NCCT Practice Exam: Questions

NCCT Practice Exam: Questions &

Answers

The medical assistant should refer to which of the following agencies to access updated immunization schedules?

A. CDC

B. FEMA

C. FDA

D. OSHA

(>>- Correct response:

CDC

Rationale: Centers for Disease Control (CDC) maintains the most current

and up to date immunization schedule recommendations online. The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) is a federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and is tasked with providing accurate, science-based health information to the public. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a federal agency of the United States that regulates workplace safety and health. Federal Emergency

Management Agency (FEMA): a US government body intended to

coordinate responses to a disaster in the US itself.

Forced Vital Capacity is measured by instructing the patient to

• exhale as fast and hard as possible and document the reading.
• move the one way valve to a minimum of 4000 ml capacity.
• forcefully breath air out and continue to exhale for at least 6 seconds.
• complete a minimum of eight acceptable efforts to validate the test.

(>>- Correct response:

forcefully breath air out and continue to exhale for at least 6 seconds.

Rationale: Respiratory tests are performed to assess and/or monitor lung

function. A spirometer measures how fast and how much air is pushed/forced out of the lungs. Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) is measured by instructing the patient to forcefully breath air out and continue to exhale for at least 6 seconds. When doing spirometry testing, the total attempts 1 / 4

should be limited to 8, not a minimum of 8. The one way valve should not be moved to 4000 mL capacity. A patient should blow out as hard and fast for as long as possible, and 3 acceptable attempts are documented to ensure test validity (not just the highest reading).

An older adult patient arrives to have blood drawn. While assessing the arms for venipuncture, the medical assistant notices scar tissue in the antecubital areas and is unable to palpate a vein. Which of the following is an appropriate alternative course of action?

• Draw blood from the hand using an evacuated tube system.
• Use a larger gauge needle to penetrate through the scar tissue.
• Draw blood from the hand using a winged infusion set.
• Perform a capillary puncture on the lateral thumb.

(>>- Correct response:

Draw blood from the hand using a winged infusion set.

Rationale: Areas with visible scar tissue should be avoided when selecting

a site for venipuncture. Scarring can cause the area to be difficult to puncture and may obstruct blood flow. So, the best approach is to draw blood from the hand using a winged infusion set (a.k.a. butterfly). Use of an evacuated tube could collapse the vein due to the vacuum pressure. A capillary puncture would not be the best approach because a venous draw on the hand would give a superior specimen.

When managing multiple incoming calls, the medical assistant should handle which of the following calls first?

• A patient calling to schedule a follow-up visit for uncontrolled pain after

hip surgery.

• A neurologist seeing a patient on consult.
• A patient calling to cancel today's appointment for a needle biopsy of a

breast mass.

• A lawyer with a subpoena asking for patient information.

(>>- Correct response:

A neurologist seeing a patient on consult.

Rationale: The medical assistant's main priority is to handle the most

urgent call promptly. A neurologist calling to report on a referred patient 2 / 4

would take priority over anyone scheduling or cancelling an appointment.The other calls can be put on hold or they can opt to have their names and phone numbers taken for calls to be returned and handled when time permits. A lawyer with a subpoena can also wait for a return call until all other priorities have been handled.

Which of the following actions should the medical assistant take when disposing of a needle following a venipuncture?

• Recap the needle and place it immediately in a sharps container.
• Recap the needle and place it on the blood collection tray.
• Place the needle with safety device activated immediately in a sharps

container.

• Push the needle guard over the needle until it clicks and then place in a

biohazard bag.

(>>- Correct response:

Place the needle with safety device activated immediately in a sharps container.

Rationale: To minimize risk of needlestick exposure and/or injury, the

medical assistant should place the needle with safety device activated immediately in a sharps container. Recapping the needle increases the risk of an accidental needlestick and is not recommended (if the needle has a needle guard, it should be activated to minimize risk). All needles should be promptly disposed of in a sharps container, not in a biohazard bag or on the blood collection tray.

While emptying the autoclave, the medical assistant notices that the wrapped instruments are damp. The medical assistant should

• leave the instruments in the autoclave and run the cycle again.
• remove the instruments and place them on the Mayo stand for surgery.
• remove the instruments and set them on the counter to dry.
• leave the instruments in the autoclave with the door slightly open to

finish drying.

(>>- Correct response:

leave the instruments in the autoclave with the door slightly open to finish drying. 3 / 4

Rationale: Microorganisms can enter through a moist wrap, which is why it

is not advisable to touch or move the contents of an autoclave before they have had sufficient time to dry. Leave all contents in the autoclave and crack to door to allow them to air dry appropriately.

A patient expresses cultural beliefs about an alternative method of pain management that differs from the medical assistant's own view. How should the medical assistant respond?

• "The physician does not recommend that approach."
• "Tell me more about how this approach has worked for you."
• "Standard pharmaceutical methods of pain management are proven to

be more effective."

• "Perhaps you should see a neurologist."

(>>- Correct response:

"Tell me more about how this approach has worked for you."

Rationale: A respectful approach enhances patient-centered care, displays

professionalism, and shows appreciation for diversity. The medical assistant should have the patient tell them more about their approach and how it has worked for them. The other options do not allow the patient to express their feelings to the medical assistant, and would not be the right response.

A medical office assistant is reviewing a patient's encounter that is documented in the medical record prior to completing a CMS-1500 form.She notices that the physician up coded the encounter. The medical office assistant has the ethical obligation to

• alter the code.
• debate the code.
• down code the code.
• change the code.

(>>- Correct response:

debate the code.Rationale: It is within the medical assistant's ethical responsibility to debate the code. It is illegal to purposely "up code" an encounter for any reason.The coding system is specific and should be followed. The office assistant

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