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Free CCMA practice · Updated October 2026

CCMA office compliance and workplace safety practice questions, with every answer explained

Administrative assisting is 12 of the 150 scored items on the NHA CCMA. Answer 10 exam style questions on office compliance and workplace safety and see exactly which concepts would cost you points on test day.

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Where the CCMA points are150 scored items
General patient care
28
Foundational knowledge
15
Infection control and safety
15
Patient intake and vitals
14
Phlebotomy
12
Care coordination and education
12
Administrative assisting
12
Source: NHA CCMA test plan (2022)You are here ↑
Score 0/0
Q1Incident reports

A patient slips on a wet floor in the hallway. What should the medical assistant do after making sure the patient is cared for?

What these office compliance and workplace safety questions test

These questions cover incident reports, workplace safety, CLIA administration, credentials and employment law. Each one shows the correct answer and why every other option is wrong, so a miss tells you exactly what to review before the CCMA.

Incident reportsWorkplace safetyCLIA administrationCredentialsEmployment lawOffice policiesProfessional developmentQuality improvementCompliance programsMandated notices

All 10 questions with answers explained

Prefer to read first? Every question from the practice set above, with the correct answer and why each wrong option is wrong.

Q1A patient slips on a wet floor in the hallway. What should the medical assistant do after making sure the patient is cared for?
  1. Complete an incident report with objective facts per policy
  2. Write in the patient's chart that an incident report was filed
  3. Ask the patient to sign a statement that it was their fault
  4. Say nothing to avoid legal trouble

Answer: A. Incident reports document unusual events factually for risk management and quality improvement. They are kept separate from the medical record, and the chart documents the clinical facts (such as injuries and care) without referencing the incident report.

Why not B: Mentioning the incident report in the chart is generally avoided.

Why not C: Pressuring the patient is inappropriate.

Why not D: Failing to report prevents correction of hazards.

Exam tactic: Incident: facts in the report, care in the chart, no cross-reference.

Q2Where must a practice keep Safety Data Sheets for hazardous chemicals?
  1. Only with the chemical supplier's sales office
  2. Locked away in the owner's home office
  3. Nowhere, as long as the chemicals are labeled
  4. Where employees can reach them during every shift

Answer: D. OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard requires SDSs to be readily accessible to employees during each work shift, along with labeling and training.

Why not A: Supplier copies are not a substitute for workplace access.

Why not B: Employees must be able to access them at work.

Why not C: Labels do not replace SDS availability.

Exam tactic: SDS: in the workplace, reachable every shift.

Q3What must a physician office laboratory that performs only waived tests have?
  1. A CLIA Certificate of Waiver
  2. A DEA registration
  3. A hospital accreditation certificate
  4. No certificate of any kind

Answer: A. Any facility performing laboratory testing on human specimens for health purposes needs the appropriate CLIA certificate. For waived tests only, that is a Certificate of Waiver, and manufacturer instructions must be followed.

Why not B: DEA registration relates to controlled substances.

Why not C: Hospital accreditation is a different process.

Why not D: Testing requires CLIA certification.

Exam tactic: Waived tests still need a CLIA Certificate of Waiver.

Q4Why does the practice keep copies of staff licenses and certifications on file?
  1. To verify staff are qualified and credentials are current
  2. To share them with patients on request
  3. To use them as identification for billing
  4. They are not needed after hiring

Answer: A. Practices verify and track licenses, certifications, and required training (such as CPR) and their expiration dates to ensure qualified staff and meet payer, regulatory, and accreditation requirements.

Why not B: Credentials are not shared with patients as routine.

Why not C: Billing uses provider identifiers, not certificates.

Why not D: Credentials must be kept current throughout employment.

Exam tactic: Credentials: verify, track expirations.

Q5Which law allows eligible employees to take unpaid, job-protected leave for certain family and medical reasons?
  1. Occupational Safety and Health Act
  2. Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
  3. HIPAA
  4. Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Answer: D. The FMLA provides eligible employees of covered employers (generally 50 or more employees) up to 12 workweeks of unpaid, job-protected leave in a 12-month period for qualifying reasons. The FLSA governs minimum wage and overtime.

Why not A: The OSH Act covers workplace safety.

Why not B: The FLSA covers wages and overtime.

Why not C: HIPAA covers health information and portability.

Exam tactic: FMLA = leave. FLSA = wages.

Q6What should a new medical assistant do if unsure how to perform an administrative task?
  1. Guess now and fix any errors later
  2. Skip the task until someone notices
  3. Check the manual or ask a supervisor
  4. Ask a patient in the lobby to help

Answer: C. Following established procedures and asking when unsure prevents errors. Procedure manuals exist for this purpose.

Why not A: Guessing can create costly or unsafe errors.

Why not B: Skipping tasks leaves work incomplete.

Why not D: Patients should not perform office tasks.

Exam tactic: Not sure? Manual or supervisor.

Q7Why do many certifications require continuing education?
  1. Because initial training is never valid
  2. To replace on-the-job experience
  3. To increase the price of certification
  4. To keep skills and knowledge current with practice changes

Answer: D. Health care changes constantly: regulations, codes, technology, and clinical guidelines. Continuing education keeps credentials meaningful and professionals up to date.

Why not A: Initial training is valid but needs updating over time.

Why not B: Continuing education complements experience.

Why not C: The purpose is currency of knowledge, not cost.

Exam tactic: Keep learning, keep the credential.

Q8What is the purpose of a patient satisfaction survey?
  1. To determine each patient's diagnosis
  2. To replace parts of the medical record
  3. To collect overdue payments from patients
  4. To find service strengths and areas to improve

Answer: D. Surveys gather feedback on access, communication, wait times, and service quality so the practice can make improvements.

Why not A: Diagnoses come from clinical evaluation.

Why not B: Surveys are not part of the medical record.

Why not C: Surveys are not billing tools.

Exam tactic: Surveys drive improvement.

Q9What is the role of a compliance officer in a medical practice?
  1. To manage only the office's social media
  2. To oversee legal compliance and handle concerns
  3. To perform all of the patients' procedures
  4. To set each patient's treatment plan

Answer: B. The compliance officer oversees the compliance program: policies, training, auditing, and investigating concerns about fraud, abuse, and regulatory issues. Staff can report concerns without fear of retaliation.

Why not A: Social media may be a task, but it is not the compliance role.

Why not C: Procedures are performed by clinical staff.

Why not D: Treatment plans are set by providers.

Exam tactic: Compliance officer = rules, training, audits, reports.

Q10Which item is commonly required to be posted or provided to patients in a medical office?
  1. The provider's home address
  2. Other patients' appointment times
  3. The Notice of Privacy Practices
  4. The staff's salaries

Answer: C. Covered entities must provide the Notice of Privacy Practices to patients, make a good-faith effort to get written acknowledgment, and post it in the office and on their website if they have one.

Why not A: Personal addresses are private.

Why not B: Appointment times of others are PHI.

Why not D: Salaries are confidential employment information.

Exam tactic: NPP: give it, get acknowledgment, post it.

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More about the CCMA

PassPulse is an independent exam preparation tool. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA), the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), American Medical Technologists (AMT) or the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT). Exam, credential and product names mentioned on this page are trademarks of their respective owners and are used only to identify the exams described.

These practice questions are written by PassPulse to reflect the published exam content outline. They are not actual exam questions. Questions, answers and explanations may contain errors or be out of date, and they are for exam study only, not for clinical or professional practice: always check facts against the certifying body's official materials, current standards and your employer's policies. Scores and projections on this page are estimates based on a small number of questions and do not predict your result on the real exam. Area weights come from the official outline as of the date shown; always confirm current exam details with the certifying body.
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