NHA Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA)Clinical Patient CareMedium
A medical assistant is performing a physical examination on a patient. When measuring the patient's height, the MA should instruct the patient to stand in which of the following positions?
- AWith one foot slightly in front of the other for balance.
- BWith head tilted slightly upwards to ensure a straight posture.
- CWith heels together and back against the wall/stadiometer.
- DWith feet shoulder-width apart and arms extended.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. With heels together and back against the wall/stadiometer.
For an accurate height measurement, the patient should stand with their heels together, back straight, and against the stadiometer or wall. This ensures proper alignment and prevents measurement inaccuracies.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Standing with one foot slightly in front of the other can lead to an inaccurate measurement as it may alter spinal alignment or balance.
- B. Tilting the head slightly upwards can cause an inaccurate reading by altering the natural alignment of the head and neck; the head should be in the Frankfort plane.
- D. Feet shoulder-width apart and arms extended is not the correct posture for accurate height measurement; it can affect spinal alignment.
Accurate Height Measurement
Standardized patient positioning to obtain a precise measurement of body height.
- Heels together.
- Back against stadiometer.
- Head in Frankfort plane.
Memory trick: Height Harmony: Stand Straight, Heels Together, Look Ahead.