CMA Certified Medical Assistant MCQ 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A physician orders 'NPO after midnight.' What does this instruction mean for the patient?
- No physical activity after midnight
- Nothing by mouth after midnight (Correct answer)
- No prescription medications after midnight
- No pain medication after midnight
Correct answer: Nothing by mouth after midnight
NPO is a Latin abbreviation for 'nil per os,' meaning the patient should not eat or drink anything after midnight.
Question 2: Which of the following describes the supine position?
- Patient lying face down
- Patient lying on their side
- Patient lying on their back, face up (Correct answer)
- Patient sitting upright at 90 degrees
Correct answer: Patient lying on their back, face up
The supine position means the patient is lying flat on their back with face facing upward.
Question 3: The suffix '-ectomy' in a medical term means:
- Incision into
- Surgical removal of (Correct answer)
- Inflammation of
- Visual examination of
Correct answer: Surgical removal of
The suffix '-ectomy' means surgical excision or removal, as in appendectomy (removal of the appendix).
Question 4: Which body system is primarily responsible for gas exchange (oxygen and carbon dioxide)?
- Cardiovascular system
- Digestive system
- Respiratory system (Correct answer)
- Lymphatic system
Correct answer: Respiratory system
The respiratory system, via the lungs and alveoli, performs gas exchange between air and blood.
Question 5: When scheduling a patient for a fasting lipid panel, the medical assistant should instruct the patient to fast for:
- 2-4 hours
- 4-6 hours
- 9-12 hours (Correct answer)
- 24 hours
Correct answer: 9-12 hours
A 9-12 hour fast is required before a lipid panel to ensure accurate triglyceride measurements.
Question 6: A patient's chart shows an allergy to penicillin documented as 'anaphylaxis.' The provider orders amoxicillin. The medical assistant should:
- Fill the prescription as ordered
- Ask the patient if the allergy still applies
- Alert the provider immediately before filling the prescription (Correct answer)
- Substitute a similar antibiotic without consulting the provider
Correct answer: Alert the provider immediately before filling the prescription
Amoxicillin is a penicillin-class antibiotic, so the medical assistant must alert the provider to the cross-reactive allergy before dispensing.
Question 7: What is the normal adult respiratory rate at rest?
- 6-10 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
A normal adult respiratory rate at rest is 12-20 breaths per minute.
CMA Certified Medical Assistant MCQ 3
A physician orders 'NPO after midnight.' What does this instruction mean for the patient?