CCCA Test Plan

Our mission: To protect the public by promoting excellence in chiropractic regulation through service to our member boards

Our vision: The FCLB is the premier international resource for information and consolidated services for ensuring the safe, ethical practice of chiropractic

Certified Chiropractic Clinical Assistants

1. FOUNDATIONAL KNOWLEDGE (30%)
   • Competency Description: The successful examinee has the general entry level knowledge necessary for working in a chiropractic office.
   • Examples of areas requiring basic knowledge include:
   • Human anatomy – e.g. being able to identify large muscle groups and common bones
   • Human physiology – e.g. knowing the basic function of the major organs such as the heart and lungs, and that ovaries are classified as reproductive organs
   • Clinical terminology – e.g. knowing flexion v. extension, superior v. inferior, and anterior v. posterior
   • Treatments & conditions – that is recognizing common diagnostic and treatment terminology, e.g. sprain, strain, tendinosis, low back pain
2. PATIENT SAFETY AND PROCEDURES (40%)
   • Competency Description: The successful examinee has the entry level knowledge and ability to complete tasks related to patient treatment and recognize and appropriately respond to situations that may compromise patient safety.
   • Examples of these knowledge and ability areas, functions or duties may include:
   • Recognizing and preventing office hazards – e.g. turning off therapy equipment after use and assuring it is turned off prior to beginning treatment
   • Therapeutic modalities and procedures – e.g. safe therapy set up and use, how to apply ice and heat
   • X-ray safety – e.g. ask females about pregnancy
   • Responding to health and office emergencies – e.g. knowing general adverse reactions to common treatments, CPR, and types of safety equipment
   • Recognize indications and contraindications for common modalities – e.g. knowing indications such as tight muscles and swelling and contraindications such as pregnancy and cancer
   • Vital statistics (height, weight, blood pressure, etc.) – e.g. knowing basic terminology and general procedures for obtaining vitals
3. DOCUMENTATION (15%)
   • Competency Description: The successful examinee has the entry level knowledge and ability to complete tasks related to the proper creation, handling and storage of patient data, to include activities associated with the billing of patient services.
   • Examples of these tasks may include:
   • Use of appropriate forms – e.g. intake and informed consent forms
   • HIPAA compliance – e.g. understanding that there must be no discussion of patients outside of office
   • Red flags of fraud – e.g. understanding that taking money or billing for therapies not performed is unethical and illegal
   • Use of billing codes – e.g. knowing those commonly used on CMS 1500
   • Use of procedure codes – e.g. knowing those used to identify common chiropractic procedures
   • Record keeping – e.g. knowing the basic SOAP format and common medical and chiropractic abbreviations
4. ETHICS & BOUNDARIES (15%)
   • Competency Description: The successful examinee exhibits entry level ethical decision-making ability and recognition of appropriate interpersonal boundaries.
   • Examples may include:
   • Sexual boundaries/harassment
   • Patient-staff relations
   • Doctor-staff relations
   • Finances and billings
   • Confidentiality issues
   • Confrontational patients
   • This section contains very basic scenarios pertaining to appropriate behavior and ethical judgment.

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