AMCA Clinical Skills 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the normal respiratory rate range for a healthy adult at rest?
- 8–12 breaths per minute
- 12–20 breaths per minute (Correct answer)
- 22–28 breaths per minute
- 30–36 breaths per minute
Correct answer: 12–20 breaths per minute
The normal adult respiratory rate is 12–20 breaths per minute; rates outside this range indicate bradypnea or tachypnea.
Question 2: Which type of wound requires the highest level of sterile technique during dressing changes?
- Superficial abrasion
- Closed surgical incision
- Stage III pressure ulcer (Correct answer)
- Minor laceration with sutures
Correct answer: Stage III pressure ulcer
Stage III pressure ulcers involve full-thickness skin loss exposing subcutaneous tissue and carry high infection risk, requiring strict sterile technique.
Question 3: A medical assistant is preparing to measure a patient's weight. The patient uses a walker. What is the best approach?
- Have the patient hold the walker while on the scale
- Weigh the patient without the walker and document accordingly (Correct answer)
- Weigh the walker separately and subtract from the total
- Estimate the weight based on appearance
Correct answer: Weigh the patient without the walker and document accordingly
The patient should be weighed without the walker when safe to do so; if the walker must be used, its weight is subtracted from the total and documented.
Question 4: When collecting a midstream clean-catch urine specimen from a female patient, which instruction is correct?
- Collect the first portion of the urine stream
- Collect the last portion of the urine stream
- Void a small amount first, then collect midstream urine (Correct answer)
- Wipe from back to front before collection
Correct answer: Void a small amount first, then collect midstream urine
The initial stream flushes urethral contaminants; collecting midstream urine provides the most accurate sample for culture or analysis.
Question 5: Which standard precaution applies to ALL patients regardless of diagnosis?
- N95 respirator use for all interactions
- Double gloving during every procedure
- Hand hygiene before and after patient contact (Correct answer)
- Placing patients in negative-pressure rooms
Correct answer: Hand hygiene before and after patient contact
Hand hygiene is the single most important standard precaution and must be performed before and after every patient contact.
Question 6: A patient's oxygen saturation (SpO2) reads 91% on room air. What action should the medical assistant take first?
- Document and continue monitoring
- Administer oxygen per protocol and notify the provider (Correct answer)
- Instruct the patient to breathe faster
- Place the patient in Trendelenburg position
Correct answer: Administer oxygen per protocol and notify the provider
Normal SpO2 is 95–100%; a reading of 91% indicates hypoxemia requiring oxygen administration per facility protocol and immediate provider notification.
Question 7: Which instrument is used to examine the internal structures of the ear?
- Ophthalmoscope
- Otoscope (Correct answer)
- Laryngoscope
- Rhinoscope
Correct answer: Otoscope
An otoscope uses a light source and speculum to visualize the ear canal and tympanic membrane.
AMCA Clinical Skills 3
What is the normal respiratory rate range for a healthy adult at rest?