Certified Hemodialysis Technologist/Technician Exam Dialysis Complications and Emergency Management 2

Question 1

A patient receiving hemodialysis begins experiencing chest pain, back pain, and the dialysate appears pink-tinged. The most likely cause is:

Accepted Answer

Dialyzer membrane rupture causing a blood leak

Answer

Angina from fluid overload

Answer

Air embolism

Answer

Hypoglycemia

Question 2

When a blood leak detector alarm activates on the dialysis machine, the correct action is to:

Accepted Answer

Visually inspect the dialysate line and dialyzer; if confirmed, return blood only if safe or discard and use new dialyzer

Answer

Reset the alarm and continue dialysis

Answer

Increase dialysate flow rate

Answer

Immediately disconnect the patient

Question 3

Which electrolyte imbalance is most likely to cause cardiac arrhythmias during hemodialysis?

Accepted Answer

Hyperkalemia

Answer

Hyponatremia

Answer

Hypophosphatemia

Answer

Hypomagnesemia

Question 4

A patient on hemodialysis develops sudden shortness of breath, chest tightness, and hives during treatment. This presentation most suggests:

Accepted Answer

Anaphylactic reaction to dialyzer or blood tubing

Answer

Pulmonary edema from fluid overload

Answer

Dialysis disequilibrium

Answer

Normal first-use reaction — continue dialysis

Question 5

The correct dialysate sodium concentration to help prevent intradialytic hypotension in a hemodynamically unstable patient is typically:

Accepted Answer

135-145 mEq/L (isotonic to slightly higher)

Answer

125-130 mEq/L (hyponatremic)

Answer

155-160 mEq/L (hypernatremic for all patients)

Answer

Sodium is irrelevant to hemodynamic stability

Question 6

Hemolysis during hemodialysis can be recognized by which characteristic change in the blood tubing?

Accepted Answer

Blood appears cherry-red or pink (translucent) rather than its normal dark red color

Answer

Blood becomes darker and more viscous

Answer

Blood clots visible in the arterial chamber

Answer

No visible changes occur