Certified Hemodialysis Technologist/Technician Exam Dialysis Equipment and Troubleshooting 2

Question 1

A blood leak alarm activates during dialysis. What is the first action the technician should take?

Accepted Answer

Clamp blood lines and do NOT return blood to patient

Answer

Return blood to patient and disconnect

Answer

Increase blood flow to confirm the alarm

Answer

Check dialysate conductivity

Question 2

Which factor most directly affects the efficiency of solute clearance in hemodialysis?

Accepted Answer

Blood flow rate and dialysate flow rate

Answer

Dialysate temperature

Answer

Patient's body weight

Answer

Ultrafiltration volume

Question 3

What does the term 'high-flux dialysis' refer to?

Accepted Answer

Use of a dialyzer with a high KUF and ability to clear middle molecules

Answer

Use of very high blood flow rates above 500 mL/min

Answer

Dialysis performed more than 3 times per week

Answer

Use of online hemodiafiltration only

Question 4

What causes foaming in the venous drip chamber during hemodialysis?

Accepted Answer

Air in the arterial line causing turbulence

Answer

High blood flow rate

Answer

Hemolysis of red blood cells

Answer

Low heparin dose

Question 5

A patient's arterial pressure monitor reads increasingly negative values during treatment. What is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

Inadequate blood flow from the access

Answer

Access recirculation

Answer

Venous needle kinking

Answer

Clotted dialyzer

Question 6

What is the function of the heparin pump on a dialysis machine?

Accepted Answer

Deliver anticoagulant at a controlled rate into the arterial blood line

Answer

Flush the dialyzer with saline

Answer

Monitor patient's clotting time

Answer

Regulate ultrafiltration rate