Deck 3: Professionalism and Success

Question 1

Which of the following are key strategies for ensuring your success as a medical assistant?

A) Critical thinking, time management, and stress management
B) Teamwork, organization, and professional boundaries
C) Goal setting, time management, and teamwork
D) Work quality, punctuality, and stress management
E) Professional appearance, teamwork, and critical thinking

Answer 1

Critical thinking, time management, and stress management

Question 2

Which of the following involves careful listening, observing, speaking, and writing?

A) Professional judgment
B) Critical thinking skills
C) Empathy
D) Communication skills
E) Persistence

Answer 2

Communication skills

Question 3

A medical assistant working in a pediatrician's office who takes a continuing education class on child development demonstrates ____.

A) flexibility
B) acceptance of criticism
C) integrity
D) growth
E) responsibility

Answer 3

growth

Question 4

A personal qualification of being an effective and productive medical assistant is to ____.

A) show respect to patients
B) graduate from an accredited program
C) pass an accreditation exam
D) have experience as a nursing assistant
E) take a patient's vital signs

Question 5

Which of the following includes quickly evaluating circumstances, solving problems, and taking action?

A) Comprehension
B) Critical thinking
C) Empathy
D) Teamwork
E) Integrity

Question 6

The need for ____ occurs when a provider's schedule changes to include evening and weekend hours in order to service more patients.

A) communication skills
B) empathy
C) professional judgment
D) flexibility
E) critical thinking

Question 7

Which of the following personal qualifications is necessary for the overall efficiency of the medical facility?

A) Acceptance of criticism
B) Willingness to work as a team member
C) Remaining calm in a crisis
D) Critical-thinking skills
E) Personal and professional growth

Question 8

When a patient has a stroke in the provider's reception area, it is essential for the medical assistant to first ____.

A) ask the other patients what happened
B) yell for help
C) remain calm
D) document the details of the incident
E) call an ambulance

Question 9

When a patient with the flu describes how he/she has been unable to sleep, the empathic medical assistant responds with

A) "I feel sorry for you."
B) "It will get better soon."
C) "I know how the flu can disrupt sleep."
D) "You cannot expect to sleep when you are sick."
E) "You should have taken some cold medicine."

Question 10

When organizing tasks on a very busy day, the medical assistant is displaying which professional behavior?

A) Self-confidence
B) Empathy
C) Teamwork
D) Communication
E) Prioritizing

Question 11

Kendra is having a busy morning. The phone is ringing almost constantly, and several patients have approached the reception window with questions. Kendra answers the phone, determines that the patient who is calling does not have an emergency, and asks if she can call him back. She then deals with the patients who have questions. Within 30 minutes, Kendra telephones the patient who called earlier. By returning the telephone call in a timely manner, Kendra is exhibiting which professional behavior?

A) Integrity
B) Empathy
C) Growth
D) Punctuality
E) Comprehension

Question 12

Mr. Ringsmuth is agitated and is talking loudly at the front desk because his appointment time has passed. The receptionist has had no success in calming him down and asks you to intervene. You apologize to Mr. Ringsmuth for the delay and quietly explain that the doctor had an emergency call and is running about 30 minutes behind in appointments. You reassure Mr. Ringsmuth that he will see the doctor shortly and will have adequate time for his appointment. Which professional behavior are you exhibiting?

A) Persistence
B) Organization
C) Integrity
D) Communication
E) Comprehension

Question 13

Which of the following is an example of a soft skill?

A) Managing medical records
B) Being dependable
C) Assisting a physician with patient examination
D) Scheduling appointments
E) Cleaning an exam room

Question 14

Zeke is a medical assistant at Bedford Clinic. His primary job responsibility is working with Dr. Garcia, but Dr. Garcia is currently on vacation, so Zeke's duties are light today. He notices that the two medical assistants in the reception area are swamped with work, so he offers to lend a hand. Zeke is exhibiting the professional behavior of ____.

A) critical thinking
B) teamwork
C) punctuality
D) judgment
E) attendance

Question 15

A medical assistant who completes all work and documents all of the day's activities before leaving for the day is demonstrating ____.

A) knowledge
B) self-confidence
C) growth
D) critical thinking
E) professionalism

Question 16

A medical assistant demonstrates ________ when deciding that an unscheduled patient, with chest pain, should see the provider before a scheduled patient.

A) inappropriate behavior
B) preferential treatment
C) professional judgment
D) little compassion
E) favoritism

Question 17

An example of a behavior that reflects integrity in a medical assistant is ____.

A) wearing the proper clothing
B) always having a positive outlook
C) being honest
D) complying with OSHA
E) showing self-confidence

Question 18

As a medical assisting professional, your attitude ____.

A) should be true to your own feelings
B) allows you to learn from criticism
C) can be different with coworkers than with patients
D) does not matter as long as you are positive
E) should become aggressive when necessary

Question 19

What is the term for the ability to identify with and understand another person's feelings?

A) Empathy
B) Commiseration
C) Sympathy
D) Experience
E) Rationalization

Question 20

One of the effects of good time management is ____.

A) increasing your personal stress
B) being overly busy
C) eliminating the stress of work overload
D) achieving less during the workday
E) having less time for your personal life

Question 21

Kaleb is instructing a patient on how to care for the cast on her right arm. When he asks the patient if she has any questions, she says, "I work at an aquarium. I can avoid submerging the cast in water, but I cannot avoid water splashes entirely. Will there be any bad effects if I keep the entire cast covered with plastic all day, every day?" Kaleb does not know the answer, so he asks her to wait while he finds out the answer. She tells him not to bother, but he insists on finding the answer for her. Kaleb's behavior shows ____.

A) dependability
B) organizational skills
C) teamwork
D) critical-thinking skills
E) a good work ethic

Question 22

You will experience ongoing assessment of your professional behaviors in all of the following environments except ____.

A) the hiring process
B) your student work experience
C) performance evaluation in the workplace
D) your favorite hobby
E) promotion consideration

Question 23

The minimum proficiencies necessary to do a job are known as ____.

A) hard skills
B) competency skills
C) soft skills
D) diploma skills
E) dependent skills

Question 24

When Caitlin arrives at the clinic to begin her shift as administrative medical assistant, the phone is ringing, a coworker comes over with a question about a patient, the provider wants her to check on lab results for another patient, and a patient is standing at the desk in the reception area waiting to be helped. What is the first thing Caitlin should do?

A) Check the lab results for the provider
B) Answer the coworker's question
C) Prioritize all of the tasks
D) Help the patient standing at the reception desk
E) Answer the phone

Question 25

Showing up for work on time every day is an example of what type of skill?

A) Hard skill
B) Competency skill
C) Soft skill
D) Diploma skill
E) Dependent skill

Question 26

Two aspects of being organized are ____.

A) teamwork and knowledge
B) time management and prioritizing
C) integrity and growth
D) communication and judgment
E) self-confidence and persistence

Question 27

Your work ethic is the result of your ____.

A) technical skills
B) professional behaviors
C) level of experience
D) job title
E) physical ability

Question 28

Which of the following is a typical result of teamwork in a healthcare facility?

A) Patient satisfaction is low.
B) Tasks take longer to complete.
C) Activities are difficult to coordinate.
D) Job satisfaction is high.
E) No one needs to depend on anyone else.

Question 29

Which of the following is not one of the stages that lead to burnout?

A) Full-scale burnout phase
B) Honeymoon phase
C) Phoenix phenomenon
D) Boredom phase
E) Brownout phase

Question 30

Which of the following is not an example of a hard skill?

A) Scheduling appointments
B) Interviewing patients
C) Being honest
D) Taking vital signs
E) Coding for insurance purposes

Question 31

Soft skills are difficult to observe and evaluate because they reflect a person's ____.

A) attitudes
B) technical skills
C) experience level
D) clinical techniques
E) appearance

Question 32

Which of the following statements describes knowledge?

A) Memorizing the steps in a procedure
B) Understanding what a patient feels without having the experience yourself
C) Observing professional boundaries
D) Ability to learn, retain, and process information
E) Understanding the "why" of what you are doing

Question 33

Which of the following occurrences is not likely to be a cause of stress?

A) Making a good grade on a test
B) Forgetting to complete a homework assignment
C) Learning a new skill for your job
D) Dealing with an angry patient on the phone
E) Having an argument with your best friend

Question 34

Which of the following is not considered part of team dynamics?

A) Taking credit for individual successes
B) Assisting each other on a daily basis
C) Avoiding interpersonal conflict with other team members
D) Performing extra responsibilities without complaining
E) Being considerate of all team members' responsibilities

Question 35

Which of the following statements describes someone who is experiencing the awakening phase in the stages that lead to burnout?

A) You realize that your initial expectations were unrealistic.
B) You lose your self-confidence and self-esteem.
C) You are delighted with your job, your coworkers, and the organization.
D) You arise from the burnout ashes, adjusting to reality.
E) You become increasingly tired, bored, and frustrated.

Question 36

Continuing inspite of difficulties, being determined, and overcoming obstacles are characteristics of a person who is ____.

A) caring
B) organized
C) persistent
D) knowledgeable
E) honest

Question 37

Which of the following actions is most likely to help a person reduce stress?

A) Reduce the amount of time you spend exercising each week
B) Allow yourself exactly 6 hours of sleep each night
C) Identify sources of conflict and try to resolve them.
D) Increase the number of snacks you eat between meals.
E) Oppose anything that will cause a change in your life.

Question 38

Knowing what you know and what you don't know is part of being ____.

A) persistent
B) judgmental
C) punctual
D) organized
E) self-confident

Question 39

Tracy works in the billing and coding department of a busy outpatient clinic. She receives a phone call from an irate patient who claims he was overcharged by $246.73 for a recent procedure. Tracy could not immediately find the patient's record, so she followed the problem-solving steps and implemented what she considered to be the best solution: tell the patient that she would look into it and call the patient back. The patient becomes even angrier, saying that he "will not stand for being put off like that." What should Tracy do now?

A) Tell the patient she cannot help him and hang up the phone.
B) Place the patient on hold for 30 minutes while she looks up the records.
C) Repeat the steps of the problem-solving process to find another solution.
D) Report to her supervisor that a patient is verbally abusing her.
E) Tell the patient she will adjust his account because "the patient is always right."

Question 40

The first step in the problem-solving process is to ____.

A) analyze the potential solutions and strategies
B) identify the problem and define it clearly
C) clearly identify the objectives to be achieved
D) implement the strategy that appears to be the best solution
E) identify the potential effects of the problem

Question 41

Which of the following is not recommended for maintaining a professional appearance?

A) Wearing clean, white shoes
B) Wearing clothes in the latest fashion
C) Keeping jewelry to a minimum
D) Making sure tattoos are not visible
E) Choosing a flattering, conservative hairstyle

Question 42

People who are the highest achievers both personally and professionally are generally those who use ________ management techniques routinely.

Question 43

The specific technical and operational proficiencies needed to perform a job in a specific profession are known as ________ skills.

Question 44

Showing concern and appropriate attention for a patient without enabling poor behaviors is an example of ________.

Question 45

Employers look for employees whose professional behaviors produce a good ________ ethic.

Question 46

Keeping a binder or electronic file with sections for assignments, notes, syllabus, and instructor and student contact information is an example of being ________.

Question 47

The first impression the medical assistant will make on patients, coworkers, and providers is their _________.

A) appearance
B) technical expertise
C) credentials
D) professional behavior
E) work quality

Question 48

An 8-year-old girl is brought to the outpatient clinic by her mother, who states that the child fell while playing and may have broken her arm. You gently ask the child if you can look at her arm, but she runs to the corner of the room and crouches down, terrified. A closer look reveals half-healed bruises on both arms. You leave the room and report to the licensed practitioner that you suspect that the child is being abused. In doing this, what professional behavior is being displayed?

A) Patient advocacy
B) Respecting cultural diversity
C) Maintaining professional boundaries
D) Accepting constructive criticism
E) Showing self-confidence

Question 49

Brent is attempting to interview a woman who came to the clinic because she is having pains in her side. He is trying to find out the type and level of pain she is experiencing, but every time he asks her a question, her husband answers for her. She has not spoken a single word to Brent during the entire interview. Brent is becoming a little annoyed, but he smiles and carries out the interview as best he can. He treats both the woman and her husband with great respect. Which professional behavior is Brent displaying?

A) Patient advocacy
B) Respecting cultural diversity
C) Maintaining professional appearance
D) Accepting constructive criticism
E) Showing self-confidence

Question 50

Dorothy is a 6-year-old child who has severe asthma and comes in frequently for checkups. She is a happy, friendly child, and the entire office is fond of her. One day you notice a coworker giving Dorothy a little handmade ragdoll. Which professional behavior does your coworker need to improve?

A) Work quality
B) Patient relations
C) Professional boundaries
D) Professional appearance
E) Communication

Question 51

Explaining a bill to an irate patient in a tactful, inoffensive manner is an example of good ________ skills.

Question 52

Which of the following is not a technique for maintaining professional boundaries with a patient?

A) Avoid giving the patient money
B) Address the patient by his or her last name
C) Use only tasteful, appropriate humor
D) Agree to meet the patient outside the workplace
E) Do not offer advice on personal matters.

Question 53

To accomplish several tasks in the most efficient manner, you should first ________ the tasks.

Question 54

Using ­­­­____________ skills will help the medical assistant reduce stress and accomplish more during the hours of a workday.

Question 55

The end result of prolonged periods of stress without relief is often ________.

Question 56

After listening to Hailey, a new employee, discussing a past due account with a patient, Lynda quietly takes Hailey aside and suggests a more diplomatic way to have handled the situation. Hailey thanks Lynda for the suggestion and says she will remember it in future conversations with patients. What professional characteristic is Hailey displaying?

A) Knowledge
B) Persistence
C) Acceptance of criticism
D) Teamwork
E) Professional appearance

Question 57

Which of the following is not included in the professional behavior of comprehension?

A) Having information
B) Analyzing information
C) Knowing how to use information
D) Retaining information
E) Releasing information

Question 58

The ability to learn, retain, and process information is ________.

Question 59

The personal qualifications and behaviors that enhance your job performance and career prospects are called ________ skills.

Question 60

When you prioritize your work for the day, you use ________, thinking skills to determine which are the most important tasks and which are less important.

Question 61

Other words for ________ include perseverance and tenacity.

Question 62

The variety of human social structures, belief systems, and strategies for adapting to situations in different parts of the world is referred to as cultural ________.

Question 63

Another term for critical thinking is ________.

Question 64

Adhering to the appropriate code of law and ethics and being honest and trustworthy are characteristics of a person who has ________.

Question 65

Being on time for work every day is the professional behavior of ________.

Question 66

Understanding gained through study and experience is called ________.

Question 67

Maintaining professional _________ means treating patients as clients, without becoming involved in issues unrelated to their healthcare.

Question 68

What phase of burnout is an individual in when early enthusiasm and energy give way to chronic fatigue and irritability?

A) Full-scale burnout phase
B) Honeymoon phase
C) Phoenix phenomenon phase
D) Boredom phase
E) Burnout phase

Question 69

Working well with others in the best interest of completing a job is known as ________.

Question 70

If you show ________, other people feel you know what you are doing, which puts them at ease.

Question 71

When a medical assistant speaks or acts on the behalf of the patient in certain circumstances, the medical assistant is acting as a ________________.

Question 72

Striving for excellence in doing your job and having pride in your performance contributes to excellent work ________.

Question 73

Wearing an approved uniform that is clean and pressed is part of maintaining a(n) ________ appearance.

Question 74

Personal qualifications or behaviors that enhance an individual's job performance are known as ___________.

Question 75

When a medical assistant working with a terminally ill patient tries to understand how the patient feels about his or her experience without ever going through that type of experience, the medical assistant is showing _________ toward the patient.

A) cultural awareness
B) empathy
C) sympathy
D) kindness
E) comprehension