NYC Health + Hospitals Senior
Biomedical Equipment Technician
Examination Practice Exam 2026 | 100
Questions & Answers with Detailed
Rationales | Complete Exam Prep &
Study Guide
1. What is the primary purpose of preventive maintenance (PM) on
biomedical equipment?
A. To increase equipment purchase costs
B. To eliminate all equipment failures permanently
C. To identify and correct potential problems before equipment failure
D. To replace every component annually
Answer: C. To identify and correct potential problems before equipment failure
Rationale: Preventive maintenance is designed to detect deterioration, verify
performance, and correct developing problems before they compromise
equipment operation or patient safety.
2. Which electrical measurement is used to determine the potential
difference between two points?
,A. Current
B. Resistance
C. Voltage
D. Power factor
Answer: C. Voltage
Rationale: Voltage is the electrical potential difference between two points and
is measured in volts.
3. A biomedical equipment technician discovers that a patient monitor has a
damaged power cord. What is the safest action?
A. Wrap the cord with tape and return it to service
B. Continue using it if the monitor powers on
C. Remove the equipment from service and replace or repair the cord
appropriately
D. Increase the circuit breaker rating
Answer: C. Remove the equipment from service and replace or repair the cord
appropriately
Rationale: Damaged power cords can create shock, fire, and leakage-current
hazards and should be corrected before the equipment is returned to service.
4. Which instrument is commonly used to measure electrical resistance?
A. Oscilloscope
B. Ohmmeter
C. Frequency counter
D. Manometer
Answer: B. Ohmmeter
Rationale: An ohmmeter measures resistance in ohms. Many modern digital
multimeters include an ohmmeter function.
5. What is the main function of a fuse?
,A. Increase voltage
B. Store electrical energy
C. Protect a circuit from excessive current
D. Regulate patient temperature
Answer: C. Protect a circuit from excessive current
Rationale: A fuse opens the circuit when current exceeds its rated value, helping
prevent component damage, overheating, and fire.
6. What is the purpose of protective earth grounding in medical equipment?
A. Increase signal gain
B. Provide a low-resistance path for fault current
C. Increase battery capacity
D. Reduce display brightness
Answer: B. Provide a low-resistance path for fault current
Rationale: Protective grounding provides a path for fault current so protective
devices can operate and reduce the risk of electric shock.
7. Which device is used to measure oxygen concentration in many medical gas
systems?
A. Capnograph
B. Oxygen analyzer
C. Spirometer
D. Defibrillator
Answer: B. Oxygen analyzer
Rationale: An oxygen analyzer measures the concentration of oxygen in a gas
mixture and is commonly used for verifying oxygen-delivery equipment.
8. What is the primary function of a pulse oximeter?
, A. Measure blood pressure only
B. Measure oxygen saturation and pulse rate
C. Measure body temperature only
D. Measure respiratory volume directly
Answer: B. Measure oxygen saturation and pulse rate
Rationale: A pulse oximeter uses optical absorption measurements to estimate
arterial oxygen saturation and pulse rate.
9. What component converts AC electrical energy into DC electrical energy?
A. Transformer only
B. Rectifier
C. Inductor only
D. Relay
Answer: B. Rectifier
Rationale: Rectifier circuits use diodes or controlled semiconductor devices to
convert alternating current into direct current.
10.Which instrument is most appropriate for observing the waveform of an
electrical signal?
A. Oscilloscope
B. Thermometer
C. Pressure gauge
D. Megohmmeter
Answer: A. Oscilloscope
Rationale: An oscilloscope displays voltage as a function of time, allowing
technicians to analyze amplitude, frequency, noise, distortion, and waveform
shape.
11.What does RMS voltage represent?
Biomedical Equipment Technician
Examination Practice Exam 2026 | 100
Questions & Answers with Detailed
Rationales | Complete Exam Prep &
Study Guide
1. What is the primary purpose of preventive maintenance (PM) on
biomedical equipment?
A. To increase equipment purchase costs
B. To eliminate all equipment failures permanently
C. To identify and correct potential problems before equipment failure
D. To replace every component annually
Answer: C. To identify and correct potential problems before equipment failure
Rationale: Preventive maintenance is designed to detect deterioration, verify
performance, and correct developing problems before they compromise
equipment operation or patient safety.
2. Which electrical measurement is used to determine the potential
difference between two points?
,A. Current
B. Resistance
C. Voltage
D. Power factor
Answer: C. Voltage
Rationale: Voltage is the electrical potential difference between two points and
is measured in volts.
3. A biomedical equipment technician discovers that a patient monitor has a
damaged power cord. What is the safest action?
A. Wrap the cord with tape and return it to service
B. Continue using it if the monitor powers on
C. Remove the equipment from service and replace or repair the cord
appropriately
D. Increase the circuit breaker rating
Answer: C. Remove the equipment from service and replace or repair the cord
appropriately
Rationale: Damaged power cords can create shock, fire, and leakage-current
hazards and should be corrected before the equipment is returned to service.
4. Which instrument is commonly used to measure electrical resistance?
A. Oscilloscope
B. Ohmmeter
C. Frequency counter
D. Manometer
Answer: B. Ohmmeter
Rationale: An ohmmeter measures resistance in ohms. Many modern digital
multimeters include an ohmmeter function.
5. What is the main function of a fuse?
,A. Increase voltage
B. Store electrical energy
C. Protect a circuit from excessive current
D. Regulate patient temperature
Answer: C. Protect a circuit from excessive current
Rationale: A fuse opens the circuit when current exceeds its rated value, helping
prevent component damage, overheating, and fire.
6. What is the purpose of protective earth grounding in medical equipment?
A. Increase signal gain
B. Provide a low-resistance path for fault current
C. Increase battery capacity
D. Reduce display brightness
Answer: B. Provide a low-resistance path for fault current
Rationale: Protective grounding provides a path for fault current so protective
devices can operate and reduce the risk of electric shock.
7. Which device is used to measure oxygen concentration in many medical gas
systems?
A. Capnograph
B. Oxygen analyzer
C. Spirometer
D. Defibrillator
Answer: B. Oxygen analyzer
Rationale: An oxygen analyzer measures the concentration of oxygen in a gas
mixture and is commonly used for verifying oxygen-delivery equipment.
8. What is the primary function of a pulse oximeter?
, A. Measure blood pressure only
B. Measure oxygen saturation and pulse rate
C. Measure body temperature only
D. Measure respiratory volume directly
Answer: B. Measure oxygen saturation and pulse rate
Rationale: A pulse oximeter uses optical absorption measurements to estimate
arterial oxygen saturation and pulse rate.
9. What component converts AC electrical energy into DC electrical energy?
A. Transformer only
B. Rectifier
C. Inductor only
D. Relay
Answer: B. Rectifier
Rationale: Rectifier circuits use diodes or controlled semiconductor devices to
convert alternating current into direct current.
10.Which instrument is most appropriate for observing the waveform of an
electrical signal?
A. Oscilloscope
B. Thermometer
C. Pressure gauge
D. Megohmmeter
Answer: A. Oscilloscope
Rationale: An oscilloscope displays voltage as a function of time, allowing
technicians to analyze amplitude, frequency, noise, distortion, and waveform
shape.
11.What does RMS voltage represent?
