Mixed Deck — All AMCA Topics Flashcards
100 cards from real AMCA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 20 Mixed Deck — All AMCA Topics flashcards as text
Which hand hygiene product is most effective against Clostridium difficile (C. diff) spores?
Answer: Plain soap and water
Soap and water with vigorous friction is required for C. difficile because alcohol-based hand rubs do not effectively remove or destroy its spores.
Which element is NOT required in a properly documented informed consent form?
Answer: Patient's insurance information
Insurance information is not a component of informed consent; the form focuses on clinical information and patient understanding.
A healthcare provider who knowingly submits false claims to Medicare or Medicaid can be prosecuted under which federal law?
Answer: False Claims Act
The False Claims Act imposes liability on individuals and companies who defraud government programs, including Medicare and Medicaid billing fraud.
Which standard determines whether a healthcare provider's conduct was acceptable by comparing it to what a similarly trained provider would do in the same situation?
Answer: Standard of care
The standard of care measures a provider's conduct against what a reasonably competent peer with similar training and experience would do under the same circumstances.
Whistleblowing in healthcare is ethically justified when:
Answer: Practices are causing or likely to cause harm to patients and internal resolution has failed
Whistleblowing is justified when patient safety is at risk and internal corrective measures have been exhausted or are unavailable.
The femur articulates proximally with which structure?
Answer: Acetabulum of the pelvis
The head of the femur articulates with the acetabulum (socket of the hip bone) to form the hip joint.
Cultural competency in healthcare requires a medical assistant to:
Answer: Learn and respect how cultural beliefs may influence a patient's healthcare decisions
Cultural competency involves understanding and respecting how culture shapes patients' values and health decisions.
The term 'dyspnea' refers to:
Answer: Difficulty breathing
Dyspnea combines 'dys-' (difficult/painful) and '-pnea' (breathing), meaning labored or difficult breathing.
What does the medical term 'supine' mean?
Answer: Lying face up
Supine describes a patient lying on their back with their face upward, the opposite of the prone position.
What is a nosocomial infection?
Answer: An infection acquired in a healthcare facility
Nosocomial (healthcare-associated) infections are acquired during the course of receiving medical treatment in a healthcare facility, not present at admission.
Which form is used to submit professional medical claims electronically to Medicare?
Answer: CMS-1500
The CMS-1500 form is the standard claim form used by physicians and other professional providers billing Medicare and most other payers.
During a urine specimen collection, which type of sample is required to culture a urinary tract infection accurately?
Answer: Clean-catch midstream specimen
A clean-catch midstream urine sample minimizes contamination from the urethral area, ensuring accurate culture results.
The intentional, unauthorized touching of a patient without consent is legally defined as:
Answer: Battery
Battery is the intentional harmful or offensive touching of another person without consent, which applies even in medical settings.
What is the most effective way to prevent healthcare-associated infections?
Answer: Proper hand hygiene
Hand hygiene (washing with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand rub) is the single most effective measure for preventing the spread of infections in healthcare settings.
A patient who does not speak English arrives for an appointment. The ethical approach is to:
Answer: Use a qualified medical interpreter to facilitate communication
Using a qualified interpreter ensures accurate communication and respects patient rights.
Which glucose tolerance test result confirms gestational diabetes using the 2-hour 75g OGTT?
Answer: 2-hour value ≥153 mg/dL
Per ADA criteria, a 2-hour plasma glucose ≥153 mg/dL on the 75g OGTT is one of the thresholds for diagnosing gestational diabetes.
Which act requires hospitals to screen and stabilize any patient presenting to the emergency department regardless of ability to pay?
Answer: EMTALA
EMTALA (Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act) mandates emergency screening and stabilization for all patients regardless of insurance status.
What is the purpose of a code of ethics in healthcare?
Answer: To establish standards of conduct that guide professional behavior
A code of ethics provides a framework of values and standards that guide professional decision-making and behavior.
Which ECG lead is placed on the fourth intercostal space at the RIGHT sternal border?
Answer: V1
V1 is placed at the fourth intercostal space to the right of the sternum. V2 mirrors it on the left side, and the remaining precordial leads continue across the chest.
At what angle should a venipuncture needle be inserted to enter the vein correctly?
Answer: 15–30 degrees
A 15–30 degree angle with the bevel up allows the needle to enter the vein smoothly without penetrating the posterior wall.