Symptoms of severe chest pain and shortness of breath are potential signs of a life-threatening emergency like a heart attack. The medical assistant’s duty is to recognize this and instruct the patient to seek emergency services without delay. All other options involve unacceptable delays.

Standard infection control protocols require a clean barrier, such as disposable paper or a clean sheet, on the exam table for every patient. The correct action is to obtain the proper supplies and prepare the table correctly, even if it causes a minor delay, to prevent cross-contamination.

A lipid panel requires a 9-12 hour fast for accurate results, particularly for triglyceride levels. A non-fasting sample would yield invalid results. The CMA should use their knowledge of test requirements to educate the patient and reschedule the fasting portion appropriately, documenting the patient’s non-fasting status.

To prevent medication errors, a complete transmission requires the patient’s full identifiers (name, DOB), and the complete prescription details: drug name, exact strength/dosage, administration instructions (frequency, route), and the number of refills authorized by the provider. The DEA number is only needed for controlled substances.

To maintain HIPAA compliance and an accurate legal record, the information must be entered into the patient’s official record (the EHR). After the data is accurately transcribed or scanned into the system, the paper document, which contains protected health information (PHI), must be destroyed via secure shredding to prevent a privacy breach.

Using untrained family members as interpreters violates patient privacy and risks critical miscommunication regarding medical history, symptoms, and care instructions. Federal guidelines and best practice require the use of qualified, professional interpreters to ensure informed consent and accurate communication.

In a blood pressure reading (e.g., 162/98), the first number (162) is the systolic pressure (pressure during heart contraction). The second number (98) is the diastolic pressure (pressure when the heart is at rest between beats). Accurate documentation requires knowing this fundamental terminology.

The goal is to de-escalate the situation while maintaining safety and privacy. Moving the conversation to a private area removes the audience, shows respect for the patient’s frustration, and allows for a calmer resolution without alarming other patients. Immediate calls to security or confrontational commands can escalate tension unnecessarily.

This option correctly structures the note using the SOAP format: Subjective (S) patient statements, Objective (O) measurable data, Assessment (A) diagnosis/condition status, and Plan (P) for treatment/follow-up. It is complete, objective, and follows the standard professional documentation format.

Symptoms of severe chest pain and shortness of breath are potential signs of a life-threatening emergency like a heart attack. The medical assistant’s duty is to recognize this and instruct the patient to seek emergency services without delay. All other options involve unacceptable delays.0