Submit a new claim

• Resubmit the claim with a different procedure code

• Instruct the patient to contact the insurer about the denial of payment.

Which of the following laboratory results should the medical assistant recognize is abnormal?

• Sodium 138 mEq/L

• Red blood cell count 5.2/mm2

• Platelets 350/mm2

• Potassium 3 mEq/L

A medical assistant is scheduling diagnostic tests for a patient’s liver and pancreas. Which of the following systems is being assessed?

• Cardiovascular

• Integumentary

• Respiratory

• Digestive

The medical assistant drops an instrument on the floor while setting up a sterile tray for a procedure. He picks up the instrument and places it back on the sterile field. A few days after the procedure, the patient calls the office concerned that the area surrounding the procedure site is infected. Which of the following torts has the assistant committed?

• Abandonment

• Negligence

• Battery

• Defamation

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

• Hold the needle by its wings

• Insert the needle into the skin at a 45 degree angle

• Release the tourniquet after 2 mins

• Activate the safety before removing the needle