RMA Medical Assistant Practice Test 4
To give informed consent to a medical procedure or course of treatment, a patient must be…?
Informed consent means a patient has been given a proper explanation of a treatment or procedure and is mentally able to understand its purpose, implications and any drawbacks it may have. If a person is not mentally competent to do this decisions on treatment may be made by next of kin, medical practitioners and, if there is a conflict, courts of law.
Patients should be advised to undertake self-examination for breast lumps at what intervals?
Patients should be instructed in the correct procedures to examine for breast lumps, and advised that they should perform such an examination at least once a month. Remember that men can get breast cancer as well as women and they should be advised to do the same.
Which of these prefixes is used in words referring to the liver?
From the Greek hepar, meaning liver, hepat- is a prefix used for words relating to that organ. Examples are hepatologist, a specialist in the liver (and related gastric organs), hepatitis, a liver infection, hepatocarcinogen, a substance that can cause cancer of the liver.
Which sequence outlines the correct flow of blood through the heart? I. Blood exits through the aorta. II. Blood exits through the pulmonary artery to go to the lungs. III. Blood enters the left atrium. IV. Blood passes through the mitral valve. V. Blood enters the right atrium.
Blood enters the heart on the right side, collecting in the right atrium. After moving through the right ventricle, blood leaves the heart through the pulmonary artery to travel to the lungs to release carbon dioxide and absorb oxygen. The blood returns to the left side of the heart, through the pulmonary vein, going to the left atrium, then through the mitral valve to the left ventricle. Lastly, the blood leaves the heart through the aorta. The only answer option that puts this in the correct order is [D].
An OBGYN specialist deals with what?
OBGYN is short for Obstetrics and Gynecology. Obstetrics is the delivering of babies in childbirth, while Gynecology is the study and treatment of disorders of the female reproductive system. Medical professionals may be concerned with one or other of these fields or work in both.
What valve is responsible for preventing the backflow of blood from the right ventricle to the right atrium?
The pulmonary valve and the semilunar valve are the same structure which prevent blood backflow between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery. The mitral valve is located between the left ventricle and left atrium. The aortic valve is the structure between the left ventricle and the aorta. The only valve located on the right side between the right atrium and right ventricle is the tricuspid valve, or answer option [B].
In which of these circumstances may you refuse to give medical treatment to a person with HIV/AIDS?
Both the AMA and the ADA have issued ethical guidance that patients with HIV/AIDS have a right to treatment. A medical practitioner may not withhold treatment from a patient because they have HIV/AIDS, regardless of the reason for their infection or their current treatment. If a practitioner is genuinely not competent to treat a patient with HIV/AIDS they must pass the case to a practitioner who is.
When should patient encounter forms be prepared for staff?
Any consultation should be recorded on a patient encounter form. Best practice is to have these ready before the working day begins so that medical staff can have them ready for their appointments.
Which of these is not a type of patient record?
It's important that patient medical records should be properly designated regarding their current status and that this data should be changed as often as necessary. The three categories are active (currently undergoing treatment), inactive (not currently undergoing treatment but may return to treatment in future) or closed (patient has been discharged and is not expected to return).
For maximum efficiency, individual patient records should be organized by…?
Although certain aspects of a patient record maybe organized by time, for example consultation record sheets, it is very time-consuming for a physician to trawl through a file seeking the information they require. For this reason good recordkeeping will involve organizing patient treatment by category (e.g. medication prescribed, surgeries undergone etc.) so that the physician can immediately access the information they require.
What does OSHA stand for?
The OSHA is the Occupational Safety and Health Act. It contains provisions for the safe operation of workplaces, and has specific sections dealing with healthcare workplaces. All workers in a medical office should be aware of the provisions of the act that apply to their duties.
Payment for treatment should be taken/organized when?
It is vital that payment is taken, or insurance company authorization of the treatment is obtained, before treatment is given. If this is not done the treatment provider risks potentially severe losses in the event of a dispute.
If you have to deal with a fire and are using an extinguisher, where should you aim the jet?
The aim of a fire extinguisher is to put out the root of the fire, which will be at the base of the flames. Always make sure that you are using the correct type of fire extinguisher for the blaze you are tackling (this will be indicated on the extinguisher), for example using a water fire extinguisher on an electrical fire may cause
Which of these is the baseline procedure for preventing the spread of disease in medical institutions?
Hand-to-hand and hand to surface contact is the most common way for infection to spread in medical institutions. Not everyone can wear gloves all day, but everyone can wash their hands thoroughly before and after patient contact, after using the bathroom, before eating food etc. Make sure you follow the correct procedure at all times and encourage colleagues, visitors and patients to do the same.
When choosing a site to place electrodes for an ECG test, the site should be all of these things except…?
In order to achieve the best results, electrodes should be placed on a site that is clean, smooth and dry. Any moisture should be wiped away as it could interfere with the adhesion of the electrodes and so interfere with clear results.
When prepping a patient for an ECG, the electrodes from Lead #1 should be placed where?
All leads for an ECG have specific locations that should be carefully followed. The electrodes for the first lead should be placed on the left and right arms, in a place where there is no thick muscle.
