RMA Medical Assistant Practice Test 1
Which of these can be reported to relevant authorities without a patient’s consent?
In most circumstances the right of the patient to confidentiality is paramount. That means his/her consent to confidential information being released must be obtained. However, in the case of gunshot wounds, information may be passed to law enforcement agencies even if the patient should not wish this to happen.
Tachypnea is generally defined as a patient taking more than how many breaths per minute?
A normal healthy adult will take between 12 and 20 breaths per minute. Any more than this is defined as tachypnea and is a cause for concern that should be reported to a physician. However, you should take external factors into consideration, for example if the patient just climbed stairs to reach the examination, and be aware that newborn infants normally breathe at up to 44 breaths per minute.
Which of the following would be a categorized as a flat bone?
A flat bone is defined as a bone that provides muscular attachment and also serves to protect the body's vital organs or sensitive areas. The vertebrae and mandible are both irregular bones. The femur is a long bone. Therefore, the correct answer is [D], the scapula, which in fact is an example of a flat bone.
What does the word “antenatal” mean?
Ante is Latin for before and natal means birth, so antenatal refers to pre-birth events. Examples are antenatal clinic (clinics for pregnant women) and antenatal class (classes preparing for birth).
Which of the following would be a direct result of lipid depletion in the human body?
Lipid production does not directly affect the amount of and/or rate of protein synthesis. The permeability of the cellular membrane may increase, not decrease, with a depletion of lipids as fewer lipids are made to replace damaged phospholipids. The last two answer options are inaccurate, as lipids would not be sent to the cell’s cytoplasm nor exchanged for proteins. Lipids, however, are the precursors to many hormones in the body and with a depletion of lipids, this would result in a decrease in hormones like estrogen, therefore [B] is the correct answer.
If the name of a condition ends with the suffix “-itis”, what does that indicate?
-Itis is a suffix that derives from Greek and means being inflamed. Examples are colitis (inflamed colon), appendicitis (inflamed appendix), laryngitis (inflamed larynx).
If a patient makes his/her condition worse by ignoring medical advice, that may be considered:
When a patient ignores medical advice, for example does not take prescribed drugs, and so makes his/her condition worse, that may be considered contributory negligence. This means some responsibility for the deterioration lies with the patient, and may count in favor of a medical practitioner in a lawsuit.
If a patient cancels an appointment it is essential that you…?
A patient may cancel an appointment for many reasons and sometimes may forget to reschedule, which could result in them missing vital treatment. Always ask if they need to reschedule and if in doubt consult with the appropriate physician.
Which of these is most important when dealing with medical records?
All of these elements are important, but when dealing with medical records confidentiality is paramount. Always make sure that records are not being disclosed to an unauthorized entity, and check with the office handbook and other staff when in doubt.
Which of these is the only one entitled to immediate access to patient medical records?
All of these entities are entitled to patient medical records under certain circumstances and if all proper conditions have been fulfilled. The patient's physician is the only one of these who is entitled to immediate access.
Which of these is the only risk a computer cable may not present?
Electrical equipment cables are one of the major causes of workplace accidents. They should be regularly inspected to make sure there is no fraying of the outer casing, which could cause electrocution or fire, and careful attention must be paid to their routing: ideally all cables should travel through secure housing to ensure they cannot cause a trip risk.
Who should explain the costs of their care to a patient?
Medical staff are not expected to explain care costs to a patient, this is the job of administrative staff. If this is part of your job, you should be aware that it is vital that a patient understands all costs involved and any alternatives that may be available to them.
Under what circumstances should a patient's blood be considered infective or infectious?
No matter what a patient's individual status or why they are in hospital, their blood should always be handled as if it has the potential to cause infection. Exactly the same procedures must be followed when taking and handling blood from every patient.
Which of these fluids presents the greatest risk of HIV infection to medical workers?
Blood is the most likely way for a medical worker to become accidentally contaminated with HIV. Although HIV can be spread accidentally in other ways, it is very difficult to become infected through saliva and mucus.
To ensure accuracy in testing all equipment must be properly…?
However accurate a testing apparatus may be, it will not produce a correct result unless it has been calibrated properly prior to use. Always check apparatus is properly calibrated using manufacturer instructions, and regularly recheck calibration throughout testing.
Some simple tests fall under waivers from which of these bodies?
A number of simple tests fall under the provisions of the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments 1988; these are tests that are judged to be simple enough to be performed by staff with basic training or even at home. This does not mean that they are immune to error or that error could not have serious diagnostic consequences; the same amount of care should be taken with them as with any other testing procedure.