CHBT Dialysis Equipment Maintenance and Troubleshooting 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of a conductivity alarm on a hemodialysis machine?
- To detect incorrect dialysate concentration (Correct answer)
- To measure blood flow rate
- To monitor ultrafiltration volume
- To alert for air in the blood tubing
Correct answer: To detect incorrect dialysate concentration
The conductivity alarm detects deviations in dialysate ionic concentration, protecting patients from hypo- or hypertonic dialysate exposure.
Question 2: How often should hemodialysis machine proportioning systems be calibrated according to standard practice?
- Monthly
- Weekly
- Per manufacturer schedule, typically monthly or after repair (Correct answer)
- Only when an alarm occurs
Correct answer: Per manufacturer schedule, typically monthly or after repair
Calibration frequency follows the manufacturer's recommendations, typically monthly or after any repair that could affect fluid delivery accuracy.
Question 3: Which component is responsible for generating the negative transmembrane pressure that drives ultrafiltration in a dialysis machine?
- Blood pump
- Dialysate pump
- Ultrafiltration controller (Correct answer)
- Bicarbonate proportioning module
Correct answer: Ultrafiltration controller
The ultrafiltration controller regulates the pressure differential across the dialyzer membrane to achieve the prescribed fluid removal rate.
Question 4: A blood leak alarm activates during treatment. What is the correct first response by the biomed technician verifying the alarm?
- Silence the alarm and continue treatment
- Inspect the dialysate outflow for pink or red discoloration (Correct answer)
- Increase blood flow rate
- Replace the dialysate proportioning pump
Correct answer: Inspect the dialysate outflow for pink or red discoloration
Visual inspection of the dialysate effluent for discoloration confirms whether a true blood leak has occurred through the membrane.
Question 5: What does a high venous pressure alarm most commonly indicate?
- Clotted or kinked venous blood line (Correct answer)
- Low blood pump speed
- Ruptured dialyzer membrane
- Insufficient anticoagulation
Correct answer: Clotted or kinked venous blood line
High venous pressure typically results from an obstruction in the venous return line, such as a clot, kink, or access problem.
Question 6: Which maintenance task should be performed after every patient treatment to protect the dialysis machine's internal fluid pathways?
- Replace the blood pump segment
- Run a disinfection/rinse cycle per protocol (Correct answer)
- Calibrate the conductivity sensor
- Replace the venous pressure transducer protector
Correct answer: Run a disinfection/rinse cycle per protocol
Post-treatment disinfection and rinse cycles remove residual dialysate and biological material, preventing microbial growth in internal pathways.
CHBT Dialysis Equipment Maintenance and Troubleshooting 1
What is the primary purpose of a conductivity alarm on a hemodialysis machine?