Page 80, Short Answer Questions 1-8

1. List and define the four Ds of negligence.

a) Duty: duty of care
b) Derelict: breach of the duty of care
c) Direct cause: a legally recognizable injury occurs as a result of the breach of duty
care
d) Damage: wrongful activity must have caused the injury or harm that occurred
2. List at least 11 strategies for risk management in an ambulatory care setting that will
lessen the potential for litigation.
a) Keep all patient information confidential.
b) Comply with all state and federal regulations and statues.
c) Secure informed consent as necessary.
d) Report any error that may have occurred to your employer.
e) Do not criticize practitioners.
f) Follow all policies and procedures established for the office or clinic.
g) Perform only within the scope of your training and education.
h) Never guarantee a cure or diagnosis, and never advise treatment without a
provider’s order.
i) Never leave a patient unattended; if you must leave, pass the responsibility for the
patient’s care on to another individual.
j) Keep the office or clinic safe and equipment in readiness.
k) Document fully only facts; formally document withdrawing from a case and
discharging clients.
3. Before any invasive or surgical procedure is performed, patients are asked to sign consent
forms, which become a permanent part of the medical record. What four things must the
patient know to give informed consent?
a) The nature of the procedure and how it is to be performed
b) Any possible risks involved, as well as expected outcomes of the procedure
c) Any other methods of treatment and those risks
d) Risks if no treatment is given
4. The unauthorized touching of one person by another is called Battery.
5. The federal government established laws in 1968 to allow people to make a gift of all or
part of their body; it is known as Uniform Anatomical Gift Act.
6. The law mandates that the proper authorities be informed of certain harms and injuries,
such as (circle all that apply).
A. Rape
B. Gunshot and knife wounds
C. Child abuse
D. Elder abuse
7. What term is used now in place of “domestic violence” and what does it mean? Why was
this change made?
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) this is used and referred to as abuse or violence between
spouses or former spouses, boy/girlfriend or former boy/girlfriend, same sex or
 heterosexual intimate partners. This abuse may include sexual or physical abuse, threats
that are physical or sexual, and emotional or psychological violence.
8. What is the difference between an advance directive and a POLST form?
An advanced directive is signed by the patient informing medical personnel of their
wishes in case of life-threatening illnesses or serious injury. POLST is a form of the same
that is filled out by the medical personnel listing the patient’s wishes in case of serious
injury or life-threatening illnesses. This POLST follow the patient when he/she is
transferred to other facilities.

Page 93, Short Answer Questions 1-9

1. According to the Current Opinions of the Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs of the
AMA, advertising by health care providers is considered ethical if the ad follows certain
requirements. Which of the following are appropriate types of advertisements? Circle the
correct responses.
A. Testimonials from patients cured of serious illnesses or whose conditions were
reversed or controlled under the care and treatment of the provider.
B. Providers’ credentials and their hospital or community affiliations.
C. A description of the practice, facility hours of operation, and the type of services
available to health care consumers.
D. Guarantees of cure promised within specific time frame.
2. Patient medical records are confidential legal documents. Name three instances, however,
in which health professionals are allowed or required to reveal confidential patient
information by law.
A. Transmittable or contagious disease
B. Knife or gunshot wound
C. Abuse toward a child, elder or intimate partner
3. Issues of bioethics common to every medical clinic are (circle all that apply).
A. Allocation of scarce medical resources
B. Genetic engineering or manipulation
C. Many choices surrounding life and death.
4. Individuals who are truly aware of their ethical power are able to (circle all that apply).
A. Not compromise any procedure or technique
B. Not put the patient at risk
C. Hide the truth regarding a possible error
5. Allocation of scarce resources may refer to (circle all that apply).
A. Rationing of health care
B. Denied services
C. Advertising by health care professionals
6. In the case of suspected child abuse, the medical professional should (circle all that
apply).
 A. Report the case
B. Protect and care for the abused
C. Treat the abuser, if known, as a victim
7. List the five P’s of ethical power.
A. Purpose
B. Pride
C. Patience
D. Persistence
E. Perspective
8. List the eight questions adapted from Stephen Covey’s book that can be used as
guidelines for making ethical decisions.
A. Are you continually learning?
B. Are you service-oriented?
C. Do you radiate positive energy?
D. Do you believe in other people?
E. Do you lead a balanced life?
F. Do you see life as an adventure?
G. Are you synergistic?
H. Do you exercise for self-renewal?
9. List three factors that constitute intimate partner violence. Does your state require that
intimate partner violence be reported?
A. Stalking
B. Rape
C. Neglect, physical, emotional, psychological, mental injury, or sexual

Page 102, short Answer Questions 1-10

1. To identify the nature of the emergency and respond effectively, what five things must the
medical assistant do to screen or access, the patient’s situation?
A. Ask for personal information and identification of next of kin
B. Ask about symptoms that are being experienced
C. Observe patients general appearance, including skin color, size and dilation of
pupils
D. Check pulse and Blood Pressure
E. Check for universal emergency identification symbol and accompanying
identification card
2. What five infection control measures can health care professionals follow to greatly
reduce the risk for transmitting infectious disease when providing emergency care?
A. Always wash hands thoroughly before and after procedures (or use hand sanitizer)
B. Wear protective clothing and other protective equipment (gown, mask, gloves,
and goggles) during the procedures.
C. Avoid contact with blood and body fluids, if possible.
 D. Do not touch mouth, nose, or eyes with gloved hands.
E. Carefully handle and safely dispose of soiled gloves and other objects.
3. For each of the patient symptoms or conditions below, identify the type of shock that
is most likely.

Patient Symptom/Condition Type of Shock

Patient suffers heart attack Cardiogenic

Patient experiences severe infection after Septic

colon surgery
Patient experiences syncope after Psychogenic
witnessing a traumatic event
Patient experiences reaction to food allergy Anaphylactic

Choking patient has extreme difficulty Respiratory

breathing
Diabetic patient lapses into a coma Metabolic

Patient has serious head trauma Neurogenic

Accident victim experiences extreme loss Hemorrhagic

of blood

4. A common procedure for treating closed wounds is to RICE them. What do the letters of
this acronym stand for?
R- Rest
I- Ice
C- Compression
E- Elevation
5. Match each type of open wound (incision, puncture, laceration, avulsion, abrasion) to its
defining characteristics.

Characteristics Type of Open Wound

A wound that pierces and penetrates the Puncture
skin. This wound may appear insignificant,
but actually can go quite deep.
These wounds commonly occur at exposed Avulsion
body parts such as the fingers, toes, and
nose. Tissue is torn off and wounds may
bleed profusely.
A wound that results from a sharp object Incision
such as a scalpel blade.
A painful wound. This epidermal layer of Abrasion
skin is scraped away.
 A wound that results in a jagged tear of Laceration
body tissue and may contain debris.

6. For each type of wound, describe proper emergency concerns, care, and treatment.
A. Abrasion – Not usually serious, unless they cover a large area of the body.
Clean the area carefully, with soap and water, apply antiseptic ointment (if
prescribed by provider), and cover with dressing.
B. Avulsion – First, Control bleeding, Clean wound, if there is a flap of skin
reposition it, and apply dressing, then bandage as needed. NOTE: the pieces
of the body may be torn away; save body part if possible, keep moist, and
transport with the patient.
C. Incision – may need sutures, clean wound with soap and water and apply
dressing.
D. Laceration – may be difficult to clean so care must be taken not to get
infection. If there is no severe bleeding (which is a cleaning method itself),
these types of wounds may need to soaked in an antiseptic soap and water to
remove debris. If there is severe bleeding, control the bleeding immediately.
Lacerations that have severe bleeding need sutures.
E. External bleeding is usually minimal; however, the patient should be accessed
for internal bleeding. Because this type of wound is deep there is a risk for
infection. Patient should be advised to watch for infection. Some signs are:
swelling, pain, throbbing, redness, and warmth.
7. Name three sources, other than heat, that can cause burns. For each, describe the proper
emergency concerns, care and treatment.
A. Chemicals
B. Explosions
C. Electricity
8. Musculoskeletal injuries, or injuries to muscles, bones, and joints, can be difficult to
screen, especially for closed fractures. List five assessment techniques that health care
professionals can use to determine the seriousness of musculoskeletal injuries.
A. Pain is a signal of injury
B. Bruising and swelling
C. Deformity to the bone or joint
D. Use of the injured area is limited
E. Ask patient what the cause of the injury was. What did the patient hear or feel at
the time of injury.
9. For each set of symptoms that follows, identify the most likely emergency condition
and describe emergency concerns, care and treatment.

Symptom Likely Emergency Emergency Concerns,

Condition Care, and Treatment
Off-color, cold skin with a frostbite Immediate medical
waxy appearance attention, warm the affected
 areas by wrapping clothing
or blanket around. Be
careful handling frozen
parts.
Hives, itching,
lightheadedness
Cold, clammy skin; profuse Heat exhaustion Person should get in out of
sweating; abdominal heat immediately. Apply
cramps; headache; general cool; wet towels
weakness
Lightheadedness, weakness,
nausea, unsteadiness
Moist, pale skin; drooling;
lack of appetite; diplopia;
full pulse
Numbness in face, arm, and
leg on side of body. Slurred
speech; nausea and
vomiting, loss of vision,
severe headache, mental
confusion, difficulty
breathing, and swallowing
Transport as soon as Seizure Most people who suffer
possible, Convulsions, from seizures recover in a
clenched teeth few minutes. As an
onlooker you should protect
the person with the seizure
from injury, cushion their
head, and roll them onto
their side. After the seizure
comfort and calm the
patient.
Cold, clammy skin; rapid,
weak pulse; low blood
pressure;, shallow breathing;
dizziness, faintness, thirst,
restlessness, feeling of
anxiety; abdomen may be`
stiff and hard to the touch

10. Identify the method of entry into the body for each of the following poisons.
1) Carbon Monoxide
2) Insect Stinger
3) Chemical pesticides used in the garden
4) Spoiled food
5) Poison oak
6) Cleaning fluid fumes