SmarterMA Terms Flashcards
1
Q
“Ac”
A
“Before meals” (“ante cibum”)
2
Q
“Pc”
A
“After meals”
3
Q
“Bid”
A
Two times daily
4
Q
“Tid”
A
Three times daily
5
Q
“Qid”
A
Four times daily
6
Q
Qh
A
Every hour
7
Q
Q4h
A
Every 4 hours
8
Q
Q8h
A
Every 8 hours
9
Q
Q12h
A
Every 12 hours
10
Q
Qd
A
Every day
11
Q
“PRN”
A
As needed (“pro re nata”)
12
Q
“Stat”
A
Immediately, ASAP
13
Q
AM
A
Morning
14
Q
PM
A
Evening
15
Q
“gtt”
A
Drops
16
Q
“Po”
A
By mouth
17
Q
“Pr”
A
Rectally, dosage route
18
Q
“Pv”
A
Vaginally, dosage route
19
Q
“Otic”
A
In the ear, dosage route
20
Q
“Opth”
A
In the eye, dosage route
21
Q
“Sol”
A
Solution
22
Q
“Tab”
A
Tablet
23
Q
“Qs”
A
As much as is needed
24
Q
“Sig”
A
Write (on the label)
25
SubQ/SQ/SC
Subcutaneous
26
“Supp”
Suppository
27
“Sl”
Sublingual
28
“Top”
Topical, dosage route
29
Absorption
(Medication pathways)
Process by which a drug enters the bloodstream after administration
30
Distribution
(Medication pathways)
The process by which a drug is transported throughout the body via the circulatory system
31
Metabolism
(Medication pathways)
The process by which the body breaks down a drug into smaller components, making it easier to eliminate from the body
32
Excretion
(Medication pathways)
The process by which a drug and its metabolites are eliminated from the body
33
Hemoptysis
Coughing up of blood
34
Hematesis
Vomiting up of blood
35
Hematuria
Blood in the urine
36
Amenorrhea
Absence of a menstrual period
37
Menarche
The first menstrual period
38
Dysmenorrhea
Severe cramping during menstrual periods
39
Tardive
Slow onset of symptoms
40
Nosocomial
Diseases acquired while in a healthcare setting
41
Ischemia
Restriction of oxygen-rich blood to a part of the body
42
Hypertrophy
The enlargement of an organ or tissue
43
Hypotrophy
The underdevelopment of an organ or tissue
44
Necrosis
Death of a cell or tissue
45
Sign
Objective, observable by others (ex. fever, rash, et.)
46
Symptom
Subjective, self-reported by the patient (ex. pain, nausea, et.)
47
Sign v Symptom
Signs are objective while symptoms are subjective
48
“Sx”
Symptoms
49
“nsf”
No significant findings
50
“ns”
No-show
51
“Pe”
Physical exam
52
“Sob”
Shortness of breath
53
Pharmacokinetics
The branch of pharmacology concerned with how the body moves drugs through the body
54
Pharmacotherapeutics
The study of how medications are used to treat medical conditions (the effectiveness and safety of drug treatments)
55
Pharmacodynamics
Studies the biochemical and physiological effects of drugs and their mechanisms of action (how drugs affect the body)
56
Pharmacogenetics
The study which combines pharmacology and genomics to understand how an individual’s genes affect their response to drugs
57
Myalgia
Muscular pain
58
Malaise
The general feeling of discomfort and fatigue when sick
59
Neuropathy
Conditions which affect the nerves
60
Neuralgia
Severe, shooting, or stabbing pain that occurs along the course of a nerve
61
Diaphoresis
Extreme sweating
62
Anhidrosis
Lack of sweating
63
Ascites
The abnormal fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity
64
Parenteral
A route of medication administration which bypasses the digestive tract (commonly via injection)
65
Epistaxis
Nose bleed
66
Antineoplastics
A class of drugs designed to treat cancer by slowing down the growth and spread of cancer cells
67
Antipyretics
A class of drugs which reduce fevers (anti-fever meds)
68
Drug Schedule I
Not acceptable for medical use; high potential for abuse
69
Drug Schedule II
Acceptable for medical use; high potential for abuse
70
Drug Schedule III
Acceptable for medical use; lower potential for abuse
71
Drug Schedule IV
Acceptable for medical use; lower potential for abuse
72
Drug Schedule V
Acceptable for medical use; lowest potential for abuse
73
A BMI less than 18.5 is considered…
Underweight
73
A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered…
Normal weight
74
A BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered…
Overweight
75
A BMI greater than 30 is considered…
Obese
76
A BP <120/<80 is considered…
Normal
77
A BP of 120-129/<80 is considered…
Elevated
78
A BP of 130-139/80-89 is considered…
Stage I Hypertension
79
A BP of >140/>90 is considered…
Stage II Hypertension
80
A BP of >180/>120 is considered…
Hypertensive Crisis
81
“-pathy”
Relating to disease (suffix)
82
Dysuria
Painful urination
83
“-emia”
Relating to a blood condition (suffix)
84
“-ole”
Refers to something small (suffix)
85
Mnemonic for blood draw order
Your Brother Robert Gives Lovely Gifts
86
How many electrodes are required for a 12-lead EKG?
10 leads.
87
Mnemonic for capillary blood draw order
Gasp, Lucy GreetS Ozzy's Son
Gasp = Blood gases (green, lithium heparin)
Lucy = Lavender
GreetS = Green (sodium heparin)
Ozzys = Other additives (grey)
Son = Serum tubes (yellow/gold/red)
88
Which administration route is utilized to complete a Mantoux (PPD) test?
Intradermal injection
89
When collecting a capillary sample for a peripheral blood smear, what guidelines should be kept in place?
- Wipe the initial drop of blood with gauze and use the second drop of blood
- Puncture the skin perpendicular to the grooves of the fingerprint to form a blood drop
- Puncture the middle or ring fingers
- Touch the blood to the slide between 0.5 to 1.0 inches from the end of the slide
90
An interrupted baseline EKG artifact made up of a disruption of the tracing and a flat line are indicative that…
An EKG lead has been disconnected
91
A somatic tremor EKG artifact made up of jagged, up-and-down spikes is indicative of…
Excessive patient movement
92
Weber test for audition
1) Place a vibrating tuning fork on the patient’s forehead or head
2) Ask the patient to indicate when they hear the sound equally in both ears
3) If the sound is heard more loudly in one ear, it may indicate an issue with that ear
93
Rinne test for audition
1) Place a vibrating tuning fork on the patient’s mastoid bone (behind the ear)
2) Ask the patient to indicate when they can no longer hear the sound equally
3) Hold the tuning fork in front of the patient’s ear and ask them to indicate when they can no longer hear the sound
4) Compare the length of time the sound was heard by the patient when it was placed on the bone versus when it was held in front of the ear
5) If the sound is heard longer when the tuning fork is held on the patient’s mastoid bone (behind the ear) or if heard longer when the tuning fork is in front of the ear but not twice as long, it may indicate an issue with the ear
94
When processing a urine specimen, which factors must be considered?
- Ideal volume of 30-45 mL
- Patient should not flush the toilet
- Temperature should be recorded within 4 minutes to ensure freshness
95
When processing a urine specimen, which factors must be considered?
- Ideal volume of 30-45 mL
- Patient should not flush the toilet
- Temperature should be recorded within 4 minutes to ensure freshness
96
A newborn screening card should be collected when?
Between 24 and 48 hours of birth. This allows the baby to have already eaten and stabilized.
97
In an obese patient, which vein is typically the only one which can be palpated and is considered the second best site for venipuncture?
Cephalic vein
98
How many times should an EDTA tube be flipped?
8-10 times.
“Yellow, Lavender, Green, and Grey, flip them 8 to 10 today!”
99
What could be the cause of AC interference on an EKG?
Cell phone use due to the electrical interference.
100
How long should one wait before checking the results of an allergen scratch test?
15-20 minutes.
101
How far apart should individual allergens be tested during an allergen scratch test?
1-2 inches apart
102
Which bandaging technique is used to wrap a sprained ankle?
Figure 8 technique
103
What is an example of a blood draw that must be placed on ice within 30 minutes of collection?
Arterial blood gases (ABG), lactic acid, ammonia, pyruvate
104
What are factors to consider during an at-home semen specimen collection?
- Patients should abstain from ejaculation for 2-7 days prior to collection
- Use of a sterile container
- Avoid condom use to collect sperm as they likely have spermicides
- The sample should be kept warm and protected from light
- Specimen must be analyzed within 1 hour of collection
105
If a patient cannot tell the difference between red and green, what tool should be used to assess this?
Ishihara chart
106
What is a Snellen chart used for?
The Snellen chart is used to measure visual acuity at a distance of 20 feet.
107
What is impedance audiometry utilized for?
Impudence audiometry assesses the function of the middle ear and hearing
108
What is a tonometer utilized for?
A tonometer is utilized to measure the pressure inside of the eye (intraocular pressure)
109
What is an Ishihara chart utilized for?
The Ishihara chart is utilized to evaluate a patient’s color vision.
110
How long is urine collected during a urine creatinine test?
For a urine creatinine test, urine is collected for 24 hours.
111
What test result does warfarin administration affect?
PT/INR (Prothrombin time/International Normalized Ratio)
112
True/False: Allowing an alcohol rub to dry before inserting a needle is critical to preventing hemolysis.
True.
113
What is the dimension of a standard calibration square on an EKG sheet?
10 mm height x 5 mm width
114
How much does one large box measure on an EKG?
0.2 seconds
115
How much does one small box measure on an EKG?
0.04 seconds
116
What is the normal setting for the standardization mark on an EKG print out?
10 mm/mV
118
Airborne transmission precaution should be followed by a medical assistant when handling which of the following patients?
1) Measles
2) MRSA
3) Mumps
4) Meningitis
1) Measles
119
When a medical assistant is instructing a patient on a 24-hour urine collection. Which instructions should the assistant provide?
The first void in the morning should be discarded.
The collected urine should be kept refrigerated.
All samples should be placed into the same container.
120
“Problem focused” examination
Limited examination of specific body area mentioned in the chief complaint
Ex.: examining a sprained ankle only
121
“Expanded problem focused” examination
Limited examination of specific area mentioned in chief complaint as well as related systems
Ex.: examining a sprained ankle and assessing related leg movement
122
“Detailed” examination
Extended examination of specific body area and related systems, as well as past and present medical history
Ex.: examining a sprained ankle, leg movement, and reviewing past ankle injuries
123
“Comprehensive” examination
General examination of multiple symptoms
Ex.: full physical exam
124
What is the minimum amount of time a medical assistant should recommend a patient to keep their bandage on after a venipuncture?
15 minutes.
125
During a peak flow test, the patient…
Exhales forcefully; measures the capacity of the lungs
126
What instructions should the medical assistant include while directing a patient on collecting a sputum specimen for laboratory testing?
The specimen should be collected right after waking up as sleep allows time for mucus to build up and accumulate.
Specimen should be collected before eating, or several hours after eating to prevent cross-contamination. Same applies to drinking to avoid diluting the sputum.
127
When should a medical assistant aliquot a serum specimen?
Immediately after centrifugation.
128
After completing a venipuncture, how long is it necessary to monitor the venipuncture site after releasing pressure and placing a bandage to check for any bleeding?
5 to 10 seconds.
129
At what angle is an arterial venipuncture performed?
45°
130
How long should a urine pregnancy test take for a result?
3 minutes.
131
What does a normal tympanogram produce on its graph?
A peaked line is indicative of a normal tympanogram reading with normal middle ear pressure and function.
Tympanometry is a diagnostic test of the movement of the eardrum in response to changes in air pressure to assess for fluid buildup or the presence of an infection.
132
When performing an EKG on a patient with breast implants, in what area should the CCMA place the chest leads V4, V5, and V6?
The CCMA should place chest leads V4, V5, and V6 closer towards the midaxillary line to place leads further from the breast implants and avoid interference.
133
How long should a serum specimen tube be allowed to clot before centrifugation?
30 minutes.
