EKG ACQUISITION ANSWERS AND QUESTIONS SET
A+
✔✔An EKG tech notes that the tracing on an EKG is drifting away from the center of the
paper. The tech should recognize this is an example of what artifact? - ✔✔wandering
baseline
✔✔An EKG tech is preparing to apply electrodes and leads for a patient who has a
prescription for a Holter monitor. What action should the tech take? - ✔✔apply tape to
lead wires
✔✔Standard grid - ✔✔-small block: 1 mm = 0.1 mV, 0.04 second
-large block: 5 mm = 0.5 mV, 0.2 second
✔✔Standard speed - ✔✔25 mm/seconds
✔✔Standard Amplitude (gain) - ✔✔10 mm per 1 mV
✔✔Standard calibration - ✔✔positively deflected rectangles-shaped standard marking =
10 mm x 5 mm
-10 mm/mV
-25 mm/second
✔✔Wilson's central terminal (WCT) - ✔✔A reference point created by the 3 limb leads
(right arm, left arm, left foot) and is at the center of the Einthoven's triangle. proper limb
lead placement is critical to ensure proper calculation of WCT. improper limb lead
placement creates an incorrect WCT reference point
✔✔Unipolar leads - ✔✔leads that have only one pole. WCT serves as the reference
point for all unipolar leads and are positive. precordial leads, or chest leads are unipolar
in natrure
, ✔✔Bipolar leads - ✔✔two poles, one positive, one negative. standard limb leads are
bipolar
✔✔Einthoven's triangle - ✔✔the triangle around the heart formed by the bipolar limb
leads
✔✔ Aorta - ✔✔the largest artery in the human body, which carries oxygenated blood
away from the heart
✔✔Apex - ✔✔the lower, pointed end of the heart
✔✔Artifact - ✔✔electrical or magnetic interference that alters the EKG tracing.
most common reason for artifacts are:
-limb movement
-substance on skin
✔✔Atrioventricular (AV) node - ✔✔specialized tissue that is able to regulate the
impulses between atria and ventricles
✔✔Atrium - ✔✔a small muscular pouch-like structure that fills the ventricles with blood
✔✔Augmented Leads - ✔✔unipolar leads created by combining two of the three limb
leads to create a positive electrode. they are recorded as augmented voltage to the right
arm (aVR), augmented voltage to the left arm (aVL), augmented voltage to the left leg
or foot (aVF),
✔✔Automaticity - ✔✔the ability of the cardiac cells to spontaneously generate electrical
activity
✔✔Bachmann's Bundle - ✔✔component of the heart's electrical conduction system
responsible for ensuring the near simultaneous depolarization of both atria
✔✔Baseline - ✔✔an electrically neutral area on the EKG, also referred to as the
isoelectric line or TP segment; establishing a pattern for comparison across time
✔✔Bradycardia - ✔✔slow heart rate
✔✔Bundle Branch - ✔✔part of the conduction system responsible for transmitting
electrical impulses from the AV node to the Purkinje fibers to trigger ventricular
depolarization
A+
✔✔An EKG tech notes that the tracing on an EKG is drifting away from the center of the
paper. The tech should recognize this is an example of what artifact? - ✔✔wandering
baseline
✔✔An EKG tech is preparing to apply electrodes and leads for a patient who has a
prescription for a Holter monitor. What action should the tech take? - ✔✔apply tape to
lead wires
✔✔Standard grid - ✔✔-small block: 1 mm = 0.1 mV, 0.04 second
-large block: 5 mm = 0.5 mV, 0.2 second
✔✔Standard speed - ✔✔25 mm/seconds
✔✔Standard Amplitude (gain) - ✔✔10 mm per 1 mV
✔✔Standard calibration - ✔✔positively deflected rectangles-shaped standard marking =
10 mm x 5 mm
-10 mm/mV
-25 mm/second
✔✔Wilson's central terminal (WCT) - ✔✔A reference point created by the 3 limb leads
(right arm, left arm, left foot) and is at the center of the Einthoven's triangle. proper limb
lead placement is critical to ensure proper calculation of WCT. improper limb lead
placement creates an incorrect WCT reference point
✔✔Unipolar leads - ✔✔leads that have only one pole. WCT serves as the reference
point for all unipolar leads and are positive. precordial leads, or chest leads are unipolar
in natrure
, ✔✔Bipolar leads - ✔✔two poles, one positive, one negative. standard limb leads are
bipolar
✔✔Einthoven's triangle - ✔✔the triangle around the heart formed by the bipolar limb
leads
✔✔ Aorta - ✔✔the largest artery in the human body, which carries oxygenated blood
away from the heart
✔✔Apex - ✔✔the lower, pointed end of the heart
✔✔Artifact - ✔✔electrical or magnetic interference that alters the EKG tracing.
most common reason for artifacts are:
-limb movement
-substance on skin
✔✔Atrioventricular (AV) node - ✔✔specialized tissue that is able to regulate the
impulses between atria and ventricles
✔✔Atrium - ✔✔a small muscular pouch-like structure that fills the ventricles with blood
✔✔Augmented Leads - ✔✔unipolar leads created by combining two of the three limb
leads to create a positive electrode. they are recorded as augmented voltage to the right
arm (aVR), augmented voltage to the left arm (aVL), augmented voltage to the left leg
or foot (aVF),
✔✔Automaticity - ✔✔the ability of the cardiac cells to spontaneously generate electrical
activity
✔✔Bachmann's Bundle - ✔✔component of the heart's electrical conduction system
responsible for ensuring the near simultaneous depolarization of both atria
✔✔Baseline - ✔✔an electrically neutral area on the EKG, also referred to as the
isoelectric line or TP segment; establishing a pattern for comparison across time
✔✔Bradycardia - ✔✔slow heart rate
✔✔Bundle Branch - ✔✔part of the conduction system responsible for transmitting
electrical impulses from the AV node to the Purkinje fibers to trigger ventricular
depolarization
