ECG ECG Patient Safety and Legal Standards 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Before performing an ECG, the technician must obtain:
- Written consent signed by a physician
- Patient identification verification and verbal consent for the procedure (Correct answer)
- Insurance authorization only
- A physician's verbal order only, no patient interaction needed
Correct answer: Patient identification verification and verbal consent for the procedure
The technician must verify patient identity using two identifiers and explain the procedure to obtain the patient's informed consent before placing any electrodes.
Question 2: The two-identifier rule for patient safety requires confirming:
- Room number and bed number
- Patient name and date of birth (or medical record number) (Correct answer)
- Patient age and gender only
- Insurance ID and address
Correct answer: Patient name and date of birth (or medical record number)
Joint Commission standards require using at least two patient identifiers (name and DOB, or name and MRN) before any procedure to prevent wrong-patient errors.
Question 3: What is the purpose of the right leg (RL) electrode in ECG safety design?
- Records right heart signals
- Serves as the electrical ground/reference to reduce interference and protect patient (Correct answer)
- Records the inferior wall
- Controls paper speed
Correct answer: Serves as the electrical ground/reference to reduce interference and protect patient
The RL electrode is the driven right leg circuit that acts as electrical ground, reducing common-mode interference and providing a safety reference to protect the patient.
Question 4: Which standard governs the electrical safety requirements for ECG machines used in US hospitals?
- FDA Drug Approval Standard
- Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) / IEC 60601 standard (Correct answer)
- OSHA bloodborne pathogens standard
- CMS billing standard
Correct answer: Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) / IEC 60601 standard
AAMI/IEC 60601 standards specify patient safety requirements for medical electrical equipment, including maximum allowable leakage currents for ECG machines.
Question 5: What is the maximum safe leakage current from an ECG machine to the patient?
- 500 mA
- 10 µA (microamperes) for applied part in cardiac floating connection (Correct answer)
- 1 A
- 100 mA
Correct answer: 10 µA (microamperes) for applied part in cardiac floating connection
IEC 60601 limits patient auxiliary current (leakage) to 10 µA for cardiac floating-type connections, since even tiny currents can induce ventricular fibrillation if they reach the heart directly.
Question 6: When should the ECG technician wash or sanitize their hands?
- Only before the procedure
- Before and after every patient contact, following standard precautions (Correct answer)
- Only if gloves are not available
- Only after contact with body fluids
Correct answer: Before and after every patient contact, following standard precautions
Standard precautions require hand hygiene both before and after every patient encounter to prevent healthcare-associated infection transmission.
ECG ECG Patient Safety and Legal Standards 1
Before performing an ECG, the technician must obtain: