CCT Patient Care & Clinical Safety Standards 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which patient identifier combination meets The Joint Commission's minimum standard for patient identification before a cardiac procedure?
- Room number and date of birth
- Full name and date of birth (or medical record number) (Correct answer)
- Full name and physician's name
- Insurance ID and home address
Correct answer: Full name and date of birth (or medical record number)
TJC requires two patient identifiers; acceptable pairs include full name plus date of birth or full name plus medical record number.
Question 2: A patient receiving anticoagulation therapy presents for a stress test with a small bruise at the antecubital fossa. The CCT should:
- Cancel the test and reschedule after anticoagulation is reversed
- Document the bruise and proceed, monitoring the IV site if access is needed (Correct answer)
- Apply a compression wrap before starting the test
- Refuse to apply the BP cuff on that arm
Correct answer: Document the bruise and proceed, monitoring the IV site if access is needed
Documenting pre-existing bruising protects the technician and patient; the bruise itself is not a contraindication to stress testing.
Question 3: When cleaning ECG equipment between patients, the CCT should use:
- Sterile water only to avoid damaging electronic components
- An EPA-registered disinfectant wipe appropriate for medical equipment surfaces (Correct answer)
- Soap and water followed by air drying for 30 seconds
- Isopropyl alcohol at 30% concentration
Correct answer: An EPA-registered disinfectant wipe appropriate for medical equipment surfaces
EPA-registered disinfectants appropriate for non-critical medical devices provide the required level of disinfection between patients.
Question 4: A patient's oxygen saturation drops to 88% during a pharmacological stress test. The FIRST intervention is:
- Increase the dose of the pharmacological agent
- Apply supplemental oxygen and notify the supervising physician (Correct answer)
- Terminate the stress test and discharge the patient
- Administer the reversal agent without physician authorization
Correct answer: Apply supplemental oxygen and notify the supervising physician
Supplemental oxygen and immediate physician notification address hypoxemia while keeping the care team informed for further decision-making.
Question 5: Electrical safety in the cardiac catheterization lab requires that all electrical equipment be:
- Grounded and inspected regularly according to biomedical engineering standards (Correct answer)
- Operated only by biomedical technicians, never by CCTs
- Unplugged between cases to prevent leakage current
- Replaced annually regardless of functional status
Correct answer: Grounded and inspected regularly according to biomedical engineering standards
Proper grounding and regular biomedical inspection prevent microshock hazards, which are especially dangerous for catheterized patients.
Question 6: When a patient on telemetry monitoring is being transported between units, the CCT should ensure:
- The monitor is disconnected to prevent equipment damage during transit
- Continuous rhythm monitoring is maintained throughout the transport (Correct answer)
- A family member accompanies the patient in lieu of clinical staff
- The telemetry unit is switched to a lower sensitivity to avoid alarms
Correct answer: Continuous rhythm monitoring is maintained throughout the transport
Uninterrupted monitoring during transport allows immediate detection of arrhythmias in a vulnerable patient population.
Question 7: A CCT accidentally sticks themselves with a needle used on a patient with unknown HIV status. The FIRST action should be:
- Wait until end of shift and report to occupational health
- Immediately wash the wound, report to supervisory staff, and follow exposure protocol (Correct answer)
- Self-administer post-exposure prophylaxis from the crash cart
- Continue working and report only if symptoms develop
Correct answer: Immediately wash the wound, report to supervisory staff, and follow exposure protocol
Immediate wound care, prompt reporting, and following facility exposure protocol are critical to minimize infection risk and begin prophylaxis within the optimal window.
CCT Patient Care & Clinical Safety Standards 4
Which patient identifier combination meets The Joint Commission's minimum standard for patient identification before a cardiac procedure?