CCMA 3.0 Focused Review

Medical Terminology

• Learning medical terminology is akin to learning a new language.
• Understanding through prefixes, roots, and suffixes aids in faster mastery.

Common Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Symbols

• Abbreviations are frequently used in medical practice but can lead to errors.
• Do Not Use List:
  • MS, MSO4 (use morphine)
  • MgSO4 (use magnesium sulfate)
  • Apothecary units (use metric units)
  • u, U, IU (use units)
  • @ (use "at"), &, + (use "and"), / (use "per")
  • AD, AS, AU (use right ear, left ear, both ears)
  • OD, OS, OU (use right eye, left eye, both eyes)

Facility Specific Abbreviations

• Abbreviations vary between facilities (e.g., CS vs MM, OR vs SS).

Common Abbreviations and Acronyms

• A comprehensive list includes terms like:
  • Abd (abdomen), CBC (complete blood count), BP (blood pressure)
  • ECG/EKG (electrocardiogram), ICU (intensive care unit)
  • NPO (nothing by mouth), Rx (prescription)

Medical Word Building

• Based on common roots, prefixes, and suffixes.
• Word Roots Examples:
  • Hem: blood
  • Arthr: joint
  • Gastr: stomach
  • Cardi: heart

Combining Root Words

• Combining forms facilitate pronunciation (e.g., col/o in colostomy).
• Use combining vowels when suffix begins with a consonant.

Prefixes

• Change the meaning of the root word.
• Common Prefixes:
  • A-, an-: without
  • Hyper-: above, excessive
  • Hypo-: below, insufficient

Suffixes

• Modify the meaning of the root word.
• Common Suffixes:
  • -algia: pain
  • -ectomy: removal
  • -itis: inflammation

Common Medical Terms and Lay Language

• Hypertension: high blood pressure
• Myocardial infarction: heart attack
• Tachycardia: fast heart rate

Positional and Directional Terminology

• Understanding these terms is crucial for proper patient positioning.
• Examples:
  • Supine: lying face up
  • Prone: lying face down
  • Anterior: toward the front
  • Posterior: toward the back

These notes capture the essence of the CCMA 3.0 Focused Review, summarizing the key concepts of medical terminology, abbreviations, word building, and positional terminology crucial for medical assistants.