Certified Clinical Medical Assistant CCMA Practice Test

An MA is speaking with a patient who recently received a terminal diagnosis. The patient states, "I regret not taking better care of myself. Now, I won't be able to accomplish what I wanted to do with my life." The assistant should identify that the patient is in which of the following stages of grief?

1. Denial

2. Anger

3. Acceptance

4. Depression

The correct answer is: Depression

The patient’s expression of regret about their past choices, coupled with the acknowledgment of a terminal diagnosis, indicates that they are in the depression stage of grief. In this stage, individuals often experience feelings of sadness, loss, and despair about their circumstances and the life they will not be able to fulfill. The patient is reflecting on missed opportunities and expressing a profound sense of loss, which are characteristic emotions associated with depression in the grieving process. While denial involves a refusal to accept the reality of the situation, anger often manifests as frustration or resentment toward others or oneself, and acceptance indicates a coming to terms with the reality of the situation, the sentiments displayed here are more aligned with a deep sense of grief and disappointment about what cannot be changed. These reflections typically occur in the depression phase, highlighting the emotional weight the patient is experiencing in light of their diagnosis.