CET Professional Standards & Competencies 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which organization provides the primary certification for echocardiography technicians in the United States?
- American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS)
- Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) (Correct answer)
- American Society of Echocardiography (ASE)
- National Board of Cardiovascular Testing (NBCT)
Correct answer: Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI)
CCI offers the Certified Echocardiography Technician (CET) credential specifically for echocardiography professionals.
Question 2: A patient refuses to have a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) after the risks are explained. What is the technician's primary obligation?
- Proceed with the study because it was ordered by the physician
- Document the refusal and notify the supervising physician (Correct answer)
- Attempt to convince the patient to comply
- Reschedule the patient for a later date without documentation
Correct answer: Document the refusal and notify the supervising physician
Patient autonomy must be respected; the technician must document the refusal and communicate it to the ordering physician.
Question 3: What is the minimum recommended continuing education requirement to maintain CCI certification?
- 10 CE credits every 2 years
- 20 CE credits every 3 years
- 30 CE credits every 3 years (Correct answer)
- 15 CE credits annually
Correct answer: 30 CE credits every 3 years
CCI requires 30 continuing education credits within each 3-year renewal cycle to maintain certification.
Question 4: When an echocardiography technician encounters an incidental finding not related to the ordered study, what should they do?
- Ignore it as it is outside the scope of the ordered exam
- Verbally tell the patient about the finding
- Document the finding and ensure the interpreting physician is aware (Correct answer)
- Add it to the report independently without physician review
Correct answer: Document the finding and ensure the interpreting physician is aware
All significant incidental findings must be documented and communicated to the interpreting physician for proper follow-up.
Question 5: Which of the following best describes the scope of practice for a CET-credentialed technician?
- Diagnosing cardiac conditions and recommending treatment
- Performing and acquiring echocardiographic images under physician supervision (Correct answer)
- Independently interpreting echocardiographic studies
- Prescribing medications for cardiac patients
Correct answer: Performing and acquiring echocardiographic images under physician supervision
CETs are trained to perform and acquire echo images but final interpretation and diagnosis remain the physician's responsibility.
Question 6: A colleague asks you to sign off on a study they performed but you did not supervise. What is the correct response?
- Sign off if you trust the colleague's skills
- Refuse, as attesting to work you did not supervise is fraudulent (Correct answer)
- Review the images and then sign off
- Ask the department manager for permission first
Correct answer: Refuse, as attesting to work you did not supervise is fraudulent
Attesting to procedures or studies you did not personally perform or supervise constitutes fraud and violates professional ethics.
Question 7: What standard body position is used as the reference for describing cardiac anatomy in echocardiography?
- Prone position with arms extended
- Anatomical position (upright, facing forward) (Correct answer)
- Left lateral decubitus position
- Trendelenburg position
Correct answer: Anatomical position (upright, facing forward)
Cardiac anatomical descriptions use the standard anatomical position (body upright, facing observer) as the reference orientation.
CET Professional Standards & Competencies 2
Which organization provides the primary certification for echocardiography technicians in the United States?