NHA NOW EKG Technician Practice Test
Which of the following EKG machine functions should an EKG technician use to control
and regulate the height of EKG waveforms on the tracing?
a. Speed
b. Output display
c. Artifact filter
d. Gain - Answer- d. Gain
Which of the following methods should a EKG technician use when removing hair from
electrode placement sites for telemetry monitoring?
a. Dry shave
b. Wet shave
c. Tape
d. Clippers - Answer- d. Clippers
An EKG technician notes periods of sinus arrest on a patient's EKG tracing. The
technician should consider the sinus arrest to be a medical emergency when the arrest
reaches which of the following durations?
a. 6 sec
b. 4 sec
c. 3 sec
d. 1 sec - Answer- a. 6 sec
Which of the following lead groups are bipolar leads?
a. Leads aVR, aVL, and aVF
b. Leads I, II, and III
c. Leads V1, V2, and V3
d. Leads V4, V5, and V6 - Answer- b. Leads I, II, III
An EKG technician is performing a second standard 12-lead EKG on a patient
immediately following the first test. For which of the following reasons should the
technician recognize that resting tab electrodes should not be used for more than two
consecutive EKG tracings?
a. The electrodes cannot conduct the signal after two EKG tracings
b. The electrodes will not conduct accurately after two EKG tracings
c. The electrodes need to be cleaned after two EKG tracings
d. The electrodes will not re-adhere to the skin after being removed between tracings -
Answer- b. The electrodes will not conduct accurately after two EKG tracings
In which of the following locations should an EKG technician place the electrode for
leavd V5?
a. On the left midaxillary line, horizontal to lead V4
b. On the left anterior axillary line, horizontal to lead V4
c. On the left midclavicular line, fifth intercostal space
,d. On the right margin of the sternum, fourth intercostal space - Answer- b. On the left
anterior axillary line, horizontal to lead V4
An EKG technician is working with a patient who has a below-the-knee amputation of
the left leg. In which of the following locations should the technician place the right leg
electrode?
a. On the lower right foot
b. On the lower right abdomen
c. On the lower left torso
d. On the lower right leg - Answer- b. On the lower right abdomen
Which of the following methods should an EKG technician use to store electrodes when
not in use?
a. Loose in the EKG cart
b. In a folded paper bag
c. In an open plastic bag
d. In the original, foil-lined packaging - Answer- d. In the original, foil-lined packaging
A serial EKG tracing shows a rhythm that does not match the last tracing that the EKG
technician performed. Which of the following actions should the technician take first?
a. Connect the patient to a different EKG machine.
b. Report the finding to the provider
c. Verify proper lead placement
d. Perform a maintenance check on the machine - Answer- c. Verify proper lead
placement
Which of the following statements made by an EKG technician correctly prepares the
patient for telemetry monitoring?
a. "I will clean your skin with an alcohol pad"
b. "You may feel a slight warming sensation after the electrodes are placed on the skin"
c. "A mild rash or skin redness should be expected around the electrodes after 24
hours."
d. "Electrodes will be replaced once per week while you're in the hospital." - Answer- a.
"I will clean your skin with an alcohol pad"
An EKG technician is performing a standard 12-lead EKG on a patient who is 4 years
old. In which of the following locations should the technician place the V6 electrodes?
a. Right midclavicular space
b. Left midclavicular space
c. Right midaxillary line
d. Left midaxillary line - Answer- d. Left midaxillary line
Which of the following sections of the EKG tracing should an EKG technician use to
measure the QRS complex?
a. End of the Q wave to the beginning of the S wave
b. Beginning of the Q wave to the beginning of the S wave
, c. End of the Q wave to the beginning of the T wave
d. Beginning of the Q wave to the end of the S wave - Answer- d. Beginning of the Q
wave to the end of the S wave
An EKG technician observes varying R-R intervals on an EKG for a 2-year-old patient.
Which of the following statements made by the technician would be correct?
a. "Irregular rhythms are rarely seen in children"
b. "This is life threatening. I must notify the physician immediately"
c. "The irregularity is normal and is a result of respiration"
d. "The rhythm is likely atrial fibrillation and requires elective cardioversion" - Answer- c.
"The irregularity is normal and is a result of respiration"
An EKG technician is recording a patient's radial pulse rate and finds the pulse to be
irregular. The provider then takes the patient's apical pulse. The technician should
recognize that which of the following locations is used for this assessment?
a. Between the larynx and the left sternocleidomastoid muscle
b. Between the fifth and sixth ribs, at the left midclavicular line
c. The antecubital aspect of the left or right elbow
d. The thumb side of the left wrist - Answer- b. Between the fifth and sixth ribs, at the left
midclavicular line
Which of the following descries a complete cardiac cycle in a healthy heart?
a. P wave, Q wave, and ST segment
b. P wave, QRS complex, and T wave
c. P wave, QRS complex, and QT interval
d. P wave, QRS complex, and P wave - Answer- b. P wave, QRS complex, and T wave
An EKG technician is preparing to perform an EKG for a patient who does not speak the
same language as the technician. Which of the following actions hsould the technician
take to avoid miscommunication with the patient?
a. Have a member of the patient's family translate
b. Point and use other forms of nonverbal communication
c. Rely on materials printed in the patient's native language
d. Have a bilingual staff member translate - Answer- d. Have a bilingual staff member
translate
An EKG technician is instructing a patient about the use of a transtelephonic monitor
with loop memory. Which of the following instructions should the technician include?
a. "Press the record button on the device when you begin to feel dizzy or have chest
pain"
b. "Remove the monitor when connecting to the phone or internet to send the recording
to the central monitoring location"
c. "Record a notation in your diary that describes the time and the activity that you were
doing when the pain started"
Which of the following EKG machine functions should an EKG technician use to control
and regulate the height of EKG waveforms on the tracing?
a. Speed
b. Output display
c. Artifact filter
d. Gain - Answer- d. Gain
Which of the following methods should a EKG technician use when removing hair from
electrode placement sites for telemetry monitoring?
a. Dry shave
b. Wet shave
c. Tape
d. Clippers - Answer- d. Clippers
An EKG technician notes periods of sinus arrest on a patient's EKG tracing. The
technician should consider the sinus arrest to be a medical emergency when the arrest
reaches which of the following durations?
a. 6 sec
b. 4 sec
c. 3 sec
d. 1 sec - Answer- a. 6 sec
Which of the following lead groups are bipolar leads?
a. Leads aVR, aVL, and aVF
b. Leads I, II, and III
c. Leads V1, V2, and V3
d. Leads V4, V5, and V6 - Answer- b. Leads I, II, III
An EKG technician is performing a second standard 12-lead EKG on a patient
immediately following the first test. For which of the following reasons should the
technician recognize that resting tab electrodes should not be used for more than two
consecutive EKG tracings?
a. The electrodes cannot conduct the signal after two EKG tracings
b. The electrodes will not conduct accurately after two EKG tracings
c. The electrodes need to be cleaned after two EKG tracings
d. The electrodes will not re-adhere to the skin after being removed between tracings -
Answer- b. The electrodes will not conduct accurately after two EKG tracings
In which of the following locations should an EKG technician place the electrode for
leavd V5?
a. On the left midaxillary line, horizontal to lead V4
b. On the left anterior axillary line, horizontal to lead V4
c. On the left midclavicular line, fifth intercostal space
,d. On the right margin of the sternum, fourth intercostal space - Answer- b. On the left
anterior axillary line, horizontal to lead V4
An EKG technician is working with a patient who has a below-the-knee amputation of
the left leg. In which of the following locations should the technician place the right leg
electrode?
a. On the lower right foot
b. On the lower right abdomen
c. On the lower left torso
d. On the lower right leg - Answer- b. On the lower right abdomen
Which of the following methods should an EKG technician use to store electrodes when
not in use?
a. Loose in the EKG cart
b. In a folded paper bag
c. In an open plastic bag
d. In the original, foil-lined packaging - Answer- d. In the original, foil-lined packaging
A serial EKG tracing shows a rhythm that does not match the last tracing that the EKG
technician performed. Which of the following actions should the technician take first?
a. Connect the patient to a different EKG machine.
b. Report the finding to the provider
c. Verify proper lead placement
d. Perform a maintenance check on the machine - Answer- c. Verify proper lead
placement
Which of the following statements made by an EKG technician correctly prepares the
patient for telemetry monitoring?
a. "I will clean your skin with an alcohol pad"
b. "You may feel a slight warming sensation after the electrodes are placed on the skin"
c. "A mild rash or skin redness should be expected around the electrodes after 24
hours."
d. "Electrodes will be replaced once per week while you're in the hospital." - Answer- a.
"I will clean your skin with an alcohol pad"
An EKG technician is performing a standard 12-lead EKG on a patient who is 4 years
old. In which of the following locations should the technician place the V6 electrodes?
a. Right midclavicular space
b. Left midclavicular space
c. Right midaxillary line
d. Left midaxillary line - Answer- d. Left midaxillary line
Which of the following sections of the EKG tracing should an EKG technician use to
measure the QRS complex?
a. End of the Q wave to the beginning of the S wave
b. Beginning of the Q wave to the beginning of the S wave
, c. End of the Q wave to the beginning of the T wave
d. Beginning of the Q wave to the end of the S wave - Answer- d. Beginning of the Q
wave to the end of the S wave
An EKG technician observes varying R-R intervals on an EKG for a 2-year-old patient.
Which of the following statements made by the technician would be correct?
a. "Irregular rhythms are rarely seen in children"
b. "This is life threatening. I must notify the physician immediately"
c. "The irregularity is normal and is a result of respiration"
d. "The rhythm is likely atrial fibrillation and requires elective cardioversion" - Answer- c.
"The irregularity is normal and is a result of respiration"
An EKG technician is recording a patient's radial pulse rate and finds the pulse to be
irregular. The provider then takes the patient's apical pulse. The technician should
recognize that which of the following locations is used for this assessment?
a. Between the larynx and the left sternocleidomastoid muscle
b. Between the fifth and sixth ribs, at the left midclavicular line
c. The antecubital aspect of the left or right elbow
d. The thumb side of the left wrist - Answer- b. Between the fifth and sixth ribs, at the left
midclavicular line
Which of the following descries a complete cardiac cycle in a healthy heart?
a. P wave, Q wave, and ST segment
b. P wave, QRS complex, and T wave
c. P wave, QRS complex, and QT interval
d. P wave, QRS complex, and P wave - Answer- b. P wave, QRS complex, and T wave
An EKG technician is preparing to perform an EKG for a patient who does not speak the
same language as the technician. Which of the following actions hsould the technician
take to avoid miscommunication with the patient?
a. Have a member of the patient's family translate
b. Point and use other forms of nonverbal communication
c. Rely on materials printed in the patient's native language
d. Have a bilingual staff member translate - Answer- d. Have a bilingual staff member
translate
An EKG technician is instructing a patient about the use of a transtelephonic monitor
with loop memory. Which of the following instructions should the technician include?
a. "Press the record button on the device when you begin to feel dizzy or have chest
pain"
b. "Remove the monitor when connecting to the phone or internet to send the recording
to the central monitoring location"
c. "Record a notation in your diary that describes the time and the activity that you were
doing when the pain started"
