FRESENIUS PCT NEW HIRE EXAM
PCT Fresenius Exam Study Guide
Questions and Answers 2025
What are the functions of a healthy kidney? -Correct Answer ✅-REGULATE,
SYNTHESIS, ENDOCRINE:
Regulate fluid balance, blood volume, electrolytes, acid-base balance, synthesize
calcitrol (active vitamin D), secrete erythropoietin and release renin
what is the glomerular filtration rate in the five stages of kidney disease? -Correct
Answer ✅-flow rate of filtered fluid through the kidney
stage 1: 90+
stage 2:60-89
stage 3: 30-59
stage 4: 15-29
stage 5: <15
what are the types and stages of kidney failure? -Correct Answer ✅-acute renal failure:
sudden onset, severe, usually reversible. can be caused by drug toxicity, dehydration,
or motor vehicle accident
Chronic renal failure: slow onset, progressive, permanent. can be caused by diabetes,
hypertension, or genetic disease such as glomerulonephritis or nephrosclerosis
what are the signs and symptoms of renal failure or uremia? -Correct Answer ✅-
elevated serum levels of BUN/Creatinine, phosphorus, potassium. anemia, nerve
damage, yellow-gray appearance of skin, fluid overload, dyspnea, edema, hypertension,
proteinuria, uremia, lethargy, weakness, headache, itching, fatigue, nausea
restlessness, mental change, loss of appetite.
what is anemia and how is it treated? -Correct Answer ✅-lack of RBC (decreased or
lack of erythropoietin production). iron binds with hemoglobin in RBC and transports
oxygen. it is treated using erythropoieting stimulating agents and usually administered
IV.
which of the functions of healthy kidneys are replaced by dialysis? -Correct Answer ✅-
removal of waste products and regulation of fluid balance. dialysis does not regulate
endocrine production
list briefly and describe three modalities of treatment for end stage renal disease -
Correct Answer ✅-Hemodialysis: uses vascular access to draw blood from patient and
send to dialyzer and into semipermeable membrane where diffusion removes waste
FRESENIUS PCT NEW HIRE EXAM
,FRESENIUS PCT NEW HIRE EXAM
products and ultrafiltration removes fluid. provides approximately 15% of the normal
function of the kidney.
peritoneal dialysis: continuous cycling peritoneal dialysis and continuous ambulatory
peritoneal dialysis. both types use permanent catheter in highly vascularized peritoneal
cavity. dialysate is infused into peritoneal space and allowed to dwell and then drained.
excess fluid and waste is removed through osmosis and diffusion
what is the difference between hemodialysis and peritoneal dialyisis? -Correct Answer
✅-Hemo: outpatient, dialyzer is used to remove waste from blood via diffusion and
fluid is removed through ultra filtration.
peritoneal: home setting, peritoneal membrane is the semipermeable membrane that
filters waste and fluid removal occurs via osmotic pressure and concentration gradients
caused by the dextrose solution and dwell times.
when is it known that a patient has developed sensitivity to a dialyzer? -Correct Answer
✅-seen within the first half hour of treatment. sneezing, itching, pain at access site,
chest pain, rashing, hives, fever are symptoms.
alarm conditions -Correct Answer ✅-Blood: blood leak, air detector, venous/arterial
pressure, TMP. stops the blood pump therefor blood is not cleaned and no ultrafiltration.
potential for clotting due to stagnant blood
Dialysate: conductivity high/low, temperature. dialysate goes into bypass so no cleaning
of blood. uf continues.
what are the body fluid compartments? -Correct Answer ✅-50-70% of body is water.
intracellular, extracellular, intravascular, interstitial.
what is diffusion -Correct Answer ✅-movement of solutes across semipermeable
membrane from high concentration to low concentration. solutes include urea,
electrolytes, creatinine, drugs
what is osmosis? -Correct Answer ✅-movement of fluid from lower concentration of
solutes to a higher concentration.
what is ultrafiltration? -Correct Answer ✅-use of both negative and positive pressure to
pull excess fluid from the patient
why is water used for dialysis treated? -Correct Answer ✅-water contains
contaminants, electrolytes, and impurities. these must be removed bc the patients are
exposed to large volumes of water during tx
what is chloramine and how is it different from chlorine -Correct Answer ✅-combination
of chlorine and ammonia
FRESENIUS PCT NEW HIRE EXAM
, FRESENIUS PCT NEW HIRE EXAM
what is the diasafe filter? -Correct Answer ✅-found on back of hemodialysis machine
that allows for the delivery of ultrapure dialysate.
what factors impact the rate of diffusion? -Correct Answer ✅-concentration gradient,
temperature, molecular weight of solutes, nature of solution, membrane permeability,
surface area, flow geometry convection (solute drag-irrespective of molecular size,
solutes are dragged along with water across dialyzer membrane as long as solute can
fit through pore "magnetic attraction")
what happens to diffusion when dialyzer fibers clot? -Correct Answer ✅-diffusion is
decreased. clotted fibers cause permeability of the fiber to be reduced or eliminated.
at what point point during the hemodialysis tx will diffusion cease to occur? -Correct
Answer ✅-once the concentration of each electrolyte found in the patients blood is
equal to the electrolyte concentration in the dialysate.
what is the largest factor that impacts ultrafiltration -Correct Answer ✅-pressure
what happens when the dialysate flow is turned off during treatment? -Correct Answer
✅-pt blood is not cleaned and adequacy will decrease
what are the compartments of the dialyzer and what separates them? -Correct Answer
✅-blood compartment and dialysate compartment is seperated by a semi-permeable
membrane. potting material on both ends of dialyzer to assure separation of blood and
dialysate
what is a semi-permeable membrane? -Correct Answer ✅-A membrane made from
protein, with small pores or holes. Only certain molecules can fit through RBC and
proteins are too large to pass through the semi-permeable membrane pores. urea,
sodium, potassium, and water can pass through.
what is countercurrent flow? -Correct Answer ✅-blood and dialysate flow in opposite
directions. this allows for better clearance and diffusion
what are three types of solutions? -Correct Answer ✅-hypotonic=containing less
particles
isotonic=containing equal particles
hypertonic=containing more particles
what is ph? -Correct Answer ✅-measure of hydrogen ion concentration. normal blood
is 7.35-7.45. bicarbonate (HCO3) is a buffer that helps maintain constant ph to solution
even if acid or base is added. hco3 production is decrasesed in people with renal
failure, healthy kidneys maintain normal body ph by making and regulating hco3.
FRESENIUS PCT NEW HIRE EXAM
PCT Fresenius Exam Study Guide
Questions and Answers 2025
What are the functions of a healthy kidney? -Correct Answer ✅-REGULATE,
SYNTHESIS, ENDOCRINE:
Regulate fluid balance, blood volume, electrolytes, acid-base balance, synthesize
calcitrol (active vitamin D), secrete erythropoietin and release renin
what is the glomerular filtration rate in the five stages of kidney disease? -Correct
Answer ✅-flow rate of filtered fluid through the kidney
stage 1: 90+
stage 2:60-89
stage 3: 30-59
stage 4: 15-29
stage 5: <15
what are the types and stages of kidney failure? -Correct Answer ✅-acute renal failure:
sudden onset, severe, usually reversible. can be caused by drug toxicity, dehydration,
or motor vehicle accident
Chronic renal failure: slow onset, progressive, permanent. can be caused by diabetes,
hypertension, or genetic disease such as glomerulonephritis or nephrosclerosis
what are the signs and symptoms of renal failure or uremia? -Correct Answer ✅-
elevated serum levels of BUN/Creatinine, phosphorus, potassium. anemia, nerve
damage, yellow-gray appearance of skin, fluid overload, dyspnea, edema, hypertension,
proteinuria, uremia, lethargy, weakness, headache, itching, fatigue, nausea
restlessness, mental change, loss of appetite.
what is anemia and how is it treated? -Correct Answer ✅-lack of RBC (decreased or
lack of erythropoietin production). iron binds with hemoglobin in RBC and transports
oxygen. it is treated using erythropoieting stimulating agents and usually administered
IV.
which of the functions of healthy kidneys are replaced by dialysis? -Correct Answer ✅-
removal of waste products and regulation of fluid balance. dialysis does not regulate
endocrine production
list briefly and describe three modalities of treatment for end stage renal disease -
Correct Answer ✅-Hemodialysis: uses vascular access to draw blood from patient and
send to dialyzer and into semipermeable membrane where diffusion removes waste
FRESENIUS PCT NEW HIRE EXAM
,FRESENIUS PCT NEW HIRE EXAM
products and ultrafiltration removes fluid. provides approximately 15% of the normal
function of the kidney.
peritoneal dialysis: continuous cycling peritoneal dialysis and continuous ambulatory
peritoneal dialysis. both types use permanent catheter in highly vascularized peritoneal
cavity. dialysate is infused into peritoneal space and allowed to dwell and then drained.
excess fluid and waste is removed through osmosis and diffusion
what is the difference between hemodialysis and peritoneal dialyisis? -Correct Answer
✅-Hemo: outpatient, dialyzer is used to remove waste from blood via diffusion and
fluid is removed through ultra filtration.
peritoneal: home setting, peritoneal membrane is the semipermeable membrane that
filters waste and fluid removal occurs via osmotic pressure and concentration gradients
caused by the dextrose solution and dwell times.
when is it known that a patient has developed sensitivity to a dialyzer? -Correct Answer
✅-seen within the first half hour of treatment. sneezing, itching, pain at access site,
chest pain, rashing, hives, fever are symptoms.
alarm conditions -Correct Answer ✅-Blood: blood leak, air detector, venous/arterial
pressure, TMP. stops the blood pump therefor blood is not cleaned and no ultrafiltration.
potential for clotting due to stagnant blood
Dialysate: conductivity high/low, temperature. dialysate goes into bypass so no cleaning
of blood. uf continues.
what are the body fluid compartments? -Correct Answer ✅-50-70% of body is water.
intracellular, extracellular, intravascular, interstitial.
what is diffusion -Correct Answer ✅-movement of solutes across semipermeable
membrane from high concentration to low concentration. solutes include urea,
electrolytes, creatinine, drugs
what is osmosis? -Correct Answer ✅-movement of fluid from lower concentration of
solutes to a higher concentration.
what is ultrafiltration? -Correct Answer ✅-use of both negative and positive pressure to
pull excess fluid from the patient
why is water used for dialysis treated? -Correct Answer ✅-water contains
contaminants, electrolytes, and impurities. these must be removed bc the patients are
exposed to large volumes of water during tx
what is chloramine and how is it different from chlorine -Correct Answer ✅-combination
of chlorine and ammonia
FRESENIUS PCT NEW HIRE EXAM
, FRESENIUS PCT NEW HIRE EXAM
what is the diasafe filter? -Correct Answer ✅-found on back of hemodialysis machine
that allows for the delivery of ultrapure dialysate.
what factors impact the rate of diffusion? -Correct Answer ✅-concentration gradient,
temperature, molecular weight of solutes, nature of solution, membrane permeability,
surface area, flow geometry convection (solute drag-irrespective of molecular size,
solutes are dragged along with water across dialyzer membrane as long as solute can
fit through pore "magnetic attraction")
what happens to diffusion when dialyzer fibers clot? -Correct Answer ✅-diffusion is
decreased. clotted fibers cause permeability of the fiber to be reduced or eliminated.
at what point point during the hemodialysis tx will diffusion cease to occur? -Correct
Answer ✅-once the concentration of each electrolyte found in the patients blood is
equal to the electrolyte concentration in the dialysate.
what is the largest factor that impacts ultrafiltration -Correct Answer ✅-pressure
what happens when the dialysate flow is turned off during treatment? -Correct Answer
✅-pt blood is not cleaned and adequacy will decrease
what are the compartments of the dialyzer and what separates them? -Correct Answer
✅-blood compartment and dialysate compartment is seperated by a semi-permeable
membrane. potting material on both ends of dialyzer to assure separation of blood and
dialysate
what is a semi-permeable membrane? -Correct Answer ✅-A membrane made from
protein, with small pores or holes. Only certain molecules can fit through RBC and
proteins are too large to pass through the semi-permeable membrane pores. urea,
sodium, potassium, and water can pass through.
what is countercurrent flow? -Correct Answer ✅-blood and dialysate flow in opposite
directions. this allows for better clearance and diffusion
what are three types of solutions? -Correct Answer ✅-hypotonic=containing less
particles
isotonic=containing equal particles
hypertonic=containing more particles
what is ph? -Correct Answer ✅-measure of hydrogen ion concentration. normal blood
is 7.35-7.45. bicarbonate (HCO3) is a buffer that helps maintain constant ph to solution
even if acid or base is added. hco3 production is decrasesed in people with renal
failure, healthy kidneys maintain normal body ph by making and regulating hco3.
FRESENIUS PCT NEW HIRE EXAM
