Want to become a Hemodialysis Technician? You’ll need special knowledge and a certification. The CHBT (Certified Hemodialysis Bio-Medical Technician) Test is key. It checks if you know how to keep dialysis equipment working right.
This test makes sure you have the skills to give top-notch care to patients with serious kidney problems. It’s important for those with end-stage renal disease or chronic kidney disease.
The CHBT has 150 questions, takes about 3 hours and costs $235[1][2] (Board of Nephrology Examiners Nursing and Technology, Inc., verified Oct 27, 2026).
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
| Item | Detail | Source · Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Number of questions | 150 multiple-choice questions[1] | Board of Nephrology Examiners Nursing and Technology, Inc. · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Time limit | 3 hours[1] | Board of Nephrology Examiners Nursing and Technology, Inc. · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Passing score | Scaled score of 70[3] | Board of Nephrology Examiners Nursing and Technology, Inc. · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Exam fee | $235 paper-and-pencil / $255 computer-based (USA); $260 PPE / $255 CBT outside the USA[2] | Board of Nephrology Examiners Nursing and Technology, Inc. · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Retake fee | $235 PPE / $255 CBT (USA); $260 PPE / $255 CBT international[4] | Board of Nephrology Examiners Nursing and Technology, Inc. · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Retake policy | Up to 3 attempts within 12 months, then 8 hours of nephrology CE[4] | Board of Nephrology Examiners Nursing and Technology, Inc. · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Validity | 4 years[5] | Board of Nephrology Examiners Nursing and Technology, Inc. · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Renewal | 40 contact hours (30+ Group A), retake the exam, or one-time waiver[5] | Board of Nephrology Examiners Nursing and Technology, Inc. · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Delivery | Paper-and-pencil (scheduled sites) or computer-based testing[6] | Board of Nephrology Examiners Nursing and Technology, Inc. · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Eligibility | High school diploma + 6 months dialysis biomedical experience + current ESRD facility work[2] | Board of Nephrology Examiners Nursing and Technology, Inc. · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Score release | About 3-4 weeks after the exam, by USPS mail[3] | Board of Nephrology Examiners Nursing and Technology, Inc. · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Registration deadline | Paper exam: 45 days before (60 days international); CBT: no deadline[7] | Board of Nephrology Examiners Nursing and Technology, Inc. · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Testing window | CBT: schedule yourself; take it within 6 months of the confirmation letter[8] | Board of Nephrology Examiners Nursing and Technology, Inc. · Oct 27, 2026 |
Interactive CHBT - Certified Hemodialysis Bio-Medical Technician resources on PracticeTestGeeks, free to start:
According to Board of Nephrology Examiners Nursing and Technology, Inc., “The examination has a three-hour time limit and consists of 150 multiple-choice questions.”[1]
The content areas below are copied from the official CHBT content outline published by Board of Nephrology Examiners Nursing and Technology, Inc., with the share of the exam each area carries. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.
| Official content area | Weight | Practice on this site |
|---|---|---|
| Concentrate System Management[1] | 11% | CHBT Dialysate Composition and Chemistry Practise dialysate components, mixing and conductivity checks, and what happens when concentrate is wrong. |
| Documentation Practices[1] | 7% | CHBT Regulatory Compliance and Documentation Practise what must be recorded, when, and how corrections and logs should be handled. |
| Life-Safety and Physical Plant Maintenance[1] | 9% | CHBT Electrical Safety and Biomedical Engi... Practise electrical safety, grounding and leakage concepts, and facility systems that protect patients and staff. |
| Medical Machine Maintenance[1] | 24% | CHBT Dialysis Equipment Maintenance and Tr... Practise preventive maintenance, calibration and step-by-step troubleshooting of machine faults and alarms. |
| Professional Responsibilities[1] | 8% | CHBT Alarm Systems and Emergency Response Practise how a technician responds to emergencies and alarms and where the role's responsibilities begin and end. |
| Quality Assurance Performance Improvement[1] | 7% | CHBT Patient Safety and Quality Assurance Practise how data, audits and incident reviews drive corrective action in a dialysis unit. |
| Reprocessing of Dialyzer[1] | 4% | CHBT Reuse and Disinfection Protocols Practise the order of rinsing, cleaning, testing and disinfecting, and why each step exists. |
| Water Treatment System Management[1] | 30% | CHBT Water Treatment Systems for Dialysis Practise the purpose and order of pretreatment, reverse osmosis and monitoring, and how to read test results. |
Prepare for the CHBT - Certified Hemodialysis Bio-Medical Technician exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Question: What is the purpose of the 'water rinse' step during dialyzer reprocessing?
Answer: A. To flush out blood, clots, and debris from the fiber bundle before disinfectant is applied
Explanation:
The correct answer is that the rinse flushes blood, clots and debris out of the fiber bundle before disinfectant goes in. Organic material such as blood can neutralise disinfectant, so it has to be removed first.
Applying the disinfectant evenly through the fibers is the job of the disinfectant fill step, not the rinse. Rehydrating the membrane after a pressure test is not what the rinse is for. Testing water quality is a separate check done on the water supply, not by running water through a dialyzer.
Rule to remember: in reprocessing, remove organic load before you disinfect. Cleaning always comes before disinfection, and each step has one distinct purpose.
Question: All of the following substances are produced by the kidney EXCEPT:
Answer: B. aldosterone.
Explanation:
The answer is aldosterone, because it is made by the adrenal glands, not the kidneys. It acts on the kidney to regulate sodium and potassium, which is why it is easy to confuse with a kidney product.
Renin is released by the kidney and helps regulate blood pressure, so it is wrong as an answer to an EXCEPT question. Erythropoietin comes from the kidney and stimulates red blood cell production. Calcitriol is the active form of vitamin D, finished in the kidney.
Rule to remember: the kidney makes renin, erythropoietin and calcitriol, and responds to aldosterone without producing it. With EXCEPT questions, find the three true statements and the odd one out is your answer.
Question: Why must a reprocessed dialyzer not be used within a minimum contact time after disinfectant filling?
Answer: A. The disinfectant requires a minimum contact time (typically several hours) to achieve sufficient germicidal efficacy against all target organisms
Explanation:
The correct answer is that the disinfectant needs a minimum contact time to reach sufficient germicidal effect against the target organisms. Using the dialyzer early risks leaving organisms alive.
Membrane rehydration is not the reason for the wait, since the issue is microbial kill, not the membrane. The claim of a fixed 12-hour quarantine for all reprocessed equipment is not how the requirement works; the contact time depends on the disinfectant and the manufacturer's instructions. Disinfectant does not need to evaporate, and a dialyzer is rinsed of disinfectant before use, not left to dry it off.
Rule to remember: follow the labelled contact time for the product in use, and never shorten it.
Start with the official BONENT CHBT page and the content outline, then rank the areas by how comfortable you are with each. Spend the most time on the areas that carry the most weight in the outline, which are water treatment and machine maintenance.
Work through a practice set for one area at a time, such as Water Treatment Systems for Dialysis or Dialysis Equipment Maintenance and Troubleshooting. Do not just check the score. For every miss, write down the rule behind the right answer in your own words, then look it up in your facility's procedures or the manufacturer's manuals.
Our questions are written by us with AI tools and are not real exam questions, so treat them as practice for reasoning, not a preview. Before test day, time yourself on a long mixed run so the 3-hour limit feels familiar.
The CHBT (Certified Hemodialysis Bio-Medical Technician) is key in dialysis care. They make sure dialysis equipment works right and patients are safe. The CHBT exam checks if a candidate knows how to keep dialysis machines and other equipment running smoothly. Practice with the free CHBT - Certified Hemodialysis Bio-Medical Technician practice test on PracticeTestGeeks (7 questions with answer explanations).
The CHBT exam tests a candidate’s skills and knowledge in several areas:
To get CHBT certified, candidates must:
Getting the CHBT certification is great for those wanting to work as dialysis technicians, hemodialysis technicians, or nephrology technicians. It shows they’re dedicated to being the best and can give top-notch dialysis care to patients.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| CHBT exam preparation strengthens your knowledge across all domains | Exam anxiety can affect performance — practice tests help reduce it |
| Passing the exam proves competency to employers and clients | Registration fees are non-refundable if you miss your test date |
| Study materials and practice tests are widely available | Limited retake opportunities may apply with waiting periods |
| Exam-based credentials are portable across states and employers | Exam content updates periodically — use current study materials |
| Clear exam objectives help focus your study plan effectively | Testing center availability may require advance scheduling |
Try these questions from our free CHBT - Certified Hemodialysis Bio-Medical Technician practice tests. The correct answer and an explanation follow each question.
The fluid restriction for most patients undergoing in-center hemodialysis is equal to urine volume/day plus:
Answer: C. 1 L.
For most in-center hemodialysis patients, a common fluid restriction guideline is to limit daily fluid intake to their residual urine output plus 1 liter. This additional liter accounts for insensible fluid losses (e.g., through breathing and sweat) and helps prevent excessive fluid accumulation between dialysis sessions.
Under OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, dialysis facilities are required to offer hepatitis B vaccination to employees:
Answer: A. At no cost to the employee, within 10 working days of initial assignment to a job with occupational exposure
OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) mandates that employers provide HBV vaccination free of charge to all employees with occupational blood exposure within 10 days of job assignment.
When mixing a bicarbonate concentrate from dry powder, which precaution is essential?
Answer: A. Use water that meets dialysis water quality standards and mix per manufacturer instructions to ensure sterility and correct concentration
Bicarbonate solutions support bacterial growth rapidly; they must be prepared with purified water, used promptly (within manufacturer-specified timeframes), and mixed per protocol.
Which hemodialysis schedule is likely to be most efficient?
Answer: C. Short daily home hemodialysis, 2-3 hours a session, 5-7 days a week
Short daily home hemodialysis is generally considered the most efficient schedule because it mimics natural kidney function more closely by providing more frequent, shorter treatments. This leads to better clearance of toxins, improved fluid management, and often better patient outcomes and quality of life compared to less frequent schedules.
Take the full CHBT - Certified Hemodialysis Bio-Medical Technician practice test
How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.