Communication & Professionalism

Question 1

Visually Impaired

Answer 1

• require adaptations to the CMA’s communication techniques to ensure a clear message is sent and received
• CMA should identify themselves clearly when beginning their assessment
• never treat person as if they have additional disabilities if they do not
• MA should ask questions to make sure the information has been properly received/understood by the patient

Question 2

Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Answer 2

• must first assess level of disability to help guide further communication
• CMA should always directly face the person and keep other distractions quiet if possible
• CMA should ask questions to make sure information has been properly received/understood

Question 3

Geriatric

Answer 3

• population of patients CMAs may work with quite frequently
• active listening is as important or more important than speaking
• MA should ask questions but actively listen to make sure patient understood what was being asked
• MA should avoid interrupting patient and take time when giving instructions to ensure understanding
• avoid language the patient will not understand and be sure to assess patient’s use/understanding of internet/technology if necessary

Question 4

Pediatric

Answer 4

• always address these patients by name to create a tone of familiarity
• get down to the patient’s level physically and be sure to smile and have a positive attitude
• make medical tools/equipment into toys when appropriate such as gloves or tongue depressors
• enlist parents as team member’s in patient’s care

Question 5

Adolescent

Answer 5

• may be useful to conduct interviews with these patients alone
• assessment should include questions regarding mental health issues
• inform the patient which topics will remain confidential to encourage them to share more with the CMA

Question 6

Seriously/Terminally Ill

Answer 6

• important to be honest with the patient
• CMA should be an active listener and try to connect the patient with valuable resources and support if possible
• MA should offer compassion but not false hope and simply be present and there for the patient and family

Question 7

Intellectual Disability

Answer 7

• may need additional help communicating with the health care team
• CMA will need to practice patience and allow extra time for communicating messages with and receiving messages from these patients
• try to explain things in the simplest ways possible and focus on the patient’s strengths
• be an active listener and open to letting the patient voice their concerns fully

Question 8

Illiterate

Answer 8

• different types of this which may not be apparent to the CMA
• asking questions/listening for comprehension are both tools a MA can use to determine how well an individual understands their health care plan
• offer a patient’s health information to them in a format that works for them and find out if a caregiver is available to them

Question 9

Non-English Speaking

Answer 9

-CMA should seek out translation services and seek educational materials in the patient’s native language

Question 10

Anxious/Angry/Distraught

Answer 10

• CMA may act to assist patient to a calmer state
• must first determine the cause of the emotional reaction through asking questions and using active listening
• try to eliminate the stimulus upsetting the patient and take note of the situation in the medical record

Question 11

Socially/Culturally/Ethnically Diverse

Answer 11

• CMA must be competent in culturally sensitive care toward people of many different backgrounds
• CMA must first check their own feelings/biases about people who are different from themselves in order to treat people fairly
• always offer respect, dignified care and ask questions to avoid unnecessary offense

Question 12

Nonverbal Communication

Answer 12

-CMA’s not only communicate with their words but also with their body language and must be aware of this in order to send the right message to patients

Be aware of:

• Posture: should be erect to show CMA is engaged in patent care
• Position: MA should face the patient
• Facial Expression: always be sure to have a pleasant expression on your face and be responsive to patient’s expressions
• Territoriality/Physical Boundaries: maintain respectful distance from patients and be aware of their reactions
• Gestures: may use hand gestures but be aware of how much you are doing this to be sure not to distract from actual message
• Touch: therapeutic touch appropriate in certain instances with certain patients but use caution when employing this
• Mannerisms: be aware of own quirks/idiosyncrasies to be sure they don’t interfere with patient care or cause offense
• Eye Contact: good eye contact is crucial to patient care and CMA should be aware of this aspect of communication

Question 13

Sender-Message-Receiver Feedback

Answer 13

• communication cycle starts with a sender who sends a message to the receiver and looks for feedback
• goes on through a circular cycle until transmission is ended

Question 14

Listening Skills

Answer 14

• active/therapeutic listening is one of the best communication skills a CMA can employ
• involves being especially engaged when the patient is sending their messages back to you
• allows for better syncing with patient’s unique needs

Question 15

Reflection

Answer 15

Assess Level of Understanding

-to paraphrase what a patient says to allow both the patient and CMA to agree upon what was said

Question 16

Restatement

Answer 16

Assess Level of Understanding

-involves repeating what a patient has just said back to them

Question 17

Clarification

Answer 17

Assess Level of Understanding

-is to make clear; means to offer back the essential message the patient has given along with any questions the CMA may have

Question 18

Feedback

Answer 18

Assess Level of Understanding

• CMA may give a reaction to a patient’s message after clarifying the information
• improves the relationship and further communications

Question 19

Internal Distractions

Answer 19

Barriers to Communication

• Pain: may impact patient’s ability to communicate; treating pain first will facilitate communication between patient and the healthcare team
• Hunger: a hungry patient may have difficulty concentrating on sending/receiving messages effectively; alleviating hunger will ensure better communication
• Anger: can pose a potential blockade to effective communication; working toward a resolution will improve further communication with the patient

Question 20

External/Environmental Distractions

Answer 20

Barriers to Communication

• Temperature: patient who is too cold or hot will have difficulty maintaining a normal conversation and MA should try to solve this issue
• Noise: MA should eliminate unnecessary noise when communicating with a patient

Question 21

Exploratory Questions

Answer 21

-seeks to explore different possibilities with the patient on a specific subject; usually subject has been established and MA is seeking further information (open-ended question(s)

Question 22

Open-Ended

Answer 22

-question in which the receiver cannot simply answer “yes” or “no” and must explain themselves, making it a more revealing way to communicate

Question 23

Closed/Direct

Answer 23

-questions can be simply answered with a “yes” or “no”; good for gathering lots of simple data quickly

Question 24

Call Management

Answer 24

• screening/gathering data: CMA must be able to collect data from a caller to screen them and direct them to the proper outlet to ensure the office runs smoothly
• emergency/urgent situations: CMA must be aware of how to handle emergency calls/urgent situations; may be necessary to redirect caller to emergency services

Question 25

Telephone Message

Answer 25

• taking messages: CMA must be able to gather appropriate information about the caller, why they called and who needs to receive the information
• leaving messages: CMA will need to leave messages at times for both patients and health care providers; must provide succinct information in the message

Question 26

Interpersonal Skills

Answer 26

• Displaying Impartial Conduct
• Recognizing Stereotypes and Biases
• Demonstrating Empathy/Sympathy/Compassion

Question 27

Professional Situations

Answer 27

• displaying tact, diplomacy, courtesy, respect and dignity: to everyone a CMA comes in contact with
• demonstrating responsibility, integrity/honesty: will allow for the MA to be trusted by their patients and peers
• responding to criticism: should see criticism as a challenge/opportunity to grow

Question 28

Professional Image

Answer 28

• CMA should be careful to present the right image of themselves to others (dress/attitude)
• CMA is a representative of a respected medical profession and conduct is important
• should present themselves publicly and on social media in a way that is consistent with their profession or respect of the CMA may be lost

Question 29

Performing as a Team Member

Answer 29

• CMA is part of health care team and must be able to communicate, collaborate and cooperate with fellow team members to allow for the best possible patient care and office environment
• will be working with variety of professionals/specialists and must respect those above you

Question 30

Time Management

Answer 30

• CMA will have many demands for their time and must be able to practice good management of these tasks to provide the highest quality of care to patients
• must prioritize responsibilities and recognize most important tasks/complete them in a timely manner
• be able to schedule/plan your day appropriately