ASHE Medical Equipment & Infrastructure Maintenance 2

Question 1

Which standard governs the electrical safety testing of patient-connected medical equipment in U.S. healthcare facilities?

Accepted Answer

NFPA 99

Answer

NFPA 99 Health Care Facilities Code establishes electrical safety testing requirements for patient-connected medical equipment.

Question 2

A biomedical technician measures leakage current on an electrically isolated patient monitor and finds 80 µA chassis leakage. What is the correct action?

Accepted Answer

Remove the equipment from service immediately

Answer

NFPA 99 limits chassis leakage current to 300 µA for general care and 100 µA for critical care areas; 80 µA approaches the critical care limit, but the action depends on area classification — however, any value exceeding the applicable limit requires removal from service.

Question 3

What is the recommended frequency for preventive maintenance on a defibrillator used in a general acute care hospital?

Accepted Answer

Every 6 months

Answer

Most accreditation standards and manufacturer recommendations require defibrillator PM at least every 6 months due to the life-critical nature of the device.

Question 4

Which document should a healthcare facility's equipment management program use to determine the initial inspection and preventive maintenance interval for a newly acquired device?

Accepted Answer

Manufacturer's Instructions for Use (IFU)

Answer

The manufacturer's Instructions for Use (IFU) provides the primary reference for PM intervals, procedures, and safety requirements for each specific device.

Question 5

In a hospital's medical gas system, what is the maximum allowable pressure drop across a zone valve when tested per NFPA 99?

Accepted Answer

5 psi

Answer

NFPA 99 specifies that the pressure drop across a zone valve at design flow shall not exceed 5 psi (34 kPa).

(ASHE) American Society for Health Care Engineering Certified Practice Test

(ASHE) American Society for Health Care Engineering Certified Practice Test

ASHE Medical Equipment & Infrastructure Maintenance 2