Deck 5: Microbiology

Question 1

Which of the following can be seen only with an electron microscope?

A) Molds
B) Bacteria
C) Viruses
D) Pathogens
E) Internal organs

Answer 1

Viruses

Question 2

Which of the following abbreviations refers to a procedural codebook using a numerical system updated annually by the
American Medical Association?

A) HCPCS
B) HCFA
C) ICD-9-CM
D) CPT
E) UCR

Answer 2

CPT

Question 3

What is the plural of atrium?

A) Atrius
B) Atrium
C) Atriae
D) Atriums
E) Atria

Answer 3

Atria

Question 4

Thrombolysis is

A) the surgical reconstruction of blood vessels.
B) the blockage of blood vessels.
C) the destruction of a clot.
D) the surgical removal of a clot.
E) an abnormal condition of blood.

Question 5

Which of the following muscles of the body is the preferred injection site for infants?

A) Gluteus medius
B) Deltoid
C) Vastus lateralis
D) Ventrogluteal
E) Gluteus maximus

Question 6

Which of the following is the most common massage modality used in the medical office?

A) Kneading
B) Tapping
C) Rubbing
D) Stroking
E) All of these

Question 7

Which of the following is a myelocele?

A) Herniation of a muscle
B) Herniation of a nerve
C) Herniation of an umbilicus
D) Herniation of the spinal cord
E) Herniation of the diaphragm

Question 8

A mucous membrane represents which of the following in the chain of infection transmission?

A) Infectious agent
B) Means of exit
C) Means of entry
D) Reservoir
E) Susceptible host

Question 9

Which of the following is true about the scope of education and training for medical assistants?

A) Medical assistants are allowed to diagnose patients when the physician is absent and the case needs urgent medical attention.
B) Medical assistants can give out diagnostic opinions when performing emergency triage.
C) In some states, medical assistants are not allowed to draw blood.
D) Medical assistants should not be responsible for keeping controlled substances secure.
E) Medical assistants should not be responsible for treating terminally ill patients, especially patients diagnosed with AIDS.

Question 10

Which of the following is used to record the difference between the debit and credit columns?

A) Balance column
B) Adjustment column
C) Trial balance
D) Credit balance
E) Journal column

Question 11

An unpredictable small cash expenditure, such as buying a cup of coffee for a visiting physician, can be covered by a(n)

A) Superbill.
B) emergency bill.
C) petty cash fund.
D) bank draft.
E) money order.

Question 12

Dermatitis is

A) inflammation of the skin.
B) chronic itching and swelling of the skin.
C) chronic pain under the skin.
D) inflammation of the hair follicles.
E) inflammation of the kidneys.

Question 13

Which of the following is true of a living will?

A) A living will is legal if two witnesses have signed it.
B) A living will is legal if there is a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order.
C) A living will is legal if the patient is competent at the time of its creation.
D) A living will is legal if the patient is competent to create such a will and two witnesses sign it and attest to its accuracy.
E) A living will is legal if there is a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order AND it is legal if the patient is competent to create such a will
And two witnesses sign it and attest to its accuracy.

Question 14

In each journal entry in a double-entry accounting system, the dollar amount of a debit must be equal to the dollar amount of a

A) receivable.
B) credit.
C) balance.
D) equity.
E) None of these

Question 15

Which of the following statements about nonabsorbable sutures is incorrect?

A) Sizes 2-0 through 6-0 are the most commonly used.
B) They range in thickness from size 16-0 to 0-0.
C) Size 0 is the thickest.
D) They are made of polyester, steel, silk, or nylon.
E) They are generally used for outer tissues of the body.

Question 16

Cleaning products used on human tissues as anti-infection agents are called

A) germicides.
B) antigens.
C) antibodies.
D) disinfection agents.
E) antiseptics.

Question 17

Helping the patient to stay on a particular topic with directing questions and statements is known as

A) focusing.
B) restating.
C) reflecting.
D) stressing.
E) completing.

Question 18

Which of the following arteries is most commonly used to monitor upper limb circulation, especially the pulse rate in adults?

A) Dorsalis pedis
B) Posterior tibial
C) Popliteal
D) Radial
E) Internal iliac

Question 19

Which of the following mail types will guarantee overnight delivery?

A) Special Delivery First-Class
B) Registered First-Class
C) Certified First-Class
D) Priority
E) Express

Question 20

Which of the following statements is true of TRICARE claims processing?

A) The patient may be billed for the entire deductible and the coinsurance portion of the allowed charge.
B) If the office does not accept assignment from TRICARE, the patient has to submit the claim forms.
C) The claim forms are always filed by the office, using the CMS-1500.
D) The patient may be billed for the entire deductible and the coinsurance portion of the allowed charge AND the claim forms are
Always filed by the office, using the CMS-1500.
E) The patient may be billed for the entire deductible and the coinsurance portion of the allowed charge AND if the office does not
Accept assignment from TRICARE, the patient has to submit the claim forms.

Question 21

Open-ended questions

A) should never be asked of patients.
B) should be asked of all patients.
C) should be asked of adults, but not of children.
D) should be asked of children, but not of adults.
E) should be asked of difficult patients only.

Question 22

In a network, a common connection point for the devices containing ports is called a

A) microprocessor.
B) touch pad.
C) mouse.
D) control unit.
E) hub.

Question 23

Which of the following types of filing systems is most appropriate for the research materials maintained by a physician?

A) Tickler
B) Numerical
C) Subject
D) Alphabetical
E) Geographical

Question 24

The color of serum may be green because of

A) hemoglobin.
B) cholesterol.
C) albumin.
D) bilirubin.
E) ketones.

Question 25

When you receive a check as payment from a patient, you should

A) endorse it immediately and write "for deposit only" on its back.
B) endorse it and deposit it as soon as possible.
C) use a qualified endorsement by writing "without recourse" above the signature.
D) write "for deposit only" on the back and deposit it with your bank.
E) None of these

Question 26

Touching someone to show sensitivity and empathy is

A) discouraged for most medical assistants.
B) usually acceptable on the shoulder, back, or hand.
C) acceptable, so long as you are aware of cultural and personal differences and adjust your style accordingly.
D) usually acceptable on the shoulder, back, or hand AND acceptable, so long as you are aware of cultural and personal
Differences and adjust your style accordingly.
E) None of these

Question 27

What is meant by ectopic?

A) Otocleisis
B) Misplaced
C) Dilation
D) Surplus
E) Maternal

Question 28

Joe, a five-year-old patient at your pediatric practice, has recently been coming in consistently bruised, looking malnourished, and too frightened to talk about what has been happening to him. You suspect child abuse; however, when you question the mother of the boy, she claims that Joe is just very accident-prone and has never been a big eater, but there is really nothing else wrong. What should you do?

A) Report it as suspected child abuse to the physician, and report it to the authorities together.
B) Do not report it, because the parents of the child might later sue you for slander.
C) Make a note of it in Joe's medical records, but acknowledge that you are powerless until Joe comes to you for help.
D) Call the police immediately.
E) None of these

Question 29

Which of the following procedures would require the patient's written consent?

A) Removing a splinter from under a nail
B) Treating a fourteen-year-old boy for an emergency
C) Major surgery
D) Giving a twenty-five-year-old woman a Pap smear
E) None of these

Question 30

Educational charts, sound recordings, and films are often sent as

A) Media Matter.
B) Priority Mail.
C) Library Mail.
D) International Mail.
E) Parcel Post.

Question 31

Bleeding between menstrual periods is called

A) menorrhagia.
B) amenorrhea.
C) metrorrhagia.
D) amnesia.
E) ovulation.

Question 32

A substance that inhibits the growth of bacteria is called

A) protozoa.
B) bactericidal.
C) bacteriostatic.
D) aflatoxin.
E) chemotroph.

Question 33

A six-year-old child who starts sucking his thumb when his new brother is born is exhibiting which type of defense mechanism?

A) Repression
B) Projection
C) Regression
D) Denial
E) Displacement

Question 34

The nonremovable magnetic medium inside a computer where information is stored is called a

A) hard drive.
B) keyboard.
C) modem.
D) mouse.
E) cd-rom.

Question 35

Which of the following is determined by comparing the actual fee charged by physicians in the same specialty?

A) Fee schedule
B) Accepting assignment
C) Usual fee
D) Usual, customary, and reasonable (UCR) fee
E) Resource-Based Relative Value Scale

Question 36

The term malleolus refers to a type of bone that is

A) straight.
B) broken.
C) rounded.
D) long.
E) fractured.

Question 37

What percentage of a practice's gross income should be devoted to purchasing supplies?

A) Not more than 3%
B) Not more than 20%
C) Not more than 6%
D) Not more than 15%
E) Not more than 50%

Question 38

Computer memory is usually measured in

A) inches.
B) cubic centimeters.
C) processor time.
D) megahertz.
E) bytes.

Question 39

Which of the following is a flat, bladelike bone that forms the midanterior portion of the upper trunk?

A) Scapula
B) Sternum
C) Xiphoid process
D) Clavicle
E) Pelvis

Question 40

When should you collate patient records?

A) Once a month
B) The day before a patient is seen
C) The day a patient is seen, while the patient is in the waiting room
D) Once a week
E) Once a day

Question 41

Which of the following conditions may cause plasma outside the body to be pink or red in color?

A) Hemotomes
B) Hemoptysis
C) Hemolysis
D) Hematoma
E) Icterus

Question 42

Which type of drug always requires a prescription and may be refilled five times in six months when authorized by the physician?

A) Schedule I
B) Schedule III
C) Schedule V
D) Schedules III and IV

Question 43

Which of the following microbes lives only in the absence of oxygen?

A) Obligate anaerobe
B) Facultative anaerobe
C) Heterotroph
D) Facultative aerobe
E) Pathogens

Question 44

The suffix that means "flow"or "discharge" is

A) - ra
B) -rrhexis
C) -rrho
D) -rrhaphy
E) -rrhea

Question 45

When a patient has both Medicare and Medicaid,

A) you need to prepare two forms and file with Medicare first.
B) claims are automatically forwarded from Medicare to Medicaid.
C) claims no longer need to be filed on a CMS-1500.
D) you need to file with Medicaid and Medicare at the same time, dividing the claim amounts equally.
E) you need to file the claim with Medicaid first and then with Medicare.

Question 46

In a malpractice suit that involves the accidental injury of a patient during a surgical procedure, such as the removal of a healthy body part,

A) the physician's lawyers will emphasize the concept of respondeat superior.
B) the court has the burden of proving the physician's guilt.
C) the Latin phrase res ipsa loquitur does not apply.
D) the patient has the burden of proving the physician's guilt.
E) the physician has the burden of proving innocence.

Question 47

Which of the following files is used as a reminder?

A) Subject
B) Numerical
C) Inactive
D) Cue
E) Tickler

Question 48

According to the USDA's Food Guide Pyramid, six to eleven servings of which of the following foods should be consumed daily?

A) Fruit
B) Vegetables
C) Milk, cheese, and yogurt
D) Meat, fish, and poultry
E) Bread, rice, and pasta

Question 49

Overdue accounts are identified by

A) skip tracing.
B) cycle billing.
C) account aging.
D) cost accounting.
E) utilization review.

Question 50

The energy that is necessary to keep the body functioning at a minimal level is known as

A) thermogenesis.
B) catabolism.
C) basal reaction.
D) metabolic reaction.
E) basal metabolism.

Question 51

The loss of at least what percentage of total blood volume can be life-threatening or fatal?

A) 5% to 10%
B) 15% to 20%
C) 20% to 25%
D) 25% to 40%
E) 50% to 70%

Question 52

Which of the following terms means surgical removal of the gallbladder?

A) Colostomy
B) Cholelithotomy
C) Cholangiostomy
D) Cholectomy
E) Cholecystectomy

Question 53

Which of the following conditions may give plasma or serum a milky, or turbid, appearance?

A) Hyperglycemia
B) Hyperlipidemia
C) Hypercalcemia
D) Hypolipidemia
E) Hypoglycemia

Question 54

Which of the following types of drugs is used for seizures?

A) Antidepressants
B) Antihidrotics
C) Antianxiety agents
D) Antipsychotics
E) Antiepileptics

Question 55

If an insurance company has rejected a claim because no preauthorization was obtained, what should your medical office do?

A) Write a letter of appeal and review the patient's contract.
B) Bill the patient.
C) Resubmit the claim with proper preauthorization.
D) Call the carrier, and take the company to court if necessary.
E) Write off the claim as a loss.

Question 56

According to the Truth in Lending Act, a written agreement is required if a patient agrees to pay his or her debt in a minimum of how many installments?

A) Two
B) Three
C) Four
D) Five
E) Six

Question 57

The postal abbreviation for Minnesota is _____.

A) MT
B) MN
C) MI
D) MA
E) MS

Question 58

What does cardiomalacia mean?

A) Stretching of the heart
B) Rupture of the heart
C) Softening of the heart
D) Hypertrophy of the heart
E) Drooping of the heart at the normal location

Question 59

Hemoptysis should be recorded under which of the following body systems?

A) Integumentary
B) Circulatory
C) Respiratory
D) Lymphatic
E) Gastrointestinal

Question 60

Balance billing refers to

A) a practice that all participating providers of an HMO engage in.
B) billing a third-party provider for all delinquent accounts.
C) billing the patient for the difference between the usual fee and the allowed charge.
D) auditing the office's billing practices.
E) comparing the bank statements to the practice's own financial records.

Question 61

Which of the following is described as a contrast bath?

A) Two baths, one filled with hot water and the other with cold milk
B) Two baths, one agitated by jets of air under pressure and the other not
C) Two baths, one filled with cold water and the other with hot water
D) Two baths, one dry and the other wet

Question 62

Which of the following acts provides immunity from liability for any civil damages to volunteers at the scene of an accident?

A) Self-Determination Act
B) Good Samaritan Act
C) Uniform Anatomical Gift Act
D) Bill of Rights
E) Medical Liability Emergency Act

Question 63

Which law controls the distribution and use of all drugs with abuse potential?

A) Controlled Substance Act of 1970
B) Drug Regulation and Reform Act of 1978
C) Orphan Drug Act of 1983
D) Toxic Drug Act of 1975
E) Substance Regulation Act of 1980

Question 64

When a tuberculin test is performed, at which of the following angles is the needle inserted?

A) 5 degrees
B) 15 degrees
C) 30 degrees
D) 45 degrees
E) 90 degrees

Question 65

Flushing of the ear canal to remove impacted cerumen is called

A) ear instillation.
B) ear irrigation.
C) tympanectomy.
D) weber's test.
E) rinne test.

Question 66

Abnormal spots in the mouth are a sign of

A) Chickenpox.
B) Measles.
C) German measles
D) Warts.
E) Diphtheria.

Question 67

In testing for candidiasis, which of the following substances should be mixed with the vaginal specimen?

A) Sterile water
B) Tap water
C) Iodine solution
D) Sodium hydroxide
E) Potassium hydroxide

Question 68

Which of the following extensions is used in the website address for the American Association of Medical Assistants?

A) .net
B) .org
C) .edu
D) .com
E) .gov

Question 69

Biofeedback is a process that can help a person learn to control

A) internal physiological systems.
B) external physiological systems.
C) environmental systems.
D) other people.
E) emotional trauma.

Question 70

All of the following drugs are used for general anesthesia EXCEPT

A) etomidate.
B) chloroform.
C) lidocaine.
D) midazolam.
E) nitrous oxide.

Question 71

Which of the following systems is the least structured of all the scheduling systems?

A) Open hours
B) Wave scheduling
C) Advance scheduling
D) Modified wave scheduling
E) Double booking

Question 72

Intercostal means

A) between two coasts, in reference to the coverage area of some insurance companies.
B) pertaining to an area between the ribs.
C) between two joints.
D) pertaining to an area between the vertebrae.
E) pertaining to a disease that affects a large geograp.

Question 73

The process of listening for sounds within the body is called

A) palpation.
B) percussion.
C) auscultation.
D) menstruation.
E) inspection.

Question 74

Unconsciously returning to more infantile thoughts or behaviors is referred to as

A) repression.
B) regression.
C) substitution.
D) rationalization.
E) introjection.

Question 75

The most appropriate filing system for organizing and storing medical research material is the ___________ system.

A) tickler.
B) alphabetical.
C) subject.
D) numerical.
E) chronological.

Question 76

Which of the following features of a transcription machine is most useful when the physician speaks quickly?

A) Tone control
B) Speed of the typist
C) Indicator strip
D) Volume control
E) Stop-and-start control

Question 77

The most common scheduling system used in urgent care centers is

A) open booking.
B) wave.
C) modified wave.
D) stream.
E) cluster.

Question 78

Acetone breath can be smelled in which of the following conditions?

A) Septic shock
B) Insulin shock
C) Diabetic coma
D) Hyperlipidemia
E) Hypercalcemia

Question 79

In sensitivity testing, a clear zone around the disk indicates that

A) there has been no growth of microorganisms.
B) the antimicrobial agent is ineffective.
C) the antimicrobial agent is effective.
D) the culture medium is outdated.
E) the culture medium has been effective.

Question 80

If induration from the Mantoux tuberculin test is less than 10 mm, it is considered a negative reaction. However, all of
The following people with an induration of 5 mm or more are considered to have a positive reaction, except

A) migrant workers.
B) infants.
C) children.
D) adults exposed to active tuberculosis.
E) immunosuppressed patients.