CRAT - Certified Rhythm Analysis Technician Life-Threatening Arrhythmias Questions and Answers

Question 1

A CRAT is alerted to a patient who is unresponsive and has no palpable pulse.
The cardiac monitor, however, displays an organized, narrow-complex rhythm at a rate of 70 bpm.
This clinical situation is best described as:

Accepted Answer

Pulseless Electrical Activity (PEA)

Answer

Normal Sinus Rhythm

Answer

Asystole

Answer

Ventricular Fibrillation

Question 2

An ECG strip shows an extremely slow, irregular rhythm with wide, bizarrely shaped QRS complexes at a rate of less than 20 bpm. No discernible P waves are present. This rhythm is characteristic of:

Accepted Answer

Agonal Rhythm

Answer

Third-Degree AV Block

Answer

Complete Sinus Arrest

Answer

Idioventricular Rhythm

Question 3

A technician at a central monitoring station observes a patient's rhythm abruptly change to coarse Ventricular Fibrillation. What is the most critical and immediate action for the technician to take?

Accepted Answer

Activate the facility's emergency response system (e.g., call a "Code Blue").

Answer

Print a strip of the rhythm for the patient's chart.

Answer

Telephone the patient's nurse to ask them to check on the patient.

Answer

Adjust the ECG gain to confirm the rhythm's morphology.

Question 4

A CRAT observes a straight, flat line on a patient's cardiac monitor. The patient was previously in sinus rhythm. What is the technician's most appropriate initial action?

Accepted Answer

Quickly check for loose leads or patient disconnection.

Answer

Immediately document the rhythm as asystole.

Answer

Wait for 60 seconds to see if the rhythm changes.

Answer

Increase the monitor's alarm volume.

Question 5

A CRAT identifies a sustained, wide-complex tachycardia at a rate of 170 bpm on a patient's monitor. To help the clinical team determine the urgency of intervention, which associated patient finding is the most critical to report?

Accepted Answer

The patient's blood pressure and level of consciousness.

Answer

The patient's diet order (NPO status).

Answer

The patient's code status.

Answer

The patient's last dose of cardiac medication.

Question 6

Which of the following cardiac arrest rhythms is considered "non-shockable" and is characterized by a total absence of discernible electrical activity on the ECG?

Accepted Answer

Asystole

Answer

Ventricular Fibrillation

Answer

Pulseless Ventricular Tachycardia

Answer

Torsades de Pointes