Certified Medical Assistant (CMA AAMA) practice questions
224 free questions with answers and explanations.
- 51.A medical assistant is performing a rapid point-of-care strep test on a patient with a sore throat. Which factor is most important to ensure an accurate test result?Procedures, Examinations and Diagnostics
- 52.A medical assistant is collecting a urine specimen from a patient for a workplace drug screening test. Which action is essential to maintain the chain of custody for this specimen?Procedures, Examinations and Diagnostics
- 53.During EKG recording, the medical assistant notices fine, regular, rapid spiking artifact across all leads. The patient is calm and electrodes appear properly attached. What is the most likely cause?Procedures, Examinations and Diagnostics
- 54.A medical assistant is performing a capillary puncture on an adult patient to obtain blood for a point-of-care test. Which site is appropriate for the puncture?Procedures, Examinations and Diagnostics
- 55.A patient is prescribed lisinopril for hypertension. This medication belongs to which drug classification?Pharmacology
- 56.A medical assistant is instructed to draw both a coagulation panel (light blue-top) and a CBC (lavender-top). If the coagulation tube is the only tube being drawn using a winged (butterfly) collection set, what must be done first?Procedures, Examinations and Diagnostics
- 57.A medical assistant is performing a venipuncture and leaves the tourniquet in place for over two minutes while searching for a vein. What effect is this most likely to have on the specimen?Procedures, Examinations and Diagnostics
- 58.A patient is scheduled for a fecal occult blood test (FOBT) using the guaiac method. Which instruction should the medical assistant give the patient prior to specimen collection?Procedures, Examinations and Diagnostics
- 59.While auscultating blood pressure, the medical assistant notes the point at which the Korotkoff sounds completely disappear. This point corresponds to the:Clinical Workflow and Patient Intake
- 60.Which of the following best distinguishes a Schedule V controlled substance from other controlled substance schedules?Pharmacology
- 61.During EKG standardization, the machine is set so that 1 millivolt (mV) of electrical activity produces a deflection of 10 mm on the graph paper. If a patient's QRS complex measures 15 mm in height, what is the approximate voltage represented?Procedures, Examinations and Diagnostics
- 62.A medical assistant is rooming a female patient for a pelvic examination. The physician who will perform the exam is male. What action should the medical assistant take?Clinical Workflow and Patient Intake
- 63.A physician orders a medication at 5 mg/kg for a patient who weighs 154 lb. How many milligrams should the medical assistant prepare?Pharmacology
- 64.A patient is being prepared for treatment of hypovolemic shock. The physician orders the patient placed with the body flat and the feet elevated higher than the head. Which position should the medical assistant use?Procedures, Examinations and Diagnostics
- 65.A medical assistant is asked to obtain an apical pulse on a patient with an irregular heart rhythm. Where should the stethoscope be placed, and for how long should the pulse be counted?Clinical Workflow and Patient Intake
- 66.A patient weighs 154 pounds. The physician orders a medication dosed at 2 mg/kg. The medical assistant needs to convert the patient's weight to kilograms to assist with documentation. Using the standard conversion factor, what is the patient's weight in kilograms?Clinical Workflow and Patient Intake
- 67.A physician needs to examine a patient's back for suspected spinal abnormalities. Which position should the medical assistant help the patient assume?Procedures, Examinations and Diagnostics
- 68.A physician orders a stat plasma electrolyte panel that requires rapid turnaround. Which evacuated tube additive is most appropriate for this collection to avoid the clotting time needed for serum separation?Procedures, Examinations and Diagnostics
- 69.A medical assistant is preparing to perform a routine venipuncture on an adult patient who has no contraindications. Which position should the patient be placed in to minimize the risk of injury from fainting during the procedure?Procedures, Examinations and Diagnostics
- 70.A patient with a suspected rectal or lower GI condition needs positioning for an enema administration or proctologic exam. Which position is most appropriate?Procedures, Examinations and Diagnostics
- 71.A medical assistant is preparing a female patient for a routine pelvic and abdominal examination with the patient lying flat on her back, knees bent, and feet flat on the table. What is this position called?Procedures, Examinations and Diagnostics
- 72.A medical assistant performs a finger stick to obtain a capillary sample for a point-of-care glucose test. What should the medical assistant do immediately after puncturing the skin and before collecting the sample?Procedures, Examinations and Diagnostics
- 73.A medical assistant is performing a venipuncture using multiple evacuated tubes. Which tube should be collected first if no blood culture is ordered?Procedures, Examinations and Diagnostics
- 74.A medical assistant is counting a patient's respiratory rate. To obtain the most accurate count, the medical assistant should:Clinical Workflow and Patient Intake
- 75.A medical assistant is preparing to transport an arterial blood gas specimen to the laboratory. Which handling method best preserves the accuracy of the results during transport?Procedures, Examinations and Diagnostics
- 76.A medical assistant collects a red-top serum tube for a chemistry test. What is the primary reason the tube must sit for a specified clotting time before centrifugation?Procedures, Examinations and Diagnostics
- 77.A physician writes a prescription for oxycodone, a Schedule II controlled substance. Which of the following best describes the prescribing requirements for this classification?Pharmacology
- 78.A medical assistant is instructed to collect and transport a blood specimen for bilirubin testing. Which special handling step is required to preserve the integrity of the sample?Procedures, Examinations and Diagnostics
- 79.Four patients arrive at an urgent care clinic within minutes of each other. Using triage principles, which patient should be assessed by the provider first?Clinical Workflow and Patient Intake
- 80.During patient intake, a medical assistant documents the reason the patient states for the visit, using the patient's own words in quotation marks. This documentation is known as the:Clinical Workflow and Patient Intake
- 81.A physician orders levothyroxine 0.1 mg PO daily for a patient with hypothyroidism. The medication is available in 50 mcg tablets. How many tablets should the medical assistant administer?Pharmacology
- 82.A medical assistant is reviewing a patient's medication list and notices a prescription for omeprazole. This medication primarily works by affecting which of the following body systems?Pharmacology
- 83.A patient is prescribed warfarin 5 mg PO daily. The pharmacy dispenses 2.5 mg tablets. How many tablets should the medical assistant instruct the patient to take per dose?Pharmacology
- 84.A physician prescribes cefazolin 500 mg IV every 8 hours. The pharmacy supplies cefazolin 1 gram powder for reconstitution. The instructions state to reconstitute with 5 mL of sterile water to yield 200 mg/mL. How many milliliters should the medical assistant administer per dose?Pharmacology
- 85.A physician orders 0.25 mg of digoxin PO daily. The pharmacy dispenses digoxin tablets labeled 0.125 mg per tablet. How many tablets should the medical assistant administer per dose?Pharmacology
- 86.A patient is prescribed amlodipine for hypertension. The medical assistant explains that this medication helps to relax blood vessels and reduce the heart's workload. Amlodipine belongs to which drug classification?Pharmacology
- 87.A durable medical equipment supplier bills for a patient's wheelchair. Which coding system is used to report this item on the claim?Administrative: Billing, Coding and Scheduling
- 88.A physician orders furosemide 60 mg PO daily. The pharmacy dispenses tablets labeled 20 mg. How many tablets should the medical assistant instruct the patient to take per dose?Pharmacology
- 89.A patient covered under two employer group health plans (one through her own job, one through her spouse's job) needs coordination of benefits determined for her child's claim. Both parents carry the child as a dependent. Which rule determines which plan pays first?Administrative: Billing, Coding and Scheduling
- 90.A medical assistant is educating a patient about a new prescription for an antibiotic. The patient states they only plan to take the medication until their symptoms improve. Which of the following instructions is most important for the medical assistant to emphasize?Pharmacology
- 91.A medical assistant is preparing to administer a medication via the subcutaneous route. Which of the following sites is generally considered appropriate for subcutaneous injections?Pharmacology
- 92.A medical assistant is preparing to administer an immunization to a 9-month-old infant. Which of the following intramuscular injection sites is most appropriate for this age group?Pharmacology
- 93.A medical assistant is preparing to administer an oral medication to a patient. After verifying the 'right patient, right medication, right dose, right route, right time,' which of the following is the next 'right' that must be verified?Pharmacology
- 94.A medical assistant is preparing to administer an intramuscular injection to an adult patient. The medication is oil-based and requires a slow absorption rate. Which of the following needle gauges is most appropriate for this administration?Pharmacology
- 95.A medical assistant is coding a patient's chart for a fracture sustained in a fall, and the physician documents this is the patient's first visit for active treatment of the fracture. Which ICD-10-CM 7th character extension should be appended to the injury code?Administrative: Billing, Coding and Scheduling
- 96.A physician orders furosemide 80 mg IV push. The medication label states '20 mg/mL'. How many milliliters should the medical assistant administer?Pharmacology
- 97.A medical assistant is preparing to administer an intradermal injection for a tuberculin skin test. Which of the following angles of insertion is appropriate?Pharmacology
- 98.A medical assistant is preparing to administer an intramuscular injection into the deltoid muscle of an adult patient. Which of the following needle gauges is most appropriate for this procedure?Pharmacology
- 99.A medical assistant is preparing to administer 0.25 mL of purified protein derivative (PPD) for a tuberculin skin test. Which of the following sites is the most appropriate for this injection?Pharmacology
- 100.A medical assistant is reviewing a patient's medication list and notices a prescription for an antibiotic that causes photosensitivity. Which of the following instructions should the medical assistant provide to the patient?Pharmacology