Certified Clinical Medical Assistant CCMA Practice Test

An MA is discussing information with a patient about a new medication that the provider prescribed. Which of the following actions should the assistant take?

1. Encourage the patient to stop taking the medication immediately

2. Disregard the patient's questions about the medication

3. Reinforce teaching about the frequency of medication administration

4. Switch the medication without consulting the provider

The correct answer is: Reinforce teaching about the frequency of medication administration

Reinforcing teaching about the frequency of medication administration is essential when discussing new medication with a patient. Proper understanding and adherence to the medication schedule can significantly impact treatment efficacy and patient safety. By ensuring that the patient knows how often to take the medication and the reasons for that schedule, the medical assistant helps empower the patient in their treatment plan, promoting better health outcomes. Encouraging a patient to stop taking medication or disregarding their questions undermines patient education and can lead to harmful consequences. Additionally, switching medications without the provider’s consent is against standard medical practice and can jeopardize patient safety and care continuity. Hence, supporting the patient by emphasizing the importance of adhering to the prescribed medication regimen is a key responsibility of the medical assistant.