CABT Installation, Maintenance & Troubleshooting 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which standard primarily governs the safety testing of medical electrical equipment in the United States?
- IEC 60601-1 (Correct answer)
- NFPA 101
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910
- ISO 9001
Correct answer: IEC 60601-1
IEC 60601-1 is the primary international standard adopted in the US for the safety and performance of medical electrical equipment.
Question 2: When a biomedical technician documents that a device has 'passed' its PM inspection, this means:
- The device is brand new
- The device met all performance and safety criteria defined in the PM procedure (Correct answer)
- The device has been cleaned only
- The device warranty has been renewed
Correct answer: The device met all performance and safety criteria defined in the PM procedure
A PM 'pass' indicates the device was tested against defined safety and performance criteria and met all requirements.
Question 3: An IV pump alarm keeps sounding 'occlusion downstream' but there is no visible obstruction. After checking the IV line, what should the technician inspect next?
- The hospital's water supply pressure
- The pump's pressure sensor and tubing fitment (Correct answer)
- The patient's blood pressure
- The room's ambient temperature
Correct answer: The pump's pressure sensor and tubing fitment
After ruling out an actual occlusion, the pump's pressure sensor and tubing seating in the door mechanism should be checked as potential causes of false occlusion alarms.
Question 4: The equipment management plan (EMP) in a healthcare facility typically does NOT include:
- Inventory of all managed devices
- Maintenance intervals and procedures
- Clinical protocols for patient care (Correct answer)
- Risk-based criteria for device inclusion
Correct answer: Clinical protocols for patient care
Clinical care protocols are managed by clinical staff and nursing leadership; the EMP focuses on equipment inventory, maintenance, and safety management.
Question 5: When a biomedical technician replaces a lithium battery in an AED, the most critical final step before returning it to service is:
- Updating the asset tag label
- Performing a functional self-test and verifying ready indicator status (Correct answer)
- Applying a new PM sticker
- Recording the battery lot number
Correct answer: Performing a functional self-test and verifying ready indicator status
After any battery replacement in an AED, a functional self-test must be performed and the ready indicator verified before the device is returned to clinical use.
Question 6: A hospital bed's height adjustment motor is non-functional. The biomedical technician's first step in troubleshooting should be:
- Replace the motor immediately
- Check for power at the motor using a multimeter and verify control input signals (Correct answer)
- Order all replacement parts preemptively
- Disable the height function and return the bed to service
Correct answer: Check for power at the motor using a multimeter and verify control input signals
Before replacing components, the technician should verify power supply and control signals at the motor to isolate whether the fault is electrical supply, control circuit, or the motor itself.
Question 7: Which organization accredits hospitals and evaluates biomedical equipment management programs in the United States?
- FDA
- The Joint Commission (TJC) (Correct answer)
- IEEE
- AAMI
Correct answer: The Joint Commission (TJC)
The Joint Commission accredits healthcare organizations and evaluates their environment of care standards, which include biomedical equipment management programs.
CABT Installation, Maintenance & Troubleshooting 4
Which standard primarily governs the safety testing of medical electrical equipment in the United States?