NRCMA Patient Intake 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which pulse site is most commonly used during routine patient intake?
- Radial artery at the wrist (Correct answer)
- Carotid artery in the neck
- Femoral artery in the groin
- Brachial artery in the upper arm
Correct answer: Radial artery at the wrist
The radial pulse at the wrist is the standard site for routine pulse assessment during patient intake due to accessibility and patient comfort.
Question 2: A patient is unable to speak English and no interpreter is present. The BEST action for the medical assistant is to:
- Use a qualified medical interpreter service or telephone interpretation line (Correct answer)
- Ask a bilingual family member present in the room to interpret
- Use hand gestures and proceed with the intake as best as possible
- Reschedule the appointment until an interpreter can be arranged
Correct answer: Use a qualified medical interpreter service or telephone interpretation line
Qualified medical interpreters are required under federal law (Title VI) to ensure accurate communication and patient safety.
Question 3: When reviewing a patient's social history during intake, which of the following should the medical assistant document?
- Tobacco use, alcohol use, recreational drug use, and occupation (Correct answer)
- Only tobacco use because it affects vital signs
- Marital status and number of children only
- Insurance information and emergency contact details
Correct answer: Tobacco use, alcohol use, recreational drug use, and occupation
Social history includes substance use, occupation, and lifestyle factors that directly affect diagnosis and treatment planning.
Question 4: A patient's oxygen saturation (SpO2) reads 91% on pulse oximetry. The medical assistant should:
- Notify the provider immediately as this is below the normal range (Correct answer)
- Document it and continue the intake without concern
- Recheck it on a different finger and document 95% if closer to normal
- Only notify the provider if the reading drops below 85%
Correct answer: Notify the provider immediately as this is below the normal range
Normal SpO2 is 95–100%; a reading of 91% is below normal and requires immediate provider notification.
Question 5: During patient intake, the medical assistant asks about the patient's surgical history. The patient mentions an appendectomy 'years ago.' The medical assistant should:
- Document the procedure and ask for any additional details the patient can recall, such as approximate year (Correct answer)
- Skip documentation since the patient does not remember the exact date
- Only document surgeries performed within the last 5 years
- Ask the patient to bring records from the surgeon before documenting
Correct answer: Document the procedure and ask for any additional details the patient can recall, such as approximate year
Past surgical history should be documented with as much detail as available, including approximate dates, as it informs current clinical care.
Question 6: The HIPAA Privacy Rule requires that a patient's protected health information (PHI) collected during intake be:
- Used only for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations without additional authorization (Correct answer)
- Shared freely with any healthcare provider the patient has ever seen
- Disclosed to employers upon their request
- Posted in the waiting room for verification purposes
Correct answer: Used only for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations without additional authorization
HIPAA permits use of PHI for treatment, payment, and operations (TPO) without patient authorization; all other disclosures require consent.
Question 7: Which respiratory rate is within the normal adult range and would be documented as such during intake?
- 16 breaths per minute (Correct answer)
- 6 breaths per minute
- 28 breaths per minute
- 40 breaths per minute
Correct answer: 16 breaths per minute
Normal adult respiratory rate is 12–20 breaths per minute; 16 falls within this range.
NRCMA Patient Intake 3
Which pulse site is most commonly used during routine patient intake?