The medical assistant performs patient preoperative education for Mrs. Franklin, who is scheduled for exploratory surgery to find the cause for abnormal lab results and her extreme pain. After explaining the surgery to her, the MA asks if she has any questions; she says, "What exactly do they expect to find? Is it bad?" How should the MA respond?

A) "They are probably looking for signs that you have some type of organ cancer."
B) "Well, it must be pretty bad, or they wouldn't be doing the surgery."
C) "I am not sure. Would you like to discuss this further with the surgeon?"
D) "The purpose of exploratory surgery is to fix whatever is wrong with you."
E) "I can't be sure, but from what I see in your chart, it could be very serious."

Question

Harrison Workman · Accepted Answer

Final Answer : C, Explanation :  The medical assistant should encourage the patient to discuss her concerns directly with the surgeon, as the MA is not qualified to provide specific medical diagnoses or prognoses.

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