CCHT exam (100 QUESTIONS) WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
What does vomiting up blood indicate? Correct Answer: gastrointestinal bleeding
How would a tech differentiate between an AV graft's arterial and venous side? Correct Answer:
The tech will compress the graft in the middle and feel the thrill on both sides. The STRONGER
pulse will be arterial. the fainter pulse will be venous
What is the normal range of a pulse rate? Correct Answer: 60-100 beats per minute
Why might a patient be receiving Vitamin D therapy? Correct Answer: Vitamin D controls the
balance of calcium and phosphorus that is required for bone metabolism. It is needed for healthy
bones.
Why are dialysis patients more likely to become infected with germs like MRSA? Correct
Answer: They usually have weak immune systems. This makes them more likely to become
infected with pathogenic organisms, such as MRSA.
An AV fistula is an example of what type of access? Correct Answer: Peripheral
Define 'peripheral' Correct Answer: Away from the center of the body
A patients blood pressure drops from normotensive to hypotensive at 80/40 mmHg. How should
you intervene? Correct Answer: Place the patient in Trendelenburg position. This involves
raising the patient's feet higher than the heart thus increasing blood flow to the head via gravity.
Placing the patient in the Trendelenburg position, decreasing/discontinuing fluid removal, and
giving the patient normal saline are interventions used to INCREASE THE PATIENT'S BP.
What is the most common cause of a low conductivity alarm? Correct Answer: Running out of
either the acid or bicarbonate concentrate
What is 'hypoglycemia'? Correct Answer: Low blood sugar, or, below normal levels of sugar in
the blood.
What are notable symptoms of hypoglycemia? Correct Answer: In a patient with diabetes
mellitus, this can cause hunger, confusion, nervousness, sleepiness, or dizziness.
How should you intervene when hypoglycemia occurs in your patient? Correct Answer: A fast-
acting carbohydrate is needed, such as juice.
What is the conversion of desired weight loss?
HINT: 1 kg = Correct Answer: 1 kg = 1,000 mL
edematous Correct Answer: An accumulation of an excessive amount of watery fluid in cells,
tissues, or body cavities. Think 'edema'.
, How is the EDW to be considered? Correct Answer: The target post-dialysis weight or
estimated dry weight is the patient's weight without excess fluid.
The water supply to the water treatment system is called? Correct Answer: FEED WATER.
Feed water is the water that comes from outside of the dialysis center. Feed water must pass
through all parts of a water treatment system before it is used for mixing concentrates and
making dialysate.
What is the main objective of QAPI? Correct Answer: Quality Assessment and Performance
Improvement is a program required as part of Medicare's Conditions for Coverage. This includes
improving safety outcomes, and increasing patient satisfaction.
Which part of the water treatment system removes endotoxins? Correct Answer: An ultrafilter is
a fine membrane filter that removes very small particles. It is the most effective water treatment
component for removing bacterial endotoxins.
What is the purpose of UF profiling? Correct Answer: the purpose of UF profiling is to
minimize hypotension.
Explain what UF profiling does? Correct Answer: UF profiling removes fluid from the patient's
blood in a systematic pattern. It typically removes more fluid in the first part of the hemodialysis
treatment. The entire purpose is to reduce hypotension.
What might a high venous pressure alarm indicate? Correct Answer: Clotting of blood in the
access
stenosis Correct Answer: the abnormal narrowing of a passage in the body
What is a 'thrombus' Correct Answer: When a blood clot forms in a blood vessel and remains
there
What is an 'embolism' Correct Answer: A clot that travels from the site where it formed to
another location in the body
Amyloidosis Correct Answer: a waxy protein building up in the patients soft tissues, bones,
joints... this will cause carpal tunnel, joint pain, bone cysts, and fractures
What is the function of the electrolyte 'Sodium' Correct Answer: Sodium helps keep body water
in balance. It will also help send nerve cell signals
What does the electrolyte potassium do? Correct Answer: -controls nerves/muscles (heart)
-keeps body's water balanced
- helps body to use glucose
What does the electrolyte Calcium do? Correct Answer: -controls blood clotting, enzymes,
hormones, nerves, and muscles
What does vomiting up blood indicate? Correct Answer: gastrointestinal bleeding
How would a tech differentiate between an AV graft's arterial and venous side? Correct Answer:
The tech will compress the graft in the middle and feel the thrill on both sides. The STRONGER
pulse will be arterial. the fainter pulse will be venous
What is the normal range of a pulse rate? Correct Answer: 60-100 beats per minute
Why might a patient be receiving Vitamin D therapy? Correct Answer: Vitamin D controls the
balance of calcium and phosphorus that is required for bone metabolism. It is needed for healthy
bones.
Why are dialysis patients more likely to become infected with germs like MRSA? Correct
Answer: They usually have weak immune systems. This makes them more likely to become
infected with pathogenic organisms, such as MRSA.
An AV fistula is an example of what type of access? Correct Answer: Peripheral
Define 'peripheral' Correct Answer: Away from the center of the body
A patients blood pressure drops from normotensive to hypotensive at 80/40 mmHg. How should
you intervene? Correct Answer: Place the patient in Trendelenburg position. This involves
raising the patient's feet higher than the heart thus increasing blood flow to the head via gravity.
Placing the patient in the Trendelenburg position, decreasing/discontinuing fluid removal, and
giving the patient normal saline are interventions used to INCREASE THE PATIENT'S BP.
What is the most common cause of a low conductivity alarm? Correct Answer: Running out of
either the acid or bicarbonate concentrate
What is 'hypoglycemia'? Correct Answer: Low blood sugar, or, below normal levels of sugar in
the blood.
What are notable symptoms of hypoglycemia? Correct Answer: In a patient with diabetes
mellitus, this can cause hunger, confusion, nervousness, sleepiness, or dizziness.
How should you intervene when hypoglycemia occurs in your patient? Correct Answer: A fast-
acting carbohydrate is needed, such as juice.
What is the conversion of desired weight loss?
HINT: 1 kg = Correct Answer: 1 kg = 1,000 mL
edematous Correct Answer: An accumulation of an excessive amount of watery fluid in cells,
tissues, or body cavities. Think 'edema'.
, How is the EDW to be considered? Correct Answer: The target post-dialysis weight or
estimated dry weight is the patient's weight without excess fluid.
The water supply to the water treatment system is called? Correct Answer: FEED WATER.
Feed water is the water that comes from outside of the dialysis center. Feed water must pass
through all parts of a water treatment system before it is used for mixing concentrates and
making dialysate.
What is the main objective of QAPI? Correct Answer: Quality Assessment and Performance
Improvement is a program required as part of Medicare's Conditions for Coverage. This includes
improving safety outcomes, and increasing patient satisfaction.
Which part of the water treatment system removes endotoxins? Correct Answer: An ultrafilter is
a fine membrane filter that removes very small particles. It is the most effective water treatment
component for removing bacterial endotoxins.
What is the purpose of UF profiling? Correct Answer: the purpose of UF profiling is to
minimize hypotension.
Explain what UF profiling does? Correct Answer: UF profiling removes fluid from the patient's
blood in a systematic pattern. It typically removes more fluid in the first part of the hemodialysis
treatment. The entire purpose is to reduce hypotension.
What might a high venous pressure alarm indicate? Correct Answer: Clotting of blood in the
access
stenosis Correct Answer: the abnormal narrowing of a passage in the body
What is a 'thrombus' Correct Answer: When a blood clot forms in a blood vessel and remains
there
What is an 'embolism' Correct Answer: A clot that travels from the site where it formed to
another location in the body
Amyloidosis Correct Answer: a waxy protein building up in the patients soft tissues, bones,
joints... this will cause carpal tunnel, joint pain, bone cysts, and fractures
What is the function of the electrolyte 'Sodium' Correct Answer: Sodium helps keep body water
in balance. It will also help send nerve cell signals
What does the electrolyte potassium do? Correct Answer: -controls nerves/muscles (heart)
-keeps body's water balanced
- helps body to use glucose
What does the electrolyte Calcium do? Correct Answer: -controls blood clotting, enzymes,
hormones, nerves, and muscles
