CMA (AAMA) Practice Test

CMA (AAMA) Safety, Infection Control & First Aid Practice Questions

Safety, Infection Control & First Aid makes up 6 of every 50 questions on a Tigertest CMA (AAMA) practice test. Here are 10 of the 24 questions on it, each with the answer and the reason.

Updated 2026-11-10 by the Tigertest team. Based on the AAMA Content Outline for the CMA (AAMA) Certification Exam. Original questions; 50 per test, weighted like the real exam. Not affiliated with the AAMA.

1. 1. A patient has ringworm on the scalp. What kind of organism causes it?

   • A.A worm
   • B.A fungus
   • C.A virus
   • D.A protozoan

   Answer: B. Despite the name, ringworm (tinea) is a fungal skin infection treated with antifungals. No worm is involved.

2. 2. A traveler returns with malaria. What type of infectious agent causes it?

   • A.A yeast
   • B.An RNA virus
   • C.A gram-positive bacterium
   • D.A protozoan parasite

   Answer: D. Malaria is caused by Plasmodium, a single-celled protozoan spread by mosquito bites. Antibiotics for bacteria and antivirals do not treat it.

3. 3. Which of these is one of the body's natural barriers to infection?

   • A.Stomach acid
   • B.A sterile dressing
   • C.A fever-reducing drug
   • D.A vaccine dose

   Answer: A. Natural barriers include intact skin, mucous membranes, cilia, tears and stomach acid, which kills many swallowed organisms. Vaccines and dressings are added protections, not natural ones.

4. 4. A patient touches a contaminated exam room doorknob and then rubs her eyes. Which mode of transmission is this?

   • A.Airborne spread
   • B.Vector-borne spread
   • C.Indirect contact
   • D.Direct contact

   Answer: C. Transmission through a contaminated object (fomite) is indirect contact. Direct contact is person to person, such as touching an infected wound.

5. 5. A medical assistant applies alcohol-based hand rub between two patients. How long should she rub her hands?

   • A.Until gloves are put on
   • B.Only over the palms
   • C.Until the hands feel dry
   • D.For about 3 seconds

   Answer: C. The rub covers all surfaces of the hands and fingers and is rubbed in until dry, usually about 20 seconds. Pulling gloves over wet alcohol traps it on the skin.

6. 6. The fire alarm sounds and the office must be evacuated. How should staff and patients leave the building?

   • A.By the stairs, not elevators
   • B.After gathering belongings
   • C.Only once smoke is seen
   • D.By the nearest elevator

   Answer: A. Elevators can stop or open onto a fire floor, so evacuation uses the posted routes and stairs. Staff help patients who need it and meet at the assembly point.

7. 7. Used instruments are scrubbed to remove blood and tissue before they are sterilized. What is this step called?

   • A.Antisepsis
   • B.Sterilization
   • C.Disinfection
   • D.Sanitization

   Answer: D. Sanitization is the cleaning step that removes visible debris. Sterilization and disinfection cannot work properly through dried blood or tissue.

8. 8. A tube of blood breaks on the lab counter. What does the medical assistant do first?

   • A.Pick up the glass by hand
   • B.Put on gloves and other PPE
   • C.Wipe it up with paper towels
   • D.Spray bleach on the glass

   Answer: B. PPE comes first. Then broken glass is picked up with tongs or a scoop, the spill is absorbed with the spill kit, and the area is disinfected.

9. 9. How does bagged biohazard waste leave a medical office?

   • A.With the recycling contractor
   • B.With a licensed medical waste hauler
   • C.With the regular trash pickup
   • D.In staff cars to a hospital

   Answer: B. Regulated medical waste is picked up by a licensed hauler for treatment, with tracking paperwork kept by the office. It never goes out with regular trash or recycling.

10. 10. A new disinfectant's label shows a skull and crossbones pictogram. What hazard does this indicate under the GHS?

    • A.Flammability
    • B.Environmental harm
    • C.Skin irritation
    • D.Acute toxicity

    Answer: D. The skull and crossbones means a chemical can be fatal or toxic on short exposure. An exclamation mark signals irritants, and a flame signals flammable products.