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General Patient Care practice questions for the CCMA exam

General Patient Care is 28 of the 150 scored questions (18.7%) on the CCMA exam, part of Clinical Patient Care (84 questions). Try 5 free questions below; open each one to see the answer, why the other options are wrong and the sources.

Question 1

A 58-year-old woman calls the office. For 25 minutes she has had nausea, heavy sweating and an aching pain in her jaw and left arm. She asks for an appointment this afternoon. What should the medical assistant tell her?

  1. Call 911 now rather than driving herself
  2. Drive herself to the emergency department now
  3. Take an antacid and call back in an hour
  4. Book the first appointment this afternoon
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A. Call 911 now rather than driving herself

These are possible heart attack symptoms, which can be atypical in women; the person should call 911 right away and should not drive herself.

Why the other options are wrong

  • B. Drive herself to the emergency department now: Driving herself is unsafe if her condition worsens.
  • C. Take an antacid and call back in an hour: Waiting an hour delays care in the period of highest risk.
  • D. Book the first appointment this afternoon: Waiting for an appointment delays emergency care.

Sources

  • Heart attack · MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine

Question 2

A standing order reads: epinephrine 1 mg/mL, 0.01 mg/kg IM, maximum single dose 0.5 mg. An adult in anaphylaxis weighs 90 kg. What volume should be prepared for the provider?

  1. 0.09 mL
  2. 0.5 mL
  3. 0.9 mL
  4. 9 mL
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B. 0.5 mL

The weight-based dose is 0.01 x 90 = 0.9 mg, which exceeds the 0.5 mg maximum, so the dose is capped at 0.5 mg = 0.5 mL of 1 mg/mL.

Why the other options are wrong

  • A. 0.09 mL: 0.09 mL is a decimal error and an underdose.
  • C. 0.9 mL: 0.9 mL ignores the 0.5 mg maximum dose in the order.
  • D. 9 mL: 9 mL is a decimal error and a large overdose.

Sources

Question 3

After saving, an MA realizes she entered one patient's vital signs in another patient's EHR chart. What should she do?

  1. Delete the entry so that no trace of it remains in the chart
  2. Mark it entered in error; chart it in the right record
  3. Leave it, because the values look normal
  4. Copy it to the right chart and leave the wrong one
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B. Mark it entered in error; chart it in the right record

The MA uses the EHR correction process: the wrong entry is marked as entered in error with the date and author shown, the original stays visible, and the vitals are charted in the correct patient's record. Report the error per office policy.

Why the other options are wrong

  • A. Delete the entry so that no trace of it remains in the chart: Deleting hides the original and breaks correction rules.
  • C. Leave it, because the values look normal: Wrong-patient data can lead to clinical errors and must be corrected.
  • D. Copy it to the right chart and leave the wrong one: The incorrect entry would stay in the wrong patient's record.

Sources

Question 4

According to CDC guidance, how often should biological (spore) indicators be used to monitor a steam sterilizer, at minimum?

  1. At least weekly
  2. At least yearly
  3. At least daily
  4. At least monthly
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A. At least weekly

CDC guidance, reflected in the CMS infection-control surveyor worksheets, calls for a biological indicator at least weekly for each sterilizer (and with every load containing implants); some standards prefer more frequent testing, such as every day the sterilizer is used.

Why the other options are wrong

  • B. At least yearly: Yearly testing is far below the CDC minimum.
  • C. At least daily: Daily testing is preferred by some standards, but the CDC minimum is weekly.
  • D. At least monthly: Monthly testing is less frequent than the CDC minimum.

Sources

Question 5

Which finding after an injection points to a severe (systemic) allergic reaction rather than a mild one?

  1. Soreness and redness at the injection site
  2. Hives on the trunk with a hoarse voice and wheezing
  3. A small bruise where the needle entered
  4. Light-headedness that clears when the patient lies down
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B. Hives on the trunk with a hoarse voice and wheezing

Anaphylaxis involves several body systems. Widespread hives together with respiratory signs such as voice change or wheeze mark a severe reaction.

Why the other options are wrong

  • A. Soreness and redness at the injection site: Local soreness and redness is a minor injection-site reaction.
  • C. A small bruise where the needle entered: A bruise at the puncture site is a minor local effect.
  • D. Light-headedness that clears when the patient lies down: Light-headedness that clears lying down fits fainting, not anaphylaxis.

Sources

Cheat sheets for this topic

General Patient Care terms

More Clinical Patient Care practice

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