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Certified Medical Assistant — Practice Exam

Emergencies and first aid: practice questions

Our Medical Assistant bank has 20 questions on this topic. Here are 4 of them with answers; the full mock exam draws from every topic, like the real one.

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Question 1

What is the first action for a patient who is bleeding heavily from a wound?

  1. Apply direct pressure with a clean dressing
  2. Apply a tourniquet as the very first step
  3. Elevate the leg and wait for it to stop alone
  4. Wash the wound with soap before anything else
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A. Apply direct pressure with a clean dressing — Use a tourniquet for life-threatening limb bleeding that pressure doesn't control.

Question 2

What should a medical assistant do if a patient reports chest pain in the waiting room?

  1. Give the patient an antacid and recheck in an hour
  2. Tell the patient to drive to the emergency room
  3. Notify the provider at once and follow the office's emergency protocol
  4. Ask the patient to wait their turn for the appointment
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C. Notify the provider at once and follow the office's emergency protocol — Chest pain must be triaged immediately.

Question 3

What is the best way to stop a nosebleed?

  1. Sit leaning forward and pinch the soft part of the nose for 10 to 15 minutes
  2. Blow the nose hard to clear any clots
  3. Pack the nose with dry tissue and stand up
  4. Lie flat on the back with the head tilted back
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A. Sit leaning forward and pinch the soft part of the nose for 10 to 15 minutes — Leaning back can cause swallowing of blood.

Question 4

Which symptoms suggest a heart attack?

  1. A runny nose, sneezing and itchy eyes that come and go each spring
  2. Chest pressure or pain that may spread to the arm, jaw or back, with sweating or shortness of breath
  3. A sharp pain in one toe that gets worse after eating rich foods
  4. A dull ache in the lower back after lifting heavy boxes at work
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B. Chest pressure or pain that may spread to the arm, jaw or back, with sweating or shortness of breath — Women may have less typical symptoms such as fatigue or nausea.

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