Certified Hemodialysis Technologist/Technician Flashcards

The Kt/V adequacy target for thrice-weekly hemodialysis per KDOQI guidelines is at least:

Answer: 1.2

KDOQI guidelines recommend a minimum single-pool Kt/V of 1.2 for thrice-weekly hemodialysis treatments.

Which action should a technician take FIRST upon discovering a patient has a clotted dialyzer mid-treatment?

Answer: Notify the supervising nurse or physician

Clotting mid-treatment is a clinical complication requiring immediate nurse or physician notification before any intervention.

Hard water syndrome in dialysis is caused by:

Answer: Inadequate water treatment allowing calcium and magnesium into dialysate

Hard water syndrome occurs when water softening fails, allowing excess calcium and magnesium to enter dialysate and causing nausea, hypotension, and burning sensations.

Which needle gauge is most commonly used for cannulating an arteriovenous fistula?

Answer: 16-gauge

16-gauge needles are standard for AVF cannulation, balancing adequate blood flow rates with minimal vessel trauma.

Reverse osmosis (RO) in water treatment works primarily by:

Answer: Forcing water through a semi-permeable membrane under pressure

RO forces water under high pressure through a membrane that blocks dissolved salts, bacteria, and most contaminants.

A patient on hemodialysis develops sudden onset chest pain and dyspnea during treatment. The technician's priority action is to:

Answer: Stop the treatment, return blood if safe, and call for emergency help

Acute chest pain and dyspnea may indicate an air embolism, cardiac event, or hemolysis — treatment must be stopped and emergency response initiated.

The AAMI/ISO standard for endotoxin levels in hemodialysis water is less than:

Answer: 0.25 EU/mL

Standard hemodialysis water must contain less than 0.25 EU/mL of endotoxins per AAMI/ISO standards.