NHI Patient Care & Medical Assisting Techniques 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is the correct angle for inserting a needle when performing a subcutaneous (SQ) injection?
- 5–10 degrees
- 15 degrees
- 45 degrees (Correct answer)
- 90 degrees
Correct answer: 45 degrees
Subcutaneous injections are administered at a 45-degree angle into fatty tissue beneath the skin.
Question 2: When applying a sterile dressing to a wound, which action should be performed last?
- Don sterile gloves
- Clean the wound from center outward
- Secure the dressing with tape (Correct answer)
- Open sterile supplies without contaminating them
Correct answer: Secure the dressing with tape
Securing the dressing with tape is the final step after placement to keep it in position and protect the wound.
Question 3: A patient is scheduled for a fasting blood glucose test. They arrive and mention they ate breakfast two hours ago. The medical assistant should:
- Proceed with the blood draw anyway
- Reschedule the appointment and document the situation (Correct answer)
- Draw the blood but label it as 'non-fasting'
- Tell the patient to fast for two more hours then draw
Correct answer: Reschedule the appointment and document the situation
Fasting blood glucose requires 8–12 hours without food; the test must be rescheduled and the situation documented.
Question 4: Which of the following is the MOST appropriate way to transfer a patient from a wheelchair to an examination table?
- Lock the wheelchair wheels and lift the patient from behind
- Position the wheelchair at a 90-degree angle away from the table and have patient pivot
- Position the wheelchair parallel and close to the table, lock wheels, remove footrests, and assist patient to stand and pivot (Correct answer)
- Have the patient stand from the wheelchair independently before approaching the table
Correct answer: Position the wheelchair parallel and close to the table, lock wheels, remove footrests, and assist patient to stand and pivot
Safe transfer requires the wheelchair parallel to the table, wheels locked, footrests removed, and assisting the patient in a controlled pivot to the table.
Question 5: Which type of isolation precaution is required for a patient with active tuberculosis (TB)?
- Contact precautions
- Droplet precautions
- Airborne precautions (Correct answer)
- Standard precautions only
Correct answer: Airborne precautions
TB is transmitted via airborne particles and requires airborne precautions including a negative-pressure room and N95 respirator.
Question 6: A medical assistant is preparing a patient for a sigmoidoscopy. Which preparation instruction is most important to communicate to the patient?
- Increase fluid intake the morning of the procedure
- Follow the bowel prep instructions including enema or laxative use (Correct answer)
- Avoid all medications for one week prior
- Eat a high-fiber diet the day before the procedure
Correct answer: Follow the bowel prep instructions including enema or laxative use
Bowel preparation clears the colon so the sigmoid colon can be visualized clearly during the procedure.
Question 7: When administering ear drops to an adult patient, the medical assistant should pull the auricle (pinna):
- Down and back
- Up and back (Correct answer)
- Down and forward
- Straight outward
Correct answer: Up and back
In adults, the auricle is pulled up and back to straighten the ear canal for proper instillation of ear drops.
NHI Patient Care & Medical Assisting Techniques 4
Which of the following is the correct angle for inserting a needle when performing a subcutaneous (SQ) injection?