CSLB General Building (B) Trade Practice Test
Frequently asked questions
How many NHA Medical Assistant (CCMA) practice questions are here?+
A full bank of original NHA Medical Assistant (CCMA) practice questions across the official content areas, weighted like the real exam, with explanations. Free, no signup.
What is the NHA Medical Assistant (CCMA) exam like?+
About 150 questions, 180 minutes. Practice by topic here, then take the full timed mock exam to gauge readiness.
Are these the real exam questions?+
No. Every question is 100% original, written from public primary sources with explanations. We never copy real exam questions or paid prep material.
Can I study in Chinese or Spanish?+
PrepPass practice is in English, 中文 and Español. The official exam is in English — switch the question language to English any time to rehearse the exact terminology you'll see on test day.
Sample practice questions
A few real questions from this free bank, with full explanations. Use the practice tool above for the whole set.
- 1. Patient Care
A medical assistant takes an adult patient's oral temperature and gets a reading of 98.8°F. How should this result be interpreted?
- a.Below the normal range; recheck rectally
- b.Within the normal adult oral range of about 97.6°F to 99.6°F
- c.A low-grade fever that must be reported immediately
- d.Invalid, because oral temperature is never used on adults
Answer: b
Explanation: The accepted normal adult oral temperature range is roughly 97.6°F to 99.6°F, with 98.6°F as the traditional average, so 98.8°F is normal. It is neither below range nor a fever, so recheck and immediate reporting are unnecessary. Oral temperature is a standard, acceptable route for alert adults who can hold the probe under the tongue.
- 2. Patient Care
Which position is used to assist the provider with a pelvic examination and Pap test?
- a.Knee-chest position
- b.Dorsal recumbent position
- c.Prone position
- d.Lithotomy position
Answer: d
Explanation: In the lithotomy position the patient lies supine with the feet in stirrups and the buttocks at the edge of the table, giving the provider access to the vagina and cervix. Dorsal recumbent has knees bent with feet flat on the table and is used for some abdominal or limited genital exams. Knee-chest and prone positions expose the back and rectal area, not the pelvic organs needed for a Pap test.
- 3. Patient Care
A patient's pulse oximetry reading is 88 percent on room air. What is the appropriate first action?
- a.Chart the value as normal and continue the intake interview
- b.Recheck placement and perfusion, then notify the provider immediately
- c.Repeat the reading tomorrow at the follow-up visit
- d.Tell the patient to hold their breath and repeat the reading
Answer: b
Explanation: Normal oxygen saturation is generally 95 to 100 percent, so 88 percent is significantly low and requires prompt provider notification after confirming the probe is properly placed on a warm, clean finger without nail polish. Charting it as normal or delaying to another day ignores possible hypoxemia. Breath holding lowers saturation further and is never used to verify a reading.
- 4. Clinical Procedures
A medical assistant administers a tuberculin skin test on the inner forearm. Which finding indicates correct intradermal technique?
- a.The site bleeds freely after the needle is withdrawn
- b.No visible change appears at the site
- c.A soft, spongy area develops deep under the skin
- d.A small pale wheal about 6 to 10 mm forms just under the skin surface
Answer: d
Explanation: A correctly placed intradermal injection of 0.1 mL raises a pale, taut wheal, confirming the fluid stayed within the dermis. Absence of a wheal or a deep, spongy pocket suggests the dose went subcutaneously and the test must be repeated at another site. Free bleeding indicates the needle went too deep or nicked a vessel.
- 5. Clinical Procedures
Which vein is generally the first choice for routine venipuncture in an adult, and why?
- a.The median cubital vein, because it is large, well anchored, and lies away from major nerves and the brachial artery
- b.The basilic vein, because it is closest to the brachial artery and nerves
- c.A vein on the underside of the wrist, because it is most visible
- d.A vein in the foot, because it avoids arm bruising
Answer: a
Explanation: The median cubital vein in the antecubital fossa is preferred because it is usually large, stable, and located away from the brachial artery and median nerve. The basilic vein is chosen last precisely because of its proximity to the artery and nerve. The underside of the wrist carries a high nerve injury risk, and foot veins require a provider's order due to clotting and infection risk.
- 6. Clinical Procedures
During a capillary puncture for a glucose test, which step improves specimen quality?
- a.Squeezing the finger hard and repeatedly to speed up flow
- b.Wiping away the first drop of blood and using the next free-flowing drop
- c.Puncturing the very tip center of the finger pad over the bone
- d.Using the same lancet again if the first stick yields too little blood
Answer: b
Explanation: The first drop is wiped away because it contains tissue fluid and alcohol residue that dilute the sample, so the second free-flowing drop is used. Vigorous squeezing forces in tissue fluid and can hemolyze the sample. Puncturing the central tip over the bone risks injury, and lancets are single-use safety devices that are never reused.
- 7. Infection Control & Safety
How should used needles and lancets be handled in the clinic?
- a.Recap them with two hands and place them in a red bag
- b.Place them uncapped, immediately after use, into a labeled puncture-resistant sharps container, replacing the container before it is overfilled
- c.Break the needle off the syringe and discard both in regular trash
- d.Store them in a cardboard box until enough accumulate for pickup
Answer: b
Explanation: Contaminated sharps go directly into a closable, puncture-resistant, leakproof sharps container labeled with the biohazard symbol, and containers are replaced routinely rather than overfilled. Two-handed recapping is prohibited because it is a leading cause of needlesticks. Breaking or bending needles and using ordinary trash or cardboard creates a serious puncture and exposure hazard.
Source: OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030)
- 8. Pharmacology
A provider orders 0.5 mg of a medication. The tablets on hand are 0.25 mg each. How many tablets should be given?
- a.Half a tablet
- b.One tablet
- c.Three tablets
- d.Two tablets
Answer: d
Explanation: Dividing the desired dose of 0.5 mg by the 0.25 mg strength on hand gives 2 tablets. Half a tablet would deliver only 0.125 mg and one tablet only 0.25 mg, both serious underdoses. Three tablets would deliver 0.75 mg, which exceeds the order by 50 percent.
- 9. Pharmacology
A patient with asthma is prescribed albuterol by metered-dose inhaler. How should the medical assistant describe its purpose?
- a.It is a fast-acting bronchodilator that relaxes airway muscles to relieve wheezing and shortness of breath
- b.It is an antibiotic that cures the underlying asthma
- c.It is a long-term sedative that slows breathing
- d.It replaces the need for any other asthma medication permanently
Answer: a
Explanation: Albuterol is a short-acting bronchodilator that relaxes smooth muscle in the airways, producing rapid relief of wheezing and shortness of breath during an asthma flare. Asthma is not a bacterial infection, so antibiotics have no role. Slowing respiration would worsen an attack, and rescue inhalers do not replace controller medications prescribed for long-term management.
- 10. Administrative & Legal
Which code set is used to report the diagnosis or reason for a patient's visit?
- a.CPT codes
- b.HCPCS Level II codes
- c.ICD-10-CM codes
- d.NDC codes
Answer: c
Explanation: ICD-10-CM codes describe diagnoses and the reason for the encounter, which supports medical necessity on a claim. CPT codes report the procedures and services performed, and HCPCS Level II covers supplies, equipment, and certain drugs. NDC codes identify specific drug products by manufacturer and package.