Medical Assistant Exam Essentials

Overview

This live study session covers essential topics for medical assistant certification exams (CCMA, CMA, RMA). The instructor reviews clinical and administrative concepts, emphasizing that foundational medical knowledge remains consistent across different certification tests, though specific content coverage may vary by exam type.

Study Tips and Exam Information

• Old study videos remain relevant for new test versions; core content is the same with added material.
• Foundational information (terminology, anatomy, procedures, diagnosis codes) is identical across all medical assistant certifications.
• CMA exam covers broader content than CCMA; obtain specific study guide for your chosen certification.
• CCMA passing score is 78% (390 out of 500 questions); focus on patient care section (weightiest portion).
• RMA passing score is 70 out of 100; AMA requires 405 or above.
• All exam questions are multiple choice; some may include images requiring labeling or identification.
• Study guide checklist available in video description box.
• If failing a test, focus on weak areas identified in score report.

Medical Equipment and Sterilization

Equipment Processing Requirements:

• Sterilization is for surgical instruments only; skin cannot be sterilized.
• Surgical antiseptic is used to cleanse skin before procedures.

Legal and Ethical Concepts

• Physician abandonment occurs when discontinuing patient medical care without advanced notice.
• Patient-physician relationship forms an implied contract upon first consultation in exam room.
• Contract is legally binding; patient may terminate at any time, but physician must provide 30-day notice.
• Physician leaving practice must arrange coverage or provide patient records and transition options.
• Abandonment is grounds for lawsuit; proper termination requires written notice and record access.

Patient Care Roles

• Patient Navigator: Identifies patient needs and barriers; coordinates care and community resources (Meals on Wheels, transportation, housing, insurance assistance).
• Patient Advocate: Speaks up and acts on behalf of patients to ensure proper care.
• Health maintenance coaching focuses on importance of routine screenings (colonoscopy, mammogram, bone density).
• Disease prevention coaching covers handwashing, tobacco cessation, and preventive health behaviors.
• Diagnostic test coaching involves instructing patients on test preparation procedures.

Vital Signs and Measurements

• Weight conversion: pounds to kilograms divide by 2.2; kilograms to pounds multiply by 2.2.
• Example: 25 pounds ÷ 2.2 = 11.4 kilograms.
• Tip: If no calculator available, divide by 2 and choose closest answer option.
• Wait at least 5 minutes after patient enters room before taking vitals (allows stabilization after walking).
• Taking vitals immediately after patient arrival may yield falsely elevated readings.

Orthostatic Vital Signs:

• Taken when patient reports dizziness upon standing (indicates possible blood pressure drop).
• Procedure: Measure vitals lying down, wait 1 minute, measure sitting, wait 1 minute, measure standing.
• Orthostatic hypotension is dropping blood pressure upon standing; commonly causes dizziness.

Age-Specific Ranges:

• Six-year-old expected heart rate: 75-120 bpm (ranges vary slightly by source).
• Always reference study guide for your specific certification exam for exact ranges.

Laboratory Testing

• CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments): Regulates laboratory testing.
• CLIA-waived tests: Low-complexity tests including urine pregnancy test (HCG), strep test, fecal occult blood, glucose, urine dipstick, mononucleosis, cholesterol.
• Pulse oximetry measures oxygen saturation in blood (amount of oxygen).
• Spirometry measures ventilation function and normal breath capacity in patients.

Body Systems

Primary Functions:

• Kidneys are responsible for filtering blood and urine formation.
• Understanding body system functions is essential; know each system's role and structures.

Infection Control

Chain of Infection (Five Links):

1. Reservoir host: Infected person where pathogen is housed/incubated.
2. Portal of exit: How infection leaves body (e.g., droplets from sneeze).
3. Mode of transmission: How infection travels (direct contact, droplet on surfaces, insects).
4. Portal of entry: How infection enters susceptible person (eating, rubbing nose, touching mucous membranes).
5. Susceptible host: New person who becomes infected.

• Handwashing is the number one method to prevent disease transmission.
• Breaking any link in chain stops infection spread.

Medical Terminology and Procedures

• Nephrolithotomy: Surgical procedure to remove kidney stones (nefro=kidney, litho=stones, -otomy=incision).
• Knowing medical terminology enables understanding of unfamiliar terms by breaking down root words and suffixes.
• Learn medical terms for all body parts, organs, and structures.
• Simple fracture: Bone breaks but does not penetrate through skin.
• Displaced fracture: Bone ends are no longer in alignment with each other.
• Mononucleosis caused by Epstein-Barr virus.

Preventive Care Screening Schedules

Recommended Screening Intervals:

Billing and Administration

• ABN (Advanced Beneficiary Notice): Notifies patients that services may not be covered by Medicare; signed before procedure.
• ABN indicates patient accepts financial responsibility if Medicare denies coverage.
• UCR (Usual, Customary, and Reasonable Fees): Fee range charged by providers with similar training and experience in same geographical area.
• Abstracting: Reviewing patient medical record to determine appropriate diagnosis and procedure codes for billing.
• Auditing: Reviewing billing and coding for accuracy and compliance.
• Reviewing: Ensuring provider is reimbursed properly for services rendered.

Appointment Scheduling

• Wave scheduling: Multiple patients scheduled at same time slot (e.g., three patients at 9:00 AM); rest of hour left open; patients seen in arrival order.
• Modified wave scheduling: Four appointments scheduled in first half-hour; second half-hour blocked for catch-up and callbacks.
• Modified wave may use 15 or 20-minute increments depending on appointment type.

Phlebotomy

• Venipuncture needle insertion angle: 15 degrees (standard answer).
• Actual angle varies based on vein depth: higher angle for deeper veins, lower (nearly parallel) for superficial veins.
• Hand veins require very low angle (approximately 5 degrees) due to superficial location.

Key Terms & Definitions

• Shock: Insufficient oxygen delivery to organs; caused by severe blood loss or low blood pressure; symptoms include hypotension, pale/cold/sweaty skin.
• Anaphylactic shock: Severe allergic reaction (different from general shock).
• CLIA-waived tests: Low-complexity laboratory tests requiring minimal training.
• Implied contract: Legal agreement formed by actions (patient entering exam room and physician beginning examination).

Medical Abbreviations

Action Items / Next Steps

• Download study guide checklist from video description box.
• Review all fracture types from study guide (multiple types covered on exams).
• Study vital sign ranges for all age groups using certification-specific study materials.
• Learn medical terminology for every body part, organ, and system.
• Practice weight conversions between pounds and kilograms.
• Review Chain of Infection and break points for disease prevention.
• Access practice tests: CCMA candidates visit NHAnow.com; RMA candidates visit AMT website; CMA candidates visit AMA website.
• Join optional group study session on April 20 (link in video description).
• Join Medical Assistant Lounge Facebook group for additional support.