Risk Assessment & Mitigation Flashcards
7 cards from real CET practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Risk Assessment & Mitigation flashcards as text
During a contrast-enhanced echocardiogram, the patient develops hives, pruritus, and throat tightness two minutes after injection. This presentation is MOST consistent with:
Answer: Anaphylactic reaction requiring immediate cessation of contrast and emergency treatment
Urticaria with throat tightness after contrast injection signals anaphylaxis, an IgE-mediated or anaphylactoid emergency requiring epinephrine and cardiopulmonary support.
Which action BEST mitigates the risk of patient falls in the echocardiography laboratory after a pharmacologic stress study?
Answer: Ensuring the patient is fully recovered and ambulatory before discharge, with assistance provided during transfer
Pharmacologic agents can cause residual hypotension or weakness; supervised ambulation assessment before unassisted discharge prevents falls.
A sonographer discovers that the TEE probe high-level disinfection soak time was reduced from 12 to 8 minutes by an informal practice change. The correct risk mitigation is to:
Answer: Report the deviation to the infection control team and restore the manufacturer-validated soak time immediately
TEE probe disinfection protocols are validated by the manufacturer for specific contact times; deviations pose cross-infection risk and must be corrected and reported.
A patient with severe aortic stenosis is scheduled for dobutamine stress echocardiography. The MOST significant risk specific to this patient population during DSE is:
Answer: Hemodynamic deterioration due to increased LV afterload and outflow obstruction at higher heart rates
In severe AS, dobutamine-induced increases in contractility and heart rate can precipitate acute hemodynamic collapse because the fixed obstruction prevents adequate forward output.
What is the standard minimum observation period recommended after intravenous ultrasound contrast administration before a patient may be discharged?
Answer: 30 minutes
The FDA and professional society guidelines recommend a minimum 30-minute post-contrast observation period to detect delayed hypersensitivity or cardiopulmonary reactions.
A CET notices that a cardiologist viewing live images over a remote workstation is giving verbal commands that conflict with safe patient positioning during a TEE. The sonographer should:
Answer: Prioritize patient safety by maintaining the safe position and communicate the clinical concern clearly to the physician
Patient safety always supersedes hierarchical authority; the sonographer must clearly articulate the safety concern while respecting the physician's clinical decision-making role.
Which of the following best describes the purpose of using a bite block during TEE?
Answer: To protect the TEE probe from damage if the patient bites down and to maintain a safe oral airway
A bite block prevents the patient from occluding or severing the TEE probe cable during the examination, protecting both the patient from probe damage and the equipment from costly destruction.