Medical Assistant Certification (MAC) AMCA Practice Exam

Disable ads (and more) with a membership for a one time $2.99 payment

Prepare for the Medical Assistant Certification Test. Explore multiple-choice questions with detailed explanations. Enhance your skills and get exam-ready!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.

What type of personal protective equipment (PPE) is required when taking a medical history of a patient with tuberculosis (TB)?

Gloves
Gown
Mask
Face shield

The correct answer is: Mask

When taking a medical history of a patient with tuberculosis (TB), the use of a mask is essential due to the airborne nature of the disease. Tuberculosis spreads primarily through the inhalation of infectious droplets expelled when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. A mask, especially an N95 respirator, provides a critical barrier that protects health care workers from inhaling these potentially contagious droplets. While gloves and gowns are commonly used to protect against other forms of contamination, they are less relevant in the context of airborne transmission, which is the primary concern for TB. A face shield may provide additional protection to the facial area but does not offer respiratory protection against airborne pathogens, making the mask the most important piece of PPE in this scenario. Thus, the correct choice emphasizes the necessity of respiratory protection in managing patients with TB to prevent transmission.