NHA Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA)Clinical Patient CareHard
A medical assistant is performing a physical examination on a patient. The provider asks the MA to assist with a Romberg test. Which of the following instructions should the MA provide to the patient?
- A“Walk in a straight line, heel-to-toe.”
- B“Stand with your feet together, arms at your sides, and close your eyes.”
- C“Sit on the examination table and rapidly tap your foot.”
- D“Touch your nose with your index finger, first with eyes open, then closed.”
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. “Stand with your feet together, arms at your sides, and close your eyes.”
The Romberg test assesses balance and proprioception. The standard instruction for this test is to have the patient stand with their feet together, arms at their sides, and then close their eyes. The MA observes for swaying or loss of balance.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Walking heel-to-toe is part of a gait assessment, not specifically the Romberg test.
- C. Rapidly tapping the foot assesses coordination and motor control, not the balance and proprioception specifically evaluated by the Romberg test.
- D. Touching the nose with an index finger is part of a cerebellar function test (finger-to-nose test), not the Romberg test.
Romberg Test Instructions
Specific patient positioning and actions required to perform a Romberg test, which evaluates balance and proprioception.
- Feet together.
- Arms at sides.
- Eyes closed.
- Observe for swaying.
Memory trick: Romberg's Rule: Stand Still, Shut Eyes, See Sway.