CET CET ECG Reporting & Documentation 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What patient information must appear on every ECG recording for proper identification?
- Patient insurance policy number only
- Patient name, date of birth, and date and time of recording (Correct answer)
- Only the ordering physician's name and facility
- The technician's personal notes and clinical observations
Correct answer: Patient name, date of birth, and date and time of recording
Accurate patient demographics and a timestamp are required for proper identification and legal documentation of the ECG.
Question 2: What does the designation 'normal sinus rhythm' indicate on an ECG report?
- The rhythm originates in the AV node at a rate of 60–100 bpm
- The rhythm originates in the sinoatrial node with a rate of 60–100 bpm and regular intervals (Correct answer)
- There are no detectable P waves on the tracing
- The QRS complex is wider than 0.12 seconds
Correct answer: The rhythm originates in the sinoatrial node with a rate of 60–100 bpm and regular intervals
Normal sinus rhythm requires SA node origin, a regular P-QRS-T sequence, and a heart rate between 60 and 100 bpm.
Question 3: Who is authorized to officially interpret and sign off on an ECG report in a clinical setting?
- The ECG technician who performed the test
- A licensed physician or cardiologist (Correct answer)
- The charge nurse on duty at the time of the test
- The hospital administrator or department manager
Correct answer: A licensed physician or cardiologist
ECG interpretation and final diagnosis must be provided by a licensed physician or qualified clinician.
Question 4: What does the standard gain setting of 10 mm/mV mean on an ECG printout?
- The paper feeds at a speed of 10 mm per second
- One millivolt of electrical activity produces a 10 mm deflection on the paper (Correct answer)
- The recording lasted exactly 10 minutes in total
- Ten leads were recorded simultaneously during the session
Correct answer: One millivolt of electrical activity produces a 10 mm deflection on the paper
A gain of 10 mm/mV establishes a consistent voltage-to-amplitude ratio necessary for accurate waveform measurement.
Question 5: What is the standard ECG paper speed for routine recordings in the United States?
- 50 mm/sec
- 10 mm/sec
- 25 mm/sec (Correct answer)
- 100 mm/sec
Correct answer: 25 mm/sec
The US standard of 25 mm/sec makes each 1 mm small box equal to 0.04 seconds, enabling standardized interval measurements.
Question 6: When is it appropriate for a technician to add a note to an ECG tracing?
- To provide a formal clinical diagnosis to assist the physician
- Never — technicians are prohibited from annotating tracings under any circumstances
- To document artifact sources, technical issues, or relevant patient observations during recording (Correct answer)
- Only when the supervising physician specifically requests an annotation
Correct answer: To document artifact sources, technical issues, or relevant patient observations during recording
Technician notes about technical factors or patient conditions during recording help the interpreting physician understand the tracing context.
CET CET ECG Reporting & Documentation 1
What patient information must appear on every ECG recording for proper identification?