BTC BTC Biomedical Equipment Calibration & Testing 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of calibrating biomedical equipment?
- To reduce equipment weight
- To ensure measurements are accurate and traceable to national standards (Correct answer)
- To increase equipment speed
- To update software firmware
Correct answer: To ensure measurements are accurate and traceable to national standards
Calibration ensures that a device's measurements are accurate and traceable to national or international standards such as NIST.
Question 2: Which organization provides the national measurement standards used as the reference for biomedical equipment calibration in the US?
- FDA
- NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) (Correct answer)
- OSHA
- Joint Commission
Correct answer: NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology)
NIST provides the national measurement standards that serve as the traceability reference for calibration activities in the US.
Question 3: How often should a biomedical technician perform a performance verification on a patient monitor?
- Only when the device malfunctions
- According to the manufacturer's recommended schedule and facility PM policy (Correct answer)
- Every 10 years
- Only after software updates
Correct answer: According to the manufacturer's recommended schedule and facility PM policy
Performance verification intervals are set by the manufacturer's specifications and the facility's preventive maintenance policy.
Question 4: What does 'as-found' data mean in a calibration record?
- Data recorded after adjustments are made
- The measurement values recorded before any adjustments during a calibration (Correct answer)
- The equipment's factory default settings
- Data from the last preventive maintenance visit
Correct answer: The measurement values recorded before any adjustments during a calibration
As-found data captures the device's performance state before any corrections, providing a historical baseline for trend analysis.
Question 5: Which instrument is most commonly used to calibrate the output accuracy of an infusion pump?
- Oscilloscope
- Graduated cylinder and stopwatch (or electronic flow analyzer) (Correct answer)
- Multimeter
- Thermometer
Correct answer: Graduated cylinder and stopwatch (or electronic flow analyzer)
Infusion pump flow rate accuracy is verified using a graduated cylinder and stopwatch or a dedicated electronic flow analyzer.
Question 6: What is the acceptable tolerance for a clinical thermometer calibration in the US under typical standards?
- ±0.001°C
- ±0.1°C to ±0.2°C (Correct answer)
- ±2°C
- ±5°F
Correct answer: ±0.1°C to ±0.2°C
Most clinical thermometer standards specify an accuracy tolerance of ±0.1°C to ±0.2°C to ensure clinically meaningful temperature readings.
BTC BTC Biomedical Equipment Calibration & Testing 1
What is the primary purpose of calibrating biomedical equipment?