Your FREE NCCT Medical Assistant Flashcards 2026 – 100+ Cards

Right patient, right drug, right dose, right route, right time, and right documentation.

Chart the medication after it is given, never before administration.

Verify identity with full name and date of birth — never room number or position alone.

The official, non-proprietary name (lowercase), e.g., acetaminophen; one per drug.

The manufacturer's marketed name (capitalized), e.g., Tylenol; one drug may have several.

10–15° — just under the epidermis to form a wheal; TB (Mantoux) and allergy testing.

45° (or 90° with a short needle) — into fatty tissue; insulin and heparin.

90° — straight into muscle for faster absorption and larger volumes; many vaccines.

Generally the slowest onset of the common routes; absorbed through the GI tract.

Deltoid and ventrogluteal are preferred for adults.

Vastus lateralis — a large thigh muscle with no major nerves or vessels nearby.

(Desired ÷ Have) × Quantity = amount to give.

1 gram (g) = 1,000 milligrams (mg).

1 milligram (mg) = 1,000 micrograms (mcg).

1 liter (L) = 1,000 milliliters (mL).

Medication placed under the tongue to dissolve and absorb rapidly (e.g., nitroglycerin).

A drug class that relieves pain (e.g., acetaminophen, ibuprofen, opioids).

A drug class that treats bacterial infections; not effective against viruses.

A drug class that lowers high blood pressure.

A drug class that prevents blood clots (e.g., heparin, warfarin).

A drug class that relaxes airway muscles to ease breathing (e.g., albuterol).

A drug class that reduces fever (e.g., acetaminophen).

A drug class that increases urine output to remove excess fluid.

Means heart — e.g., cardiology is the study of the heart.

Means inflammation — e.g., carditis is inflammation of the heart.

Means surgical removal — e.g., appendectomy is removal of the appendix.

Means excessive or above normal — e.g., hypertension is high blood pressure.

Means below normal or deficient — e.g., hypoglycemia is low blood sugar.

60–100 beats per minute at rest.

12–20 breaths per minute at rest.

Less than 120/80 mmHg.

About 98.6 °F (37 °C); roughly 97.8–99.1 °F.

95–100%.

A documented allergy means the right-drug check fails — do not give it; alert the provider.

Infection-prevention practices used for every patient; treat all blood and body fluids as infectious.

Earlier approach of treating all blood as infectious; combined with body substance isolation to form Standard Precautions.

Gown and gloves for organisms spread by touch (MRSA, C. difficile, scabies).

Surgical mask within close range for large respiratory droplets (influenza, pertussis, mumps).

N95 respirator and negative-pressure room for droplet nuclei (tuberculosis, measles, varicella).

Use soap and water — alcohol-based gel does not kill spores.

Hand hygiene — the single best way to prevent health-care-associated infection.

Clean technique that reduces microorganisms (hand washing, disinfection).

Sterile technique that eliminates all microorganisms for invasive procedures.

Gown, then mask/respirator, then goggles/face shield, then gloves.

Blood cultures, light-blue, red/gold serum, green, lavender, gray — prevents additive carryover.

Sodium citrate — coagulation studies (PT/INR, PTT); must be filled completely.

Clot activator/gel — serum chemistry and serology.

Heparin — plasma and STAT chemistries.

EDTA — hematology/CBC; preserves cell morphology by binding calcium.

Sodium fluoride/potassium oxalate — glucose and lactate; preserves glucose.

The median cubital vein in the antecubital area.

Label at the bedside, immediately after collection, in the patient's presence.

Wash the site with soap and water, then report it under the OSHA exposure plan.

Never recap by hand; activate the safety device and dispose in a sharps container.

Dispose at the point of use in a puncture-resistant, leak-proof container.

A simple test cleared for use outside a high-complexity lab (e.g., glucose, rapid strep, urinalysis).

Diagnostic testing performed near the patient for rapid results.

12-lead: four limb leads plus six chest (precordial) leads.

Misplaced leads create artifact that can mimic or mask real findings.

Record the tracing accurately; the provider interprets it.

Falsely raises the reading.

Falsely lowers the reading.

Patient seated 5 min, back supported, feet flat, arm at heart level, no talking.

The sounds heard during BP measurement; first = systolic, last = diastolic.

Pulse taken with a stethoscope at the apex of the heart; most accurate for irregular rhythms.

Clean from the center outward and keep the field as clean (or sterile) as the procedure requires.

Uses pressurized steam to sterilize instruments — kills all microorganisms including spores.

Keep items above the waist; anything below the waist or out of sight is considered contaminated.

Sitting/semi-sitting position used for patients with breathing difficulty.

Lying flat on the back, face up.

Lying flat on the abdomen, face down.

The side of the fingertip (3rd or 4th finger).

Used for capillary blood collection in infants.

No more than 1 minute, to avoid hemoconcentration and inaccurate results.

The diameter — a higher gauge number means a thinner needle.

Reports the diagnosis — why the service was provided.

Current Procedural Terminology — reports the procedure or service performed.

Cover items and services not in CPT (e.g., supplies, durable medical equipment).

The diagnosis (ICD-10-CM) must support the procedure (CPT) or the claim may be denied.

The standard claim form for billing professional (provider) services.

A payer's advance approval that a service is medically necessary and covered, obtained before the service.

A common denial when a required prior authorization was not obtained beforehand.

Usually refers to advance approval of an inpatient admission or hospital stay.

A faster review available for urgent services.

Draw a single line through it, initial and date; never erase or obscure the original.

Explanation of benefits / electronic remittance advice — shows how a claim was paid.

A fixed amount the patient pays per visit or service.

The amount a patient pays before insurance begins to pay.

A percentage of the cost the patient shares after the deductible is met.

A claim with no errors that processes without rejection.

Several patients booked at the start of each hour, seen as they become available.

A blend that books patients at intervals within the hour to smooth flow.

Captures the diagnoses and services for a visit to drive coding and billing.

Money owed to the practice for services already provided.

Documentation formats for the clinical record (SOAP = Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan).

Verify the caller's identity before disclosing any patient information.

Tracking and reordering supplies so the office never runs out of essentials.

A daily record of charges, payments, and adjustments.

Shows how long claims or patient balances have been outstanding.

A set per-member payment to a provider regardless of services used.

Protects patients' protected health information from use or disclosure without authorization.

Individually identifiable health information protected under HIPAA.

Uses/disclosures of PHI allowed without separate authorization.

Disclose only the least PHI needed for the purpose.

Voluntary agreement after being told the nature, risks, benefits, and alternatives.

Consent presumed in a true emergency when the patient cannot communicate.

The provider obtains informed consent; the MA may witness the signature.

The duties an MA is legally allowed to perform, set by state law and delegated by the provider.

Failing to provide the standard of care, resulting in patient harm.

The level of care a reasonably prudent, similarly trained professional would provide.

A legal document recording treatment wishes or naming a decision-maker for future incapacity.

States the patient's own wishes about treatment if they cannot speak for themselves.

Names a person (proxy) to make medical decisions for the patient.

A competent adult may revoke or revise an advance directive at any time.

Do Not Resuscitate — directs that CPR not be performed if the heart or breathing stops.

Suspected child/elder abuse and certain diseases or injuries must be reported by law.

Touching a patient without consent.

The threat of harmful or offensive contact.

Acting in the patient's best interest.

Do no harm.

Respecting the patient's right to make their own decisions.

Keeping patient information private and disclosing only as permitted.

A valid court order can compel record disclosure; follow office policy and verify it.

The legal time limit for filing a lawsuit.

An employer may be liable for an employee's actions performed within their job duties.

Outlines patient rights to information, privacy, respectful care, and informed decisions.

Stopping care of a patient without proper notice or transfer of care.