EKG state exam

What is the name of the law protecting patient privacy to which EKG technicians must adhere?

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

Before performing an EKG on a patient, it is important to have the

patient’s consent

What is the best way to identify an inpatient?

by reading their wristband

What should an EKG technician always do before touching a patient?

Ask permission

What organization inspects and examines workplaces?

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

Names, birth dates, social security numbers, and medical record numbers are examples of what?

protected health information

AHA is the abbreviation for

American Heart Association

Which of the following is an organization that evaluates and accredits healthcare facilities?

The joint commission

When should EKG technicians wash their hands?

Both before and after providing patient care

What should be done to reusable EKG machine components between patient encounters

disinfection

An EKG technician should utilize contact precautions when encountering a patient with which of the following?

Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

What does it mean when a patient is on contact precautions?

They have an illness that can be spread by touch.

Systolic pressure occurs when the ventricles

contract

Which of the following may need to be used when performing an EKG on a patient who is under contact precautions?

Disposable Leads

Which of the following items should be worn when entering the room of a patient on droplet precautions?

Surgical Mask

What piece of personal protective equipment (PPE) should be worn when caring for a patient on airborne precautions?

N95 Respirator

An axillary temp is typically lower than what temperature?

Lower than an oral temperature

The average number of heart contractions per minute for an adult is

60-100

Where are beta-1 receptors located?

the heart and kidneys

The upper chambers of the heart are called

atria

How many chambers are in the heart

4

The bicuspid valve is also called the

mitral valve

What is the pericardium?

the sac that encloses the heart

The basic contractile unit of a myofibril is a(n)

sarcomere

Which of the following are the atrioventricular (AV) valves?

Tricuspid and Mitral

Which body system sends, receives, and interprets information and coordinates internal body functions in response to environmental conditions?

nervous

What structure(s) make(s) sure blood flows through the heart in the correct direction ?

valves

Which artery supplies the right atrium and ventricle with blood.

right coronary artery

Blood entering the right atrium is

deoxygenated

The innermost lining of the heart is called the

endocardium

What separates the right and left ventricles.

intraventricular septum

The anterior surface of the heart consists primarily of the

right ventricle

Which body system controls involuntary actions?

autonomic nervous system

Patients with angina pectoris have

chest pain

Swelling due to fluid buildup in the tissues is called

edema

The presence or development of a blood clot inside a blood vessel is called

thrombosis

What age patient is most likely to be diagnosed with a patent ductus arteriosus?

newborn

Which of the following is a sign of decreased cardiac output.

fatigue

Which of the following terms means hardening of artery walls?

arteriosclerosis

What term describes the condition where the heart is unable to pump blood well, leading to a buildup of fluid in the body?

congestive heart failure

What is the term for an electrical change in the heart in which the voltage of the cells becomes more negative and the cells relax?

repolarization

What is the term for the difference in electrical charge between electrodes?

voltage

Which term describes an EKG wave that moves upward from the isoelectric line?

positive

A complete EKG typically consists of how many leads?

12 leads

What speed is the paper moving for most EKG tests?

25 milimeters per second

Where should lead V6 be placed?

Horizontally even with V4 and V5 in the left midaxillary line.

How many leads does a Holter monitor use?

5

A 12-lead EKG provides views from which two planes?

frontal and horizontal

How many lead wires does an EKG machine have?

10

What is a Holter monitor used to diagnose?

arrhythmias

Which of the following are chest leads?

V1, V2, V3, V4, V5, and V6

In what setting is a Holter monitor used?

ambulatory

What is the name of the imaginary triangle formed by the placement of the electrodes that record the limb leads?

einthoven triangle

What adjusts the sensitivity of an EKG machine?

gain control

Which of the following EKG leads are bipolar leads?

I, II, and III

Leads v3 and v4 view which portion of the heart?

anterior

What is the term for a metallic clip on an EKG machine that helps the adhesive make contact with a lead wire?

electrodes

Leads v1 and v2 view which portion of the heart?

septal

Leads II, III, and aVF view which portion of the heart?

inferior

Where is lead v2 placed?

fourth intercostal space

What is the first thing an EKG technician should check when applying a telemetry pack?

the batteries

What gain setting is standard gain?

10mm/mV

Electrodes are connected to the EKG machine by

lead wires

What is the formula for age-predicted maximal heart rate?

220 - patients age

A stress test should be stopped immediately if the patient is

dizzy

What should patients avoid for 24 hours prior to a nuclear stress test?

caffeine

What term refers to a loop in the lead wire close to the electrodes designed to reduce the tension of the electrodes?

stress loop

What should an EKG technician do when a patient needs to change into a gown?

provide a private area for them to change

What should a patient with a Holter monitor be told about their daily activities while wearing the monitor?

They should do their normal daily activities

Which of the following is an important safety measure when performing a stress test?

Involved personnel should be advanced trauma life support (ATLS) certified

What type of cardiac testing is performed only in the inpatient setting?

telemetry

What type of test is used to evaluate the heart's function during physical activity?

stress test

How often should blood pressure be monitored during a stress test?

every 2-3 minutes

In order for a stress test to be valid, a patient must reach a heart rate that is what percent of their age-predicted maximal heart rate?

85%

Which of these patients requires special lead placement for an EKG?

36-year-old woman who is 7 months pregnant.

Which electrode is placed in a non-standard position when performing an EKG on a patient who is between 2 and 12 years old?

v4

When performing an EKG, which position is most likely to be comfortable for a patient with respiratory or heart problems?

semi fowler

Which of the following terms refers to EKG artifact that occurs when the signal is compromised by frayed or faulty lead wires?

broken recording

What is the name of the type of EKG artifact that can be caused by loose electrode or poor electrode contact?

wandering baseline

What is the name of the type of EKG artifact that can be caused by appliance or equipment use near the EKG machine?

electrical interference

Which of the following can cause a wandering baseline?

expired electrodes

How should electrodes be placed for a patient with dextrocardia?

mirror image of standard placement

Which of the following can be attempted to reduce somatic tremor?

provide the patient with a blanket

What is the term for a rare heart condition that causes the heart to develop pointing to the right side of the chest instead of the left?

dextrocardia

What should the EKG technician do if a patient has a scar where an electrode should be placed?

Place the electrode as close as possible to the normal location but not on the scar.

What is the term for scrubbing the outer layer of the skin to remove debris that can interfere with electrode contact?

abrade

What can improve electrode contact?

removing body hair

What can cause artifact on an EKG?

paitent movement

Which electrodes are not used in posterior EKG placement?

V4, v5, and v6

What modifications for electrode placement should be used for patients who are less than 2 years old?

mirror image of standard placement

Which of the following is an example of a patient condition that may require changes to the standard EKG testing procedure?

pregnancy

The primary pacemaker of the heart is the

sinoatrial (SA) node

______cells are specialized cells of the electrical conduction system responsible for the spontaneous generation of electrical impulses.

pacemaker

Impulses from the atrioventricular (AV) node go through the _____to the right and left bundle branches.

bundle of his

What happens to an electrical signal in the atrioventricular (AV) node?

it slows down before traveling to the ventricles

Which electrolyte triggers the first step in an electrical impulse in the heart?

sodium

What is the term used to describe a pacemaker site outside of the sinoatrial (SA) node?

ectopic

Which one of these electrolytes plays an important role in cardiac conduction?

sodium

Stroke volume multiplied by the heart rate is the formula for

cardiac output

The inherent rate for the sinoatrial (SA) node is

60-100