CCMA practice test/Cheat sheet
NHA CCMA · one page · free
NHA CCMA Cheat Sheet
Five cards to keep beside you: where the exam’s questions sit, the vital sign ranges, the two injection routes, the lists NHA’s plan names, and the order of draw. Each card names the source it was read from.
150 scored + 30 pretest questions · 3 hours
Card 1 · The examNHA test plan, 2022 job analysis
CCMA exam questions by area
180 questions in 3 hours: 150 scored and 30 pretest. Clinical patient care is 84 of the 150 scored questions. Areas are listed from most questions to fewest.
| Plan section | Area | Questions | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3B | General patient care | 28 | 19% |
| 3C | Infection control and safety | 15 | 10% |
| 1 | Foundational knowledge and basic science | 15 | 10% |
| 3A | Patient intake and vitals | 14 | 9% |
| 5 | Administrative assisting | 12 | 8% |
| 6 | Communication and customer service | 12 | 8% |
| 4 | Patient care coordination and education | 12 | 8% |
| 3E | Phlebotomy | 12 | 8% |
| 3D | Point of care testing and laboratory procedures | 9 | 6% |
| 2 | Anatomy and physiology | 8 | 5% |
| 7 | Medical law and ethics | 7 | 5% |
| 3F | EKG and cardiovascular testing | 6 | 4% |
By room, in the order of a visit: front desk 43, vitals station 14, exam room 43, lab 21, ekg room 6, what you carry into every room 23. The rooms are QuizCram’s grouping; the areas and counts are NHA’s.
Source: NHA CCMA test plan, read 10 Nov 2026.
Card 2 · Vitals stationHealthy adult, at rest
Normal vital signs for adults
These are the resting ranges for an average healthy adult. A reading outside its range is one to write down exactly and report: the test plan’s task is to identify, document and report abnormal signs.
- Blood pressure
- 90/60 to 120/80 mmHg
- Pulse
- 60 to 100 beats per minute
- Breathing
- 12 to 18 breaths per minute
- Temperature
- 97.7°F to 99.1°F (36.5°C to 37.3°C); average 98.6°F (37°C)
Age, medicines, pain and activity all change vital signs, which is why the test plan lists “factors impacting vital signs” under patient intake. Children’s ranges differ; this card is adults only.
Source: MedlinePlus, Vital signs (US National Library of Medicine), read 10 Nov 2026.
Card 3 · Exam roomVaccines
Vaccine injections: angle, needle and site
Vaccines are given by one of two injection routes. The route decides the angle of the needle and where it goes; needle length depends on the patient’s age and body mass.
| Route | Angle | Needle | Site |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intramuscular (IM) | 90° angle | 22 to 25 gauge | Deltoid muscle of the arm, or the anterolateral thigh muscle |
| Subcutaneous (Subcut) | 45° angle | 23 to 25 gauge | Fatty tissue over the triceps, or over the anterolateral thigh |
EKG electrode positions have their own page: the EKG lead placement chart. This card covers vaccines only. For any other injected medicine, the order and the package insert decide the route and site. The CCMA test plan covers injected medication by parenteral routes, excluding intravenous.
Source: Immunize.org, Administering Vaccines: Dose, Route, Site, and Needle Size (item P3085, 8/14/2026), read 10 Nov 2026.
Card 4 · From the planLists NHA names
Lists the CCMA test plan names
NHA’s detailed outline gives examples for many topics. When the plan names a list, expect questions built on its items.
- Vital signs and measurements section 3A
- Blood pressure: manual, palpated, electronic · Orthostatic measurements · Pulse · Respiratory rate · Pulse oximetry · Temperature · Pain scale · Height, weight, BMI, body and waist circumference
- Abnormal breathing patterns section 3A
- Apnea · Hyperventilation · Dyspnea
- Urgent and emergency situations section 3B
- Diabetic shock · Heat stroke · Allergic reaction · Choking · Syncope · Seizure
- Signs of wound infection section 3B
- Redness · Pus · Swelling · Discharge
- Common injuries and first treatment section 3B
- Lacerations, abrasions, fractures, sprains, burns · Bandaging, ice, elevation
- Nonblood specimens section 3D
- Urine · Stool · Cultures · Sputum
- Other tests a medical assistant performs section 3D
- CLIA-waived tests · Vision and hearing tests · Allergy testing · Spirometry and pulmonary function
- Patient identifiers section 3A
- Name · Date of birth · Medical record number · Last 4 digits of the Social Security number
Source: NHA CCMA test plan, detailed examination outline, read 10 Nov 2026.
Card 5 · LabVenipuncture, several tubes
Order of draw, with additives and inversions
When one venipuncture fills several tubes, they are filled in this order so that an additive from one tube does not carry into the next and spoil its result.
| Order | Tube | Additive | Inversions | Used for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Culture bottles (or yellow SPS tube)Drawn first so the sterile sample is not contaminated by anything on the needle. | Culture broth (SPS in yellow tubes) | 8–10 (SPS tube); bottles per maker | Blood cultures for bacteria and fungi |
| 2 | Light blueCoagulation tests are thrown off by clot activator or other anticoagulants carried over, and the tube must be filled to the line. | Sodium citrate (9 parts blood to 1 part citrate) | 3–4 | PT/INR, aPTT, fibrinogen, D-dimer |
| 3 | Red, gold, red/gray (tiger top)Clot activator carried into a citrate or heparin tube would start clotting there, so serum comes after citrate. | Clot activator, with or without gel; glass red has none | 5–6 (plastic); glass red: none | Chemistry panels, serology, blood bank (red) |
| 4 | Green, light green (gel)Heparin carried into a serum tube would stop it clotting properly. | Lithium or sodium heparin, with or without gel | 8–10 | STAT chemistry, ammonia, electrolytes (plasma) |
| 5 | Lavender/purple, pink, tanEDTA is potassium salt that binds calcium: carried over, it falsely raises potassium and lowers calcium in chemistry tubes. | K2 or K3 EDTA | 8–10 | CBC, HbA1c, blood bank (pink), lead (tan) |
| 6 | GrayFluoride and oxalate damage cells and would affect sodium, potassium and enzyme results in other tubes, so gray goes last. | Sodium fluoride with potassium oxalate | 8–10 | Glucose, lactate, blood alcohol |
Phlebotomy is 12 of the 150 scored CCMA questions. The full chart, with the tests each tube is used for, is on the order of draw chart.
Source: CLSI PRE02, Collection of Diagnostic Venous Blood Specimens (8th edition, 2025); inversions from the tube maker’s guidance.
Next stop
Now test the numbers
Practice questions use these numbers in a clinic scene. Back to the CCMA guide