CMA (AAMA) Practice Exam
Which of the following is a physician who specializes in disorders of the eye and performs surgical
procedures as necessary?
A. Otolaryngologist
B. Ophthalmologist
C. Optician
D. Optometrist -Ophthalmologist
Which of the following is the nerve that stimulates the diaphragm?
A. Accessory
B. Sciatic
C. Vagus
D. Phrenic
E. Trochlear -Phrenic
. Which of the following is objective information relating to a patient's health?
A. Absence of patellar reflex
B. Patient is feeling depressed
C. Ongoing pain in right lower quadrant
D. Dizziness with a headache -Absence of patellar reflex
4. Which of the following is a laboratory test commonly performed on a specimen from a patient taking
furosemide (Lasix)?
A. Potassium level
B. Thyroid-stimulating hormone assay
C. Hemoglobin analysis
D. White blood count -Potassium level
Which of the following describes "adduction"?
A. Movement of a body part toward the body's midline
B. Circular motion of a limb
C. Movement of a bone around its central axis
This action would describe rotation.
D. Decreasing the angle between bones
This action would be referred to as flexion. -Movement of a body part toward the body's midline
Which of the following positions requires the patient to lie on the left side with the left arm behind the
body, the right leg flexed sharply upward, and the left knee slightly flexed?
A. Trendelenburg
B. Prone
,C. Fowler
D. Lithotomy
E. Sims -Sims
Lisinopril (Zestril) and furosemide (Lasix) are used in the treatment of which of the following conditions?
A. Epilepsy
B. Parkinson's disease
C. Gout
D. Hypertension -Hypertension
The medical assistant is asked to administer one oral dose of Azithromycin to a child. The dose to be
administered is 10 milligrams per kilogram. The child's weight is 44 pounds. The Azithromycin suspension
vial available is labeled 500 milligrams per 5 milliliters. What amount of the antibiotic suspension should
you prepare for the child?
A. 2 ml
B. 3 ml
C. 1.5 ml
D. 1 ml -2 ml
What is the total magnification of a specimen using a microscope with ocular lenses of 10X and a low
power objective lens of 10X?
A. 10X
B. 100X
C. 40X
D. 5X -100X
The usual restrictions on release of medical information without the patient's authorization are suspended
if which of the following situations exist?
A. Information is stored in a computer.
B. A patient is suspected of committing a crime.
C. A patient is a public figure.
D. The patient is incompetent and has a legal guardian. -The patient is incompetent and has a legal
guardian.
Which of the following is the most appropriate initial step when rooming a patient who comes to the office
with a recent laceration of the finger that is still bleeding?
A. Notify the physician to come immediately
B. Apply direct pressure to the patient's wound
C. Apply a tourniquet
D. Elevate the patients arm above the head -Apply direct pressure to the patient's wound
12. The medical assistant takes vital signs on a male patient age 25 and records a Body Mass Index
(BMI) of 34 into the EMR. The patient is most at risk for which of the following conditions?
A. Osteomyelitis
B. Sleep Apnea
C. Pulmonary Hypertension
D. Kyphoscoliosis -Sleep Apnea
Which of the following steps should be taken for a patient who faints and slumps to the floor?
A. Place the patient in the sitting position
B. Roll the patient onto his right side
C. Keep the patient's head and shoulder flat and raise the legs
D. Place a pillow under the patient's head and shoulders, keeping the feet and legs flat -Keep the
patient's head and shoulder flat and raise the legs
, Which of the following is the proper cleansing technique with the alcohol pad when preparing the skin for
an injection?
A. Move the wipe vertically going from left to right across the injection site, starting - approximately one
inch from the injection site
B. Wipe in an "S" movement across the injection site
C. Wipe in a circular motion beginning at the injection site and moving outward
D. Wipe horizontally beginning three inches above the injection site and ending three inches below the
site -Wipe in a circular motion beginning at the injection site and moving outward
Which of the following conditions would most likely result in unequal pupils?
A. Diabetic coma
B. Drug overdose
C. Cardiac arrest
D. Cerebrovascular accident -Cerebrovascular accident
The blood pressure that the medical assistant has just taken is significantly higher than the readings
taken on the same patient during past examinations. Which of the following is the first step the medical
assistant should take to ensure the validity of the reading?
A. Tell the patient to relax and retake the pressure immediately
B. Ask another medical assistant to take the patient's blood pressure.
C. Take the other vital signs and recheck the blood pressure after a few minutes.
D. Ask the patient if he has had a recent blood pressure test and what the reading was. -Take the other
vital signs and recheck the blood pressure after a few minutes.
Which of the following situations can promote slow wound healing primarily by causing constriction of
small blood vessels?
A. Smoking
B. Diabetes mellitus
C. Bacterial infection
D. Poor nutrition -Smoking
Which of the following methods of examination would be used to determine a patient's chest size increase
from 36 to 42 inches during inspiration?
A. Palpation
B. Auscultation
C. Percussion
D. Mensuration -Mensuration
Which of the following laboratory test results should be brought to the immediate attention of the
physician?
A. Fasting total cholesterol 200 mg/dl
B. White blood cell count of 9,900/microliter
C. Hemoglobin 14 g/dl
D. Fasting glucose 40 mg/dl -Fasting glucose 40 mg/dl
Which of the following instructions is most important for a patient who has just had an arm cast applied?
A. Sprinkle powder in the cast if itching is present.
Powder should not be applied inside of cast.
B. Trim the cast if any sharp edges are present.
This should only be done with the permission of the physician.
C. Rest the arm at waist level.
D. Observe the fingers for changes in color/temperature. -Observe the fingers for changes in
color/temperature.
Which of the following is a measurement of the percentage of erythrocytes in a volume of whole blood?
A. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate
Which of the following is a physician who specializes in disorders of the eye and performs surgical
procedures as necessary?
A. Otolaryngologist
B. Ophthalmologist
C. Optician
D. Optometrist -Ophthalmologist
Which of the following is the nerve that stimulates the diaphragm?
A. Accessory
B. Sciatic
C. Vagus
D. Phrenic
E. Trochlear -Phrenic
. Which of the following is objective information relating to a patient's health?
A. Absence of patellar reflex
B. Patient is feeling depressed
C. Ongoing pain in right lower quadrant
D. Dizziness with a headache -Absence of patellar reflex
4. Which of the following is a laboratory test commonly performed on a specimen from a patient taking
furosemide (Lasix)?
A. Potassium level
B. Thyroid-stimulating hormone assay
C. Hemoglobin analysis
D. White blood count -Potassium level
Which of the following describes "adduction"?
A. Movement of a body part toward the body's midline
B. Circular motion of a limb
C. Movement of a bone around its central axis
This action would describe rotation.
D. Decreasing the angle between bones
This action would be referred to as flexion. -Movement of a body part toward the body's midline
Which of the following positions requires the patient to lie on the left side with the left arm behind the
body, the right leg flexed sharply upward, and the left knee slightly flexed?
A. Trendelenburg
B. Prone
,C. Fowler
D. Lithotomy
E. Sims -Sims
Lisinopril (Zestril) and furosemide (Lasix) are used in the treatment of which of the following conditions?
A. Epilepsy
B. Parkinson's disease
C. Gout
D. Hypertension -Hypertension
The medical assistant is asked to administer one oral dose of Azithromycin to a child. The dose to be
administered is 10 milligrams per kilogram. The child's weight is 44 pounds. The Azithromycin suspension
vial available is labeled 500 milligrams per 5 milliliters. What amount of the antibiotic suspension should
you prepare for the child?
A. 2 ml
B. 3 ml
C. 1.5 ml
D. 1 ml -2 ml
What is the total magnification of a specimen using a microscope with ocular lenses of 10X and a low
power objective lens of 10X?
A. 10X
B. 100X
C. 40X
D. 5X -100X
The usual restrictions on release of medical information without the patient's authorization are suspended
if which of the following situations exist?
A. Information is stored in a computer.
B. A patient is suspected of committing a crime.
C. A patient is a public figure.
D. The patient is incompetent and has a legal guardian. -The patient is incompetent and has a legal
guardian.
Which of the following is the most appropriate initial step when rooming a patient who comes to the office
with a recent laceration of the finger that is still bleeding?
A. Notify the physician to come immediately
B. Apply direct pressure to the patient's wound
C. Apply a tourniquet
D. Elevate the patients arm above the head -Apply direct pressure to the patient's wound
12. The medical assistant takes vital signs on a male patient age 25 and records a Body Mass Index
(BMI) of 34 into the EMR. The patient is most at risk for which of the following conditions?
A. Osteomyelitis
B. Sleep Apnea
C. Pulmonary Hypertension
D. Kyphoscoliosis -Sleep Apnea
Which of the following steps should be taken for a patient who faints and slumps to the floor?
A. Place the patient in the sitting position
B. Roll the patient onto his right side
C. Keep the patient's head and shoulder flat and raise the legs
D. Place a pillow under the patient's head and shoulders, keeping the feet and legs flat -Keep the
patient's head and shoulder flat and raise the legs
, Which of the following is the proper cleansing technique with the alcohol pad when preparing the skin for
an injection?
A. Move the wipe vertically going from left to right across the injection site, starting - approximately one
inch from the injection site
B. Wipe in an "S" movement across the injection site
C. Wipe in a circular motion beginning at the injection site and moving outward
D. Wipe horizontally beginning three inches above the injection site and ending three inches below the
site -Wipe in a circular motion beginning at the injection site and moving outward
Which of the following conditions would most likely result in unequal pupils?
A. Diabetic coma
B. Drug overdose
C. Cardiac arrest
D. Cerebrovascular accident -Cerebrovascular accident
The blood pressure that the medical assistant has just taken is significantly higher than the readings
taken on the same patient during past examinations. Which of the following is the first step the medical
assistant should take to ensure the validity of the reading?
A. Tell the patient to relax and retake the pressure immediately
B. Ask another medical assistant to take the patient's blood pressure.
C. Take the other vital signs and recheck the blood pressure after a few minutes.
D. Ask the patient if he has had a recent blood pressure test and what the reading was. -Take the other
vital signs and recheck the blood pressure after a few minutes.
Which of the following situations can promote slow wound healing primarily by causing constriction of
small blood vessels?
A. Smoking
B. Diabetes mellitus
C. Bacterial infection
D. Poor nutrition -Smoking
Which of the following methods of examination would be used to determine a patient's chest size increase
from 36 to 42 inches during inspiration?
A. Palpation
B. Auscultation
C. Percussion
D. Mensuration -Mensuration
Which of the following laboratory test results should be brought to the immediate attention of the
physician?
A. Fasting total cholesterol 200 mg/dl
B. White blood cell count of 9,900/microliter
C. Hemoglobin 14 g/dl
D. Fasting glucose 40 mg/dl -Fasting glucose 40 mg/dl
Which of the following instructions is most important for a patient who has just had an arm cast applied?
A. Sprinkle powder in the cast if itching is present.
Powder should not be applied inside of cast.
B. Trim the cast if any sharp edges are present.
This should only be done with the permission of the physician.
C. Rest the arm at waist level.
D. Observe the fingers for changes in color/temperature. -Observe the fingers for changes in
color/temperature.
Which of the following is a measurement of the percentage of erythrocytes in a volume of whole blood?
A. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate
