CIR CIR Quality Assurance & Equipment Management 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which organization accredits cardiac catheterization laboratories in the United States and sets structural performance standards?
- FDA
- The Joint Commission (TJC) (Correct answer)
- OSHA
- American Heart Association
Correct answer: The Joint Commission (TJC)
The Joint Commission accredits catheterization laboratories and sets standards for quality, safety, and performance in interventional cardiology facilities.
Question 2: A cath lab's quality program should track door-to-balloon (D2B) time with a goal of less than:
- 60 minutes
- 90 minutes (Correct answer)
- 120 minutes
- 30 minutes
Correct answer: 90 minutes
ACC/AHA guidelines recommend a door-to-balloon time of ≤90 minutes for primary PCI in STEMI patients to minimize myocardial damage.
Question 3: Fluoroscopic equipment in the cardiac catheterization lab must be inspected and maintained according to requirements set by:
- The state radiation control program (Correct answer)
- OSHA only
- The Joint Commission only
- The manufacturer only
Correct answer: The state radiation control program
State radiation control programs regulate fluoroscopic equipment inspection, registration, and performance testing in accordance with federal guidance.
Question 4: What is the primary purpose of a cath lab 'time-out' procedure immediately before a procedure begins?
- To reset imaging equipment
- To verify patient identity, procedure site, and consent (Correct answer)
- To calibrate hemodynamic monitoring
- To confirm contrast agent temperature
Correct answer: To verify patient identity, procedure site, and consent
The Universal Protocol time-out confirms correct patient identity, procedure, and site, reducing wrong-patient and wrong-procedure events.
Question 5: Contrast media injectors in the cath lab should be equipped with which safety feature to prevent arterial air embolism?
- Pressure limiting valve only
- Air detection sensor and bubble trap (Correct answer)
- Temperature regulator
- Automated contrast warmer
Correct answer: Air detection sensor and bubble trap
High-pressure contrast injectors should include air detection sensors and bubble traps to prevent inadvertent injection of air into coronary or cerebral arteries.
Question 6: The ALARA principle in radiation management stands for:
- Always Limit All Radiation Annually
- As Low As Reasonably Achievable (Correct answer)
- Approved Limit And Regulatory Action
- Automatic Low-dose Acquisition Radiation Algorithm
Correct answer: As Low As Reasonably Achievable
ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) is the foundational radiation protection principle requiring minimization of dose consistent with diagnostic adequacy.
CIR CIR Quality Assurance & Equipment Management 1
Which organization accredits cardiac catheterization laboratories in the United States and sets structural performance standards?