E2 Health Care Facilities 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An isolated power system (IPS) in a health care facility is required to give an alarm when the line isolation monitor detects a fault current of at least:
- 1.0 mA
- 2.0 mA
- 5.0 mA (Correct answer)
- 10.0 mA
Correct answer: 5.0 mA
NEC 517.160(B)(5) requires the line isolation monitor to alarm when a total hazard current of 5.0 mA or greater is detected.
Question 2: In a hospital essential electrical system, which branch supplies nursing home paging and communication systems?
- Life safety branch
- Critical branch (Correct answer)
- Equipment branch
- Normal branch
Correct answer: Critical branch
NEC 517.33 lists nurse call systems among the loads connected to the critical branch of the essential electrical system.
Question 3: Under NEC Article 517, a Type 3 essential electrical system is used in which type of facility?
- Hospitals with more than 150 beds
- Nursing homes and residential custodial care facilities (Correct answer)
- Ambulatory surgical centers
- Dental offices
Correct answer: Nursing homes and residential custodial care facilities
NEC 517.40 defines the Type 3 essential electrical system for nursing homes and limited care facilities, which have less critical load requirements than hospitals.
Question 4: What is the maximum distance between receptacles in a general care patient bed location?
- There is no maximum distance specified
- Each bed must have at least 4 receptacles within 6 feet
- Receptacles must be within reach of the patient from the bed
- At least 6 receptacles per bed location per NEC 517.18 (Correct answer)
Correct answer: At least 6 receptacles per bed location per NEC 517.18
NEC 517.18(A) requires a minimum of 6 receptacle outlets for each patient bed location in a general care area.
Question 5: In a health care facility, the term 'patient care vicinity' is defined as a space extending how far around a patient's bed?
- 3 feet horizontally and 5 feet vertically
- 6 feet horizontally and 7.5 feet vertically (Correct answer)
- 4 feet in all directions
- 10 feet in all directions
Correct answer: 6 feet horizontally and 7.5 feet vertically
NEC 517.2 defines the patient care vicinity as a space within 6 feet horizontally and 7.5 feet vertically from the patient bed or procedure table.
Question 6: Which of the following is NOT required to be on the life safety branch of a hospital EES?
- Exit signs
- Medical air compressors (Correct answer)
- Emergency lighting at generator locations
- Alarm systems for medical gas
Correct answer: Medical air compressors
Medical air compressors are connected to the equipment branch, not the life safety branch, per NEC 517.34.
Question 7: A line isolation monitor in an isolated power system must have its indicator panel installed so that it is:
- Inside the IPS panel cabinet
- Visible only to maintenance personnel
- Readily visible to persons in the area (Correct answer)
- Located at the nurses' station only
Correct answer: Readily visible to persons in the area
NEC 517.160(B)(4) requires that the line isolation monitor alarm be located so it is readily visible to persons in the area it serves.
E2 Health Care Facilities 3
An isolated power system (IPS) in a health care facility is required to give an alarm when the line isolation monitor detects a fault current of at least: