CMA Certified Medical Assistant Diagnostic Testing and Laboratory Procedures Questions and Answers 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which type of ECG electrode placement error would most likely cause artifact on Lead II?
- Misplacing V1 and V2
- Reversing the left arm and right arm electrodes (Correct answer)
- Placing V4 too high
- Using dry skin without prep
Correct answer: Reversing the left arm and right arm electrodes
Reversing the LA and RA limb electrodes inverts Lead I and causes incorrect Lead II and Lead III waveforms.
Question 2: When performing a 12-lead ECG, the precordial lead V1 is placed at which anatomical location?
- Fifth intercostal space, midaxillary line
- Fourth intercostal space, right sternal border (Correct answer)
- Third intercostal space, left sternal border
- Fifth intercostal space, midclavicular line
Correct answer: Fourth intercostal space, right sternal border
V1 is placed at the fourth intercostal space on the right side of the sternum.
Question 3: A patient's spirometry results show FEV1/FVC ratio below 70%. This finding is MOST consistent with:
- Restrictive lung disease
- Obstructive lung disease (Correct answer)
- Normal pulmonary function
- Pulmonary hypertension
Correct answer: Obstructive lung disease
An FEV1/FVC ratio below 70% indicates airflow obstruction, as seen in conditions like COPD and asthma.
Question 4: Which of the following is the MOST important instruction to give a patient before a fasting lipid panel?
- Drink plenty of water the morning of the test
- Avoid all food and beverages except water for 9–12 hours before the test (Correct answer)
- Avoid drinking water for 8 hours
- Take all medications with juice before the test
Correct answer: Avoid all food and beverages except water for 9–12 hours before the test
A 9–12 hour fast (water only) is required for accurate lipid panel results because fatty foods raise triglyceride levels.
Question 5: When a point-of-care glucose meter gives a quality control result outside the acceptable range, the medical assistant should:
- Report the patient result anyway
- Repeat the QC test, and if still out of range, take the meter out of service and notify the supervisor (Correct answer)
- Recalibrate the meter and proceed with patient testing
- Document the QC failure and continue testing
Correct answer: Repeat the QC test, and if still out of range, take the meter out of service and notify the supervisor
Out-of-range QC results indicate the meter may be unreliable; it must be removed from service and the issue resolved before use.
Question 6: What does a positive Monospot (heterophile antibody) test indicate?
- Streptococcal pharyngitis
- Infectious mononucleosis (Correct answer)
- Influenza A
- Hepatitis B
Correct answer: Infectious mononucleosis
The Monospot test detects heterophile antibodies produced in response to Epstein-Barr virus, the cause of infectious mononucleosis.
CMA Certified Medical Assistant Diagnostic Testing and Laboratory Procedures Questions and Answers 2
Which type of ECG electrode placement error would most likely cause artifact on Lead II?