EKG Technician Skills and Knowledge Base Flashcards

Which EKG finding is associated with hyperkalemia?

Answer: Tall, peaked T waves

Hyperkalemia (elevated potassium) characteristically produces tall, narrow, peaked T waves on the EKG.

During a stress EKG test, the technician's primary responsibility is to:

Answer: Monitor the patient's EKG and vital signs continuously

The EKG technician's role during stress testing is to continuously monitor the tracing and vital signs and report changes to the supervising physician.

A patient on digoxin therapy may show which classic EKG change?

Answer: Scooped ST depression (Salvador Dali sign)

Digoxin produces a characteristic scooped or 'Salvador Dali' ST segment depression, sometimes called the digitalis effect.

Which lead system uses leads I, II, and III together to form an equilateral triangle around the heart?

Answer: Einthoven's triangle

Einthoven's triangle is formed by leads I, II, and III, with the heart at the center and each limb electrode at a corner.

What is the correct action if a patient reports chest pain during a resting EKG procedure?

Answer: Stop the procedure and immediately alert the nurse or physician

Chest pain during EKG acquisition requires immediate notification of clinical staff; the technician must not continue without informing the care team.

In a normal EKG, the QRS axis typically falls between:

Answer: -30° and +110°

Normal QRS axis ranges from −30° to +110°, reflecting predominant left-to-right and downward ventricular depolarization.

Which rhythm is identified by an irregularly irregular rhythm with no discernible P waves?

Answer: Atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation produces a chaotic, irregularly irregular rhythm with a fibrillatory baseline and absent distinct P waves.