Prepare for your Certified Hemodialysis Technician (CHT) exam with these practice questions and answers. This guide covers hemodialysis principles, dialyzer function, patient assessment, and infection control.
Q: c) universal precautions
Answer: 1.Which of the followingbest describes the reason for wearing gloves when handling machine prior to blood?a) patient comfortb) asepsisc) universal precautionsd) HIV
Q: b) needs further rinsing
Answer: 2 You test for sterilant levels in ahemodialysis machine prior to patient use. The testis positive for sterilant. This means the machine:a) is sterile & bacteria freeb) needs further rinsingc) needs more sterilantd) is in conductivity
Q: a) creatinine, BUN, &phosphorus are elevated
Answer: 3.Choose the correctstatement regardingserum abnormalities inrenal failure:a) creatinine, BUN, &phosphorus are elevatedb) creatinine BUN creatinine, BUN, &phosphorus are depressedc) calcium & bicarbonate areelevatedd) calcium & bicarbonate aredepressed
Q: a) vascular access
Answer: 4.Hemodialysis requiresa means to channel thepatient’s blood to thehemodialyzer & then back to the body. It’scalled:a) vascular accessb) hemodialyzerc) dialyzing fluid delivery systemd) infusion pump
Q: b) usually created in theforearm, near the wrist
Answer: 5.Which of the following is correct regarding a fistula?a) usually created in the leg, near the ankleb) usually created in theforearm, near the wristc) are made of salastic tubingd) none of the above
Q: c) blood leakage immediately
Answer: 6.Blood leak detectors are extremely sensitive& can determine:a) blood typeb) amount of blood lossc) blood leakage immediatelyd) volume changese) serum potassium levels
Q: d) bananas, tomatoes, oranges
Answer: 7.Which of the following foods are high inpotassium?a) milk, ice cream, yogurtb) legumes, cheese, pizzac) chips, colas, canned meatd) bananas, tomatoes, oranges
Q: a) calcium, phosphorus &PTH
Answer: 8.What lab values are monitored forassessing bone disease?a) calcium, phosphorus &PTHb) calcium, phosphorus &albuminc) calcium, phosphorus &potassiumd) calcium, phosphorus &magnesium
Q: a) diabetes
Answer: 9.Which is the most common cause of chronic kidney failure in the US?a) diabetesb) hypertensionc) polycystic kidney smaller moleculardiseased) glomerulonephritis
Q: b) potassium has a smaller molecular weight
Answer: 10.The reason potassium dialyzes andRBC’s do not is:a) potassium has a larger molecular weightb) potassium has a smaller molecular weightc) RBC’s are not water solubled) RBC’s have a negative charge
Q: a) less than 0 .1mg/L (ppm)
Answer: 11.Acceptable limits for total chlorines in water for hemodialysis are?a) less than 0 .1mg/L (ppm)b) 0.5 mg/L to 1 mg/L(ppm)c) 3.5 mg/L to 5.5 mg/L to 5.5 mg/L(ppm)d) greater than 6.0 mg/L(ppm)
Q: b) dialysis disequilibrium syndrome
Answer: 12.If a new patient starts with a very highBUN, dialysis is purposely made less efficient to prevent:a) rapid decrease in hctb) dialysis disequilibrium syndromec) cardiac arrhythmia’sd) excessive coagulation
Q: c) low hematocrit
Answer: 13.The following are factors in poor clearance duringdialysis except:a) poor dialyzer reuseb) access recirculationc) low hematocritd) low blood flow rate
Q: b) osmosis
Answer: 14.The movement of water from an area of low soluteconcentration to an area of high soluteconcentration is called:a) diffusionb) osmosisc) ultrafiltrationd) dialysis
Q: d) dialyzer
Answer: 15.Potting compound, casing, fibers and headers are part of a:a) dialysis machineb) water treatment systemc) R. O. systemd) dialyzer
Q: c) 4.0 liters or 4000 ml
Answer: 16.Mr. Jones has a dry weight of 72 kg. He weighed 73 kg after last treatment. Today he weighs 75.5 kg. Assume prime and rinse back =500 ml total. What is Mr.Jones’ fluid removal goal for today?a) 2.5 liters or 2500 mlb) 3.0 liters or 3000 mlc) 4.0 liters or 4000 mld) 4.5 liters or 4500
Q: c) concentration of red blood cells in the blood
Answer: 17.A hematocrit test indicates which of thefollowing?a) concentration of plateletsb) concentration of creatinine in the bloodc) concentration of red blood cells in the bloodd) concentration of white blood cells in the blood
Q: d) all of the above
Answer: 18.What factors should be considered whenestablishing a patient’s dry weight?a) blood pressureb) patient well beingc) evidence of dehydration or fluid overloadd) all of the above
Q: c) appropriately mix the dialysate concentrateswith water
Answer: 19.In a dialysis machine, theproportioning system does what?a) prepare the dialysate to the proper pHb) warm the dialysate to the proper temperaturec) appropriately mix the dialysate concentrateswith waterd) to monitor the dialysate flow rate
Q: c) hemolysis
Answer: 20.The complication in which blood has a”cherry pop”appearance is:a) blood leakb) air embolismc) hemolysisd) none of the above
Q: d) all of the above
Answer: 21.The use of high a sodium dialysate maypredispose a patient to:a) fluid overloadb) hypertensionc) thirstd) all of the above
Q: a) UF Coefficient
Answer: 22.The capability of a dialyzer to remove fluid, expressed as ml/mmHg/hr is:a) UF Coefficientb) clearancec) surface aread) priming volume
Q: b) resistance to blood flow out of the accessthrough the dialyzer
Answer: 23.A pre-pump arterial pressure reading ismeasuring:a) the pressure required to pump the bloodthrough the dialyzerb) resistance to blood flow out of the accessc) pressure within the dialyzerd) none of the above
Q: d) all of the above
Answer: 24.What determines the surface area of ahollow fiber dialyzer?a) number of fibersb) internal diameter of fibersc) length of fibersd) all of the above
Q: b) increase the rate of waste removal
Answer: 25.The purpose of using counter-current flow is to:a) increase the rate of fluid removalb) increase the rate of waste removalc) decrease the amount of dialysate usedd) decrease the surface area of the membrane
Q: b) hemolysis
Answer: 26.Chloramine exposure in dialysis can result in:a) hypernatremiab) hemolysisc) pericarditisd) bleeding
Q: d) the dialyzer fibers are free of leaks
Answer: 27.Part of the reuse process involves the reuse machine testing the dialyzer to verify:a) the dialyzer is free of sterilantb) the dialyzer is free of bacteriac) the dialyzer is free of endotoxinsd) the dialyzer fibers are free of leaks
Q: c) 200 CFU’s
Answer: 28.According to AAMI RD52, what is themaximum allowable level of bacteria in dialysate?a) 1,000 CFU’sb) 50 CFU’sc) 200 CFU’sd) 500 CFU’s
Q: b) monthly
Answer: 29.According to AAMI RD52, how oftenshould bacterial cultures be sampled?a) weeklyb) monthlyc) quarterlyd) annually
Q: a) 50 CFU’s
Answer: 30.According to AAMI RD52, what is the action level for bacteria in dialysate?a) 50 CFU’sb) 75 CFU’sc) 100 CFU’sd) 200 CFU’s
Q: b) fever/chills
Answer: 31.Bacterial exposure from water may cause which of the following symptoms?a) hemolysisb) fever/chillsc) bone diseased) hypotension
Q: a) Scribner and Quinton
Answer: 32.Who developed the first permanent blood access, the “Shunt”?a) Scribner and Quintonb) Kolffc) Brescia and Ciminod) Turner
Q: b) mm/Hg
Answer: 33.Venous pressure meters are calibrated in:a) PSIb) mm/Hgc) mL/hourd) mg%
Q: b) mm/Hg
Answer: 34.TPM is measured as:a) mL/hrb) mm/Hgc) mL/mind) none of the above
Q: c) pH and conductivity
Answer: 35.The hemodialysis machine continuously monitors many parameters. Which of these parameters must be verified by an external measuringdevice?a) blood flowb) dialysate flowc) pH and conductivityd) temperature and transmembrane pressure
Q: b) chlorine and chloramine
Answer: 36.Prior to each patient shift, it would be essential toperform a water quality check for which of these substances?a) calcium and magnesiumb) chlorine and chloraminec) organic contaminantsd) inorganic contaminants
Q: b) hydrogen ions
Answer: 37.The term pH is a measurement of theconcentration of:a) all ions in solutionb) hydrogen ionsc) bicarbonate ionsd) acetate ions
Q: c) determine the patient’s learning needs
Answer: 38.The technician’s role in patient teachingshould be to:a) assess the patient”s barriers to learningb) check the patient’s readiness to learn newinformationc) determine the patient’s learning needsd) Reinforce teaching that the patient has receivedfrom other team members
Q: d) all of the above
Answer: 39.What can dialysis staff do to reduce therisk of being infected with a blood borne pathogen?a) proper hand washingb) universal precautionsc) proper sharps disposald) all of the above
Q: d) all of the above
Answer: 40.Which of the following are ways tohandle chemicals safely?a) wash hands before eating or drinkingb) wear protective clothingc) don’t eat or drink in the work aread) all of the above
Q: b) 25-35 degrees
Answer: 41.What is the correct angle in which to cannulate a fistula?a) 10-15 degreesb) 25-35 degreesc) 35-45 degreesd) it dosen’t matter
Q: d) all of the above
Answer: 42.Which of the following affects access recirculation?a) distance between the tips of the needlesb) presence of stenosisc) direction of needlesd) all of the above
Q: a) salt
Answer: 43.The technician observes that the hardness reading after the water softener isabove the acceptablelimit. The technician should check the softener tank’s level of:a) saltb) chlorinec) carbond) sand
Q: c) about one ounce (30 ml) of fluid is on the floor
Answer: 44. A technician observes all of the following inthe hemodialysis unit. Which one poses an environmental risk?a) the wheels of the hemodialysis machines are lockedb) charts are lying on bedside tablesc) about one ounce (30 ml) of fluid is on the floord) a patient’s family member is present during treatment
Q: a) Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)
Answer: 45. When preparing a bleach solution for cleaningequipment, the technician accidentally spills undilutedbleach on the floor. Which of these resources will provide the technician with information about how toproperly handle spill of the chemical?a) Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)b) Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)c) Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI)d) State Department of Health (DOH)
Q: d) the dialyzer was bypassed
Answer: 46. A conductivity alarm sounds during ahemodialysis treatment. The technician should expect which of these events to have occurred?a) the blood pump has stoppedb) the dialysate flow rate has increasedc) the electrical power source was interruptedd) the dialyzer was bypassed
Q: c) obtain a sample after the second
Answer: 47. During routine water testing, the technician notesthat the chloramine level after the first carbon tank is 0.2mg/L. Which of these actions should the techniciantake next?a) bypass the carbon tanksb) descale the reverse osmosis membranesc) obtain a sample after the secondd) immediately terminate hemodialysis treatments
Q: a) refer the patient to the social worker
Answer: 48. A female technician has been caring for a male patient for several months. The patient tells the technician that he is lonely and depressed. He asks thetechnician to go out to dinner with him. In addition to politely declining the patient’s invitation, which of these actions, if any, should be taken:a) refer the patient to the social workerb) recommend an over-the-counter mood stimulant, such as St. John’s wortc) share the patient’s need for socialization with other patientsd) no further action is needed
Q: d) left-sided trendelenberg
Answer: 49. A hemodialysis technician suspects that a patient who is receiving a hemodialysistreatment has an air embolus. After stopping the blood pump, the patientshould be placed in which of these positions?a) low-fowlersb) high-fowlersc) right-sided trendelenbergd) left-sided trendelenberg
Q: b) call for help
Answer: 50. During hemodialysis a patient goes intocardiac arrest. Which of these actions shouldbe taken first?a) apply a precordial thump to the patientb) call for helpc) return the patient’s bloodd) stop ultrafiltration