ScribeAmerica Final Exam 2026/2027 Actual
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Section 1: Medical Terminology and Abbreviations (15 Questions)
Q1: The abbreviation "SOB" in medical documentation stands for:
A. Shortness of breath [CORRECT]
B. Short of breath
C. Shortness of breathing
D. Both A and B
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: SOB is commonly used to denote shortness of breath or short of breath. Options A and
B are both correct, making D the best answer. In clinical practice, "shortness of breath" is the
noun form while "short of breath" is the adjectival phrase—both are acceptable and widely used.
Q2: The term "tachycardia" means:
A. Slow heart rate
B. Fast heart rate [CORRECT]
C. Irregular heart rate
D. Normal heart rate
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Tachycardia means fast heart rate, typically defined as >100 beats per minute in
adults. Option A (bradycardia) means slow heart rate (<60 bpm). Option C describes an
arrhythmia. Option D is normal sinus rhythm (60-100 bpm).
Q3: The suffix "-ectomy" means:
A. Surgical removal [CORRECT]
B. Surgical incision
C. Surgical repair
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D. Visual examination
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: "-ectomy" means surgical removal or excision (e.g., appendectomy, cholecystectomy).
Option B (-otomy) means surgical incision (e.g., thoracotomy). Option C (-plasty) means
surgical repair (e.g., rhinoplasty). Option D (-scopy) means visual examination (e.g., endoscopy).
Q4: The prefix "brady-" indicates:
A. Fast
B. Slow [CORRECT]
C. Painful
D. Normal
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: "Brady-" means slow (bradycardia = slow heart rate, bradypnea = slow breathing).
"Tachy-" means fast. This prefix is essential for understanding cardiac and respiratory
terminology in emergency medicine.
Q5: The abbreviation "N/V/D" stands for:
A. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea [CORRECT]
B. Nausea, vertigo, dizziness
C. Neck pain, vomiting, diarrhea
D. Nausea, vomiting, dyspnea
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: N/V/D is the standard abbreviation for nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea—a common
triad in gastrointestinal presentations. This combination suggests gastroenteritis, food poisoning,
or other GI pathology and is frequently documented in abdominal pain cases.
Q6: The term "bilateral" means:
A. On the left side only
B. On the right side only
C. On both sides [CORRECT]
D. In the middle
Correct Answer: C
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Rationale: Bilateral means affecting both sides of the body. Unilateral means one side only.
Examples: bilateral lower extremity edema (BLE edema), bilateral wheezing, bilateral carpal
tunnel syndrome. This term is essential for accurate physical exam documentation.
Q7: The abbreviation "C/O" in charting stands for:
A. Cardiac output
B. Complains of [CORRECT]
C. Care of
D. Continuation of
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: C/O means "complains of" and introduces the patient's subjective symptoms.
Example: "Patient c/o chest pain." This is commonly used in the opening line of HPI
documentation to indicate the patient's presenting complaint.
Q8: The term "supine" describes a patient position that is:
A. Lying on the left side
B. Lying flat on the back [CORRECT]
C. Sitting upright
D. Lying on the stomach
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Supine = lying on the back (face upward). Prone = lying on the stomach (face down).
Left lateral decubitus = lying on the left side. Documenting patient position is important for
physical exam consistency and procedural descriptions.
Q9: The abbreviation "WNL" stands for:
A. Will need labs
B. Within normal limits [CORRECT]
C. With normal labs
D. Without notable lesions
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: WNL means within normal limits, indicating no abnormal findings in that system or
exam component. While some humorously suggest it means "We Never Looked," proper
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documentation requires specific findings rather than generic WNL when abnormalities are
present.
Q10: The suffix "-itis" indicates:
A. Surgical removal
B. Inflammation [CORRECT]
C. Tumor
D. Deficiency
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: "-itis" means inflammation (appendicitis, bronchitis, dermatitis). This is one of the
most common suffixes in medical terminology. Inflammation is characterized by redness,
warmth, swelling, and pain.
Q11: The abbreviation "BP" stands for:
A. Blood pressure [CORRECT]
B. Body pain
C. Breathing pattern
D. Baseline pulse
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: BP is the standard abbreviation for blood pressure, measured in millimeters of
mercury (mmHg) as systolic over diastolic (e.g., 120/80 mmHg). Blood pressure is one of the
five vital signs and is documented with every patient encounter.
Q12: The term "distal" in anatomy means:
A. Closer to the center of the body
B. Farther from the center of the body [CORRECT]
C. On the front side
D. On the back side
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Distal means farther from the trunk or point of attachment. Proximal means closer to
the center or point of attachment. Example: The wrist is distal to the elbow; the elbow is
proximal to the wrist. These terms are essential for wound location and injury description.