National Health Career Association: Study guide for certified medical assistant, CCMA

PERFORMING AN EXAMINATION, TESTS OR TO OBTAIN SPECIMENS

IS USED FOR PHYSICAL EXAMINATION. THE PATIENT LIES ON THE THE BACK WITH LEGS EXTENDED, ARMS MAY BE ABOVE THE HEAD, ALONGSIDE THE BODY OR FOLDED ON THE CHEST

IS WHEN THE PATIENT IS ON HIS OR HER BACK WITH KNEES FLEXED AND SOLES OF THE FEET FLAT ON THE BED. THE MA WILL NEED TO FOLD A SHEET ONCE ACROSS THE CHEST AND FOLD A SECOND SHEET CROSSWISE OVER THE THIGHS AND LEGS SO THAT GENITAL AREA IS EASILY EXPOSED

IS USED TO PROMOTE DRAINAGE OR TO EASE BREATHING. A SITTING OR SEMI SITTING POSITION WHERE THE BACK OF THE EXAMINATION TABLE IS ELEVATED 45 DEGREE ANGLE( SEMI FOWLER) OR 90 DEGREES ( HIGH FOWLER) . THE KNEES MAY BE RAISED SLIGHTLY BY PLACING A PILLOW UNDERNEATH. USUALLY LEGS REST FLAT ON THE TABLE. THIS POSITION IS USUALLY USED FOR PATIENTS EITH CARDIOVASCULAR OR RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS, AND FOR EXAMINATIONS OF THE UPPER BODY AND HEAD

IS USED FOR EXAMINATION OF THE PELVIC ORGAN. THIS POSITION IS SIMILAR TO THE DORSAL RECUMBENT POSITION EXCEPT THAT THE PATIENTS LEGS ARE WELL SPERATED AND THIGHS ARE ACUTELY FLEXED. THE FEET ARE USUALLY PLACED IN STIRRUPS AND A FOLDED SHEET OR BATH BLANKET IS PLACED OVER THIGHS AND LEGS SO THAT GENITAL AREA IS EASILY EXPOSED. KEEP PATIENT COVERED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE

IS USED TO EXAMINE THE SPINE AND BACK. THE PATIENTS LIES ON HIS OR HER ABDOMEN WITH HEAD TURNED TO ONE SIDE FOR COMFORT, THE ARMS MAY BE ABOVE HEAD OR ALONGSIDE THE BODY

IS USED FOR RECTAL EXAMINATION. THE PATIENT IS ON HIS OR HER LEFT SIDE WITH THE RIGHT KNEE FLEXED AGAINST THE ABDOMEN AND THE LEFT KNEE SIGHTLY FLEXED THE LEFT ARM IS BEHIND THE BODY THE RIGHT ARM IS PLACED COMFORTABLY

IS USED FOR RECTAL AND VAGINAL EXAMINATIONS AND AS TREATMENT TO BRING THE UTERUS INTO NORMAL POSITION. THE PATIENT IS IN HIS OR HER KNEES WITH HIS OR HER CHEST RESTING ON THE BED AND ELBOWS OR ARM ABOVE HEAD. THE HEAD IS TURNED TO ONE SIDE THE THIGHS ARE STRAIGHT AND LOWER LEGS ARE FLAT ON THE BED

THE PATIENT IS PLACED FLAT ON THE BACK, FACE UP THE KNEES FLEXED AND LEGS HANGING OFF THE END OF THE TABLE WITH THE LEGS AND FEET SUPPORTED BY A FOOT BOARD. THE TABLE IS POSITIONED WITH A 45 DEGREE LOWER THAN THE BODY. THIS POSITION IS PRIMARILY USED FOR SURGICAL PROCEDURES OF THE PELVIS ABDOMEN