DAVITA PATIENT CARE TECHNICIAN (PCT)
EXAMINATION COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND DETAILED
SOLUTIONS LATEST UPDATE THIS YEAR JUST RELEASED
Exam Coverage Areas (Short Summary)
1. Hemodialysis Principles
o Diffusion, osmosis, ultrafiltration, dialysate composition, and fluid removal principles.
2. Dialysis Machine Setup and Operation
o Machine preparation, alarms, conductivity, temperature, priming, and troubleshooting.
3. Vascular Access Care
o AV fistulas, AV grafts, central venous catheters, assessment, cannulation, and infection
prevention.
4. Patient Assessment
o Pre-, intra-, and post-treatment assessments, vital signs, weight measurement, edema
evaluation, and documentation.
5. Infection Prevention and OSHA Standards
o Standard precautions, PPE, bloodborne pathogens, disinfection, and exposure response.
6. Complication Recognition and Intervention
o Hypotension, muscle cramps, air embolism, disequilibrium syndrome, clotting, and bleeding.
7. Water Treatment and Dialysate Quality
o Reverse osmosis systems, water quality testing, chlorine/chloramine monitoring, and safe
dialysate preparation.
8. Safety and Emergency Procedures
o CPR basics, emergency disconnect, fire safety, electrical hazards, and emergency response.
9. Patient Communication and Professionalism
o HIPAA, patient education, therapeutic communication, ethics, teamwork, and cultural
competence.
10. Documentation and Quality Assurance
Accurate charting, treatment records, incident reporting, quality improvement, and regulatory
compliance.
DAVITA PCT Examination
Question 1
Before initiating every hemodialysis treatment, which assessment is most important for
determining the patient's prescribed fluid removal goal?
,A. Pulse oximetry
B. Pre-treatment weight
C. Blood glucose level
D. Respiratory rate
Answer: B
Rationale: The patient's pre-treatment weight compared with the prescribed dry weight
determines how much fluid should be removed during dialysis.
Question 2
Which process primarily removes waste products such as urea and creatinine from a
patient's blood during hemodialysis?
A. Filtration
B. Diffusion
C. Active transport
D. Absorption
Answer: B
Rationale: Diffusion allows waste products to move from the blood into the dialysate
across a semipermeable membrane because of concentration differences.
Question 3
A dialysis technician notices redness, warmth, and drainage around an arteriovenous
fistula. What should the technician do first?
A. Cannulate the access immediately
B. Notify the nurse promptly
C. Apply a warm compress
D. Ignore the findings
Answer: B
,Rationale: Redness, warmth, and drainage may indicate infection. The nurse should
assess the access before cannulation.
Question 4
Why should a technician always check for the presence of a thrill over an arteriovenous
fistula before treatment?
A. To determine blood pressure
B. To confirm blood glucose
C. To verify vascular access patency
D. To assess respiratory function
Answer: C
Rationale: A palpable thrill indicates blood is flowing properly through the fistula.
Question 5
Which personal protective equipment should always be worn when there is a possibility
of exposure to blood during dialysis?
A. Gloves
B. Hair net
C. Shoe covers only
D. Ear protection
Answer: A
Rationale: Gloves are mandatory whenever contact with blood or bodily fluids is
anticipated.
Question 6
A patient suddenly complains of dizziness during dialysis, and the blood pressure
decreases significantly. What is the most likely complication?
, A. Hyperkalemia
B. Hypotension
C. Infection
D. Hyperglycemia
Answer: B
Rationale: Hypotension is one of the most common complications during hemodialysis
due to excessive fluid removal.
Question 7
Which measurement provides the best indication of whether a dialysis patient has
excess fluid before treatment?
A. Height
B. Weight gain since last treatment
C. Age
D. Temperature
Answer: B
Rationale: Interdialytic weight gain reflects accumulated fluid.
Question 8
The purpose of the dialyzer membrane during hemodialysis is to:
A. Produce red blood cells.
B. Separate blood cells from plasma permanently.
C. Allow selective movement of wastes and fluids.
D. Increase blood clotting.
Answer: C
Rationale: The semipermeable membrane permits diffusion and ultrafiltration while
retaining blood cells and proteins.
EXAMINATION COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND DETAILED
SOLUTIONS LATEST UPDATE THIS YEAR JUST RELEASED
Exam Coverage Areas (Short Summary)
1. Hemodialysis Principles
o Diffusion, osmosis, ultrafiltration, dialysate composition, and fluid removal principles.
2. Dialysis Machine Setup and Operation
o Machine preparation, alarms, conductivity, temperature, priming, and troubleshooting.
3. Vascular Access Care
o AV fistulas, AV grafts, central venous catheters, assessment, cannulation, and infection
prevention.
4. Patient Assessment
o Pre-, intra-, and post-treatment assessments, vital signs, weight measurement, edema
evaluation, and documentation.
5. Infection Prevention and OSHA Standards
o Standard precautions, PPE, bloodborne pathogens, disinfection, and exposure response.
6. Complication Recognition and Intervention
o Hypotension, muscle cramps, air embolism, disequilibrium syndrome, clotting, and bleeding.
7. Water Treatment and Dialysate Quality
o Reverse osmosis systems, water quality testing, chlorine/chloramine monitoring, and safe
dialysate preparation.
8. Safety and Emergency Procedures
o CPR basics, emergency disconnect, fire safety, electrical hazards, and emergency response.
9. Patient Communication and Professionalism
o HIPAA, patient education, therapeutic communication, ethics, teamwork, and cultural
competence.
10. Documentation and Quality Assurance
Accurate charting, treatment records, incident reporting, quality improvement, and regulatory
compliance.
DAVITA PCT Examination
Question 1
Before initiating every hemodialysis treatment, which assessment is most important for
determining the patient's prescribed fluid removal goal?
,A. Pulse oximetry
B. Pre-treatment weight
C. Blood glucose level
D. Respiratory rate
Answer: B
Rationale: The patient's pre-treatment weight compared with the prescribed dry weight
determines how much fluid should be removed during dialysis.
Question 2
Which process primarily removes waste products such as urea and creatinine from a
patient's blood during hemodialysis?
A. Filtration
B. Diffusion
C. Active transport
D. Absorption
Answer: B
Rationale: Diffusion allows waste products to move from the blood into the dialysate
across a semipermeable membrane because of concentration differences.
Question 3
A dialysis technician notices redness, warmth, and drainage around an arteriovenous
fistula. What should the technician do first?
A. Cannulate the access immediately
B. Notify the nurse promptly
C. Apply a warm compress
D. Ignore the findings
Answer: B
,Rationale: Redness, warmth, and drainage may indicate infection. The nurse should
assess the access before cannulation.
Question 4
Why should a technician always check for the presence of a thrill over an arteriovenous
fistula before treatment?
A. To determine blood pressure
B. To confirm blood glucose
C. To verify vascular access patency
D. To assess respiratory function
Answer: C
Rationale: A palpable thrill indicates blood is flowing properly through the fistula.
Question 5
Which personal protective equipment should always be worn when there is a possibility
of exposure to blood during dialysis?
A. Gloves
B. Hair net
C. Shoe covers only
D. Ear protection
Answer: A
Rationale: Gloves are mandatory whenever contact with blood or bodily fluids is
anticipated.
Question 6
A patient suddenly complains of dizziness during dialysis, and the blood pressure
decreases significantly. What is the most likely complication?
, A. Hyperkalemia
B. Hypotension
C. Infection
D. Hyperglycemia
Answer: B
Rationale: Hypotension is one of the most common complications during hemodialysis
due to excessive fluid removal.
Question 7
Which measurement provides the best indication of whether a dialysis patient has
excess fluid before treatment?
A. Height
B. Weight gain since last treatment
C. Age
D. Temperature
Answer: B
Rationale: Interdialytic weight gain reflects accumulated fluid.
Question 8
The purpose of the dialyzer membrane during hemodialysis is to:
A. Produce red blood cells.
B. Separate blood cells from plasma permanently.
C. Allow selective movement of wastes and fluids.
D. Increase blood clotting.
Answer: C
Rationale: The semipermeable membrane permits diffusion and ultrafiltration while
retaining blood cells and proteins.
