CCMA Patient Care 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient's blood pressure reading is 158/96 mmHg. The MA should:
- Tell the patient they have hypertension
- Repeat the measurement after 5 minutes of rest and report findings to the provider (Correct answer)
- Immediately administer antihypertensive medication
- Document it as normal and dismiss the patient
Correct answer: Repeat the measurement after 5 minutes of rest and report findings to the provider
A single elevated reading should be confirmed with a repeat measurement after rest, then reported to the provider for clinical interpretation.
Question 2: When assisting a patient with ambulation using a gait belt, the MA should position themselves:
- Directly in front of the patient
- Behind and slightly to the patient's stronger side
- Behind and slightly to the patient's weaker side (Correct answer)
- At arm's length to avoid interfering with movement
Correct answer: Behind and slightly to the patient's weaker side
Standing at the patient's weaker side allows the MA to provide support and prevent falls toward the affected side.
Question 3: Which action CORRECTLY demonstrates proper hand hygiene technique per CDC guidelines?
- Rinse hands with cold water for 5 seconds
- Scrub hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds (Correct answer)
- Use hand sanitizer after direct contact with C. difficile spores
- Wipe hands with an alcohol wipe between patients
Correct answer: Scrub hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
CDC guidelines require scrubbing all hand surfaces with soap and water for at least 20 seconds to effectively remove pathogens.
Question 4: A patient in a wheelchair needs to be transferred to an exam table. The FIRST step the MA should take is:
- Lock the wheelchair brakes (Correct answer)
- Place the patient's feet on the floor
- Apply the gait belt
- Lower the exam table to its lowest position
Correct answer: Lock the wheelchair brakes
Locking the wheelchair brakes prevents movement during transfer and is the essential first safety step.
Question 5: A patient reports a pain level of 8/10 after a procedure. The MA's PRIORITY action is to:
- Tell the patient pain is expected and will resolve
- Administer the prescribed PRN analgesic without notifying the provider
- Document the pain level and notify the provider promptly (Correct answer)
- Offer distraction techniques and reassess in one hour
Correct answer: Document the pain level and notify the provider promptly
Severe pain (8/10) must be promptly documented and reported to the provider who will determine the appropriate intervention.
Question 6: Which of the following is an early sign of shock that the MA should recognize and report immediately?
- Flushed, warm skin
- Rapid, weak pulse and pale skin (Correct answer)
- Slow, bounding pulse
- Elevated blood pressure
Correct answer: Rapid, weak pulse and pale skin
Early shock presents with rapid, weak pulse and pale, cool, clammy skin due to compensatory peripheral vasoconstriction.
Question 7: When documenting a patient's chief complaint in the medical record, the MA should:
- Paraphrase the complaint using medical terminology
- Record the patient's own words in quotation marks (Correct answer)
- Summarize based on the MA's clinical assessment
- Only document after the provider confirms the complaint
Correct answer: Record the patient's own words in quotation marks
The chief complaint should be recorded verbatim in the patient's own words within quotation marks to accurately reflect the patient's perspective.
CCMA Patient Care 5
A patient's blood pressure reading is 158/96 mmHg.
The MA should: