Certified Hemodialysis Technologist/Technician Exam Dialysis Complications and Emergency Management

Question 1

Intradialytic hypotension (IDH) is most commonly defined as a systolic blood pressure drop of more than:

Accepted Answer

20 mmHg or to below 90 mmHg systolic

Answer

5 mmHg from baseline

Answer

50 mmHg from baseline

Answer

10 mmHg from baseline

Question 2

The most appropriate immediate response when a patient develops severe muscle cramps during dialysis is:

Accepted Answer

Administer hypertonic saline or dextrose, and reduce the ultrafiltration rate

Answer

Increase the ultrafiltration rate

Answer

Disconnect the patient from the machine

Answer

Increase blood flow rate only

Question 3

Air embolism during hemodialysis most commonly enters the extracorporeal circuit through:

Accepted Answer

Loose connections or tubing cracks on the arterial (pre-pump) side

Answer

The dialyzer membrane rupture

Answer

The venous bubble trap

Answer

Backfiltration from dialysate

Question 4

The immediate action when air embolism is suspected during hemodialysis is:

Accepted Answer

Clamp the venous line, stop the blood pump, and position patient in left lateral Trendelenburg

Answer

Increase blood flow rate to push air through

Answer

Administer heparin IV

Answer

Flush with normal saline immediately

Question 5

Dialysis disequilibrium syndrome is most likely to occur in which patient population?

Accepted Answer

First-time dialysis patients with very high BUN levels

Answer

Patients on dialysis for more than 10 years

Answer

Patients with low blood urea nitrogen (BUN)

Answer

Elderly patients with normal kidney function

Question 6

When a patient experiences nausea, vomiting, and falling blood pressure during dialysis, which intervention should be performed FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Lower the head of the bed, reduce ultrafiltration rate, and assess BP

Answer

Stop dialysis and return blood immediately

Answer

Administer antiemetics only

Answer

Increase dialysate temperature