Quality Control Flashcards
6 cards from real CCHT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Quality Control flashcards as text
What is the purpose of conducting monthly water quality testing in a hemodialysis facility?
Answer: To ensure treated water meets AAMI chemical and microbiological standards and prevent patient harm from contaminated dialysate
Monthly water quality testing ensures the water treatment system is functioning correctly and that dialysate water meets AAMI standards, protecting patients from chemical and microbiological contamination.
What does the term residual chloramine testing refer to and why must it be performed before every dialysis run?
Answer: Testing for chloramines remaining in dialysate water that could cause hemolysis if present above 0.1 mg/L
Chloramines are added to municipal water for disinfection and can cause life-threatening hemolysis if not completely removed; testing before each run confirms adequate removal.
In dialyzer reprocessing, what does the fiber bundle volume (FBV) test assess and what is the minimum acceptable result?
Answer: The volume of the hollow fiber compartment, with a minimum of 80% of original volume required for reuse
FBV measures remaining functional membrane surface area; dialyzers must retain 80% or more of original priming volume to ensure adequate solute clearance.
What is the significance of dialysis adequacy targets (Kt/V 1.4 or greater) from a quality perspective, and how does this metric drive facility performance?
Answer: Kt/V measures dialysis dose delivery; facilities must achieve 1.4 or greater for 65% or more of patients as a CMS performance standard
CMS requires dialysis facilities to achieve Kt/V 1.4 or greater in at least 65% of patients as a quality performance standard that affects facility payment and surveys.
What action is required when a hemodialysis machine fails its required disinfection process verification test?
Answer: Take the machine out of service immediately, notify biomedical engineering, and document the failure
A failed disinfection verification means the machine may harbor live pathogens; it must be immediately removed from service until repaired and re-verified.
What is the purpose of a root cause analysis (RCA) following a serious patient safety event in a dialysis unit?
Answer: To systematically identify contributing factors and implement system-level changes to prevent recurrence
RCA uses a non-punitive, systems-thinking approach to identify all contributing factors (not just individual errors) and implement preventive system changes.