ATI RN
Medical Administrative Assistant Interview Questions Questions
Question 1 of 5
A 53-year-old patient who is receiving ibuprofen 400 mg twice a day for chronic, low back pain develops lower-extremity edema. The pain management nurse suspects that the edema is caused by:
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Ibuprofen, an NSAID, can impair renal function, leading to fluid retention and edema, especially with chronic use.
Question 2 of 5
A patient with fibromyalgia reports symptoms of unrelieved pain. To determine whether the patient is also experiencing other symptoms, the pain management nurse will ask the patient about:
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Fibromyalgia often includes dizziness and anxiety alongside pain and fatigue, unlike the other symptom pairs.
Question 3 of 5
Which of the following is used to minimize skin irritation by sealing the medication in muscle tissue?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The Z-track method seals medication in muscle tissue by displacing skin during injection, reducing irritation and leakage into subcutaneous layers.
Question 4 of 5
You are discussing the care of an elderly woman with her family. Although she is awake and alert, the patient is very ill and physically fragile. You are awaiting the results of a biopsy for what will likely be cancer, which has already metastasized throughout the body. The family asks that you inform them first about the results of the biopsy. They are very loving and caring and are constantly surrounding the patient. They do not want to depress the patient further, and because there will be no hope for a cure they see no reason to ruin her remaining life with this information. What should you tell them?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Your first duty is to keep the patient fully informed about her health care. Unless there is significant evidence of possible psychological harm to a patient, you have an absolute duty to the patient first, not the family. One of the only examples of possible psychological harm to a patient would be an actively suicidal person who was given significant bad news. The motives of the family members are irrelevant. Whether they are kind and loving or vindictive and evil makes no difference. This is true whether their request to withhold information is in writing or is from the hospital ethics committee. In this case, the ethics committee is not necessary because there is no substantive question of the right action to inform the patient first. The health-care proxy's opinion and participation are only mandated if the patient loses decision-making capacity. If the patient has decision-making capacity, the health-care proxy's opinion is not different from anyone else's.
Question 5 of 5
You have a patient in your clinic who is an elderly woman with multiple medical problems. Her family is extremely grateful for your care and they bring you a meal they cooked at home, a cake, and a scarf. What should you do?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Small gifts from patients of limited value are ethically acceptable. Food, plants, and small articles of clothing such as a scarf are all acceptable. Refusing such signs of gratitude would be hurtful to the doctor/patient relationship if they are a sign of the good relationship with you. Gifts can never be tied to a specific expectation of care such as a particular prescription or the successful completion of paperwork such as disability forms. There is no reporting or disclosure requirement for small gifts of nominal value.