Clinical Procedures and Specimen Handling Flashcards
7 cards from real CMA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Clinical Procedures and Specimen Handling flashcards as text
Which specimen requires special handling in a biohazard bag with a secondary container for transport?
Answer: Blood specimens for any laboratory analysis
All blood and body fluid specimens must be transported in sealed, leak-proof containers with biohazard labeling per standard precautions.
A patient experiences a vasovagal syncope reaction during venipuncture. The FIRST action is to:
Answer: Remove the needle and have the patient lower their head between their knees or lie down
Removing the needle prevents injury, and lowering the head increases cerebral blood flow to resolve the vasovagal episode.
For a 24-hour urine collection, the patient should be instructed to:
Answer: Discard the first morning void, then collect all urine for 24 hours ending with the next morning void
The first morning void is discarded to establish a clear start time; all subsequent urine including the next day's first void is collected.
When applying a sterile dressing to a wound, the medical assistant should handle the dressing:
Answer: Using sterile forceps or sterile gloves, touching only the outer surface
Sterile dressings must remain sterile; forceps or sterile gloves touching only non-contact surfaces prevent contamination.
A patient needs a Pap smear specimen. Which fixative must be applied immediately after collection?
Answer: Cytology fixative spray or liquid (e.g., CytoLyt)
Cytology fixative must be applied within seconds to prevent air-drying artifact that makes cells uninterpretable.
Which finding on a urine dipstick test requires immediate reporting to the physician?
Answer: Large blood and positive nitrites with WBCs
Large blood, positive nitrites, and WBCs together indicate a likely urinary tract infection requiring prompt treatment.
After performing an ear irrigation (cerumen removal), the medical assistant should:
Answer: Tilt the patient's head to drain the ear and gently dry the outer canal
Tilting the head allows residual water and loosened cerumen to drain, and the outer canal is gently dried to prevent moisture-related problems.