NNCC Certified Clinical Hemodialysis Technician (CCHT) Certification Practice Exam

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• Which statement is a sign of hemolysis in the dialysis circuit?
• What is the desired outcome when a patient performs fistula exercises?
• Dialysate conductivity measures which property of the dialysis solution?
• To reduce the risk of dialysis disequilibrium syndrome in high BUN patients, clinicians often use:
• Which food is highest in potassium among common choices?
• Daily fluid allowance for kidney failure patients is typically within which range?
• The national standard, based on the KDOQI guidelines for URR, is a ratio greater than
• Which vascular access type generally has the fewest complications?
• Pain at the venous needle site, along with respiratory difficulty and chest pain could be an indicator of
• In a low flux dialyzer, a rise in transmembrane pressure during hemodialysis indicates:
• Chloramines exposure during dialysis can lead to which complication?
• If predialysis BUN is lower than postdialysis BUN, the technician should ask:
• Total cell volume (TCV) is an indirect measure of the dialyzer performance.
• The most important monitor in the dialysis setting is:
• Feed conductivity minus product conductivity divided by feed conductivity times 100 is the formula for calculating
• If a patient's own family is not supportive what can you do as a dialysis tech?
• The usual heparin sodium concentration for anticoagulation during hemodialysis is
• At the end of a dialysis session, which finding should be reported to the nurse?
• What unit is used to express microbial contamination in dialysate?
• Reuse in dialysis practice refers to cleaning and disinfecting of:
• Infection control protocols for hemodialysis equipment should include which action by the caregiver?
• Which technician activity contributes to data collection used to measure quality outcomes?
• When the extracorporeal circuit clots and must be discarded, which patient parameter should be monitored?
• Mr. Jones demonstrates how to wash his access. This is an example of which adult learning principle?
• A definition of uremia is
• Which statement best describes the dialysis technician's approach to patient education?
• Which of the following is a sign of an infected vascular access?
• Which approach is recommended when a patient expresses emotional distress about dialysis?
• One disadvantage of a fistula is an increase in
• What is not a possible cause of an increased temperature pre-dialysis?
• Which term describes a solution with higher osmolality than body fluids?
• Normal body pH range is
• In peritoneal dialysis, dwell time is defined as which of the following?
• If a teammate asks you to document the normal saline given to a patient, you should:
• What is the legally accurate statement if a dialysis treatment was performed but not charted?
• Which of the following is NOT a phosphate binder?
• A patient asks why a high venous pressure alarm is sounding. The technician should explain that a high venous pressure alarm might indicate:
• Total chlorine levels in dialysis water are tested before each patient shift or every four hours.
• Albumin testing provides information about which patient status?
• In peritoneal dialysis, which dialysate component can cause hyperglycemia?
• A decrease in transmembrane pressure in a high flux dialyzer during hemodialysis is indicative of
• Decreasing the patient7s prescribed blood flow rate affects the rate of which process during hemodialysis?
• A fistula in hemodialysis connects which structures?
• If a true aneurysm ruptures, the most likely immediate outcome is:
• In the dialyzer, wastes are moved from blood into which medium?
• In dialysis, 'dry weight' refers to the weight after treatment when:
• The AAMI standard for endotoxin levels in conventional dialysate is which of the following?
• In end-stage kidney disease, anemia is monitored using which laboratory parameter?
• The unit used to express the total microbial count in dialysate water is?
• What is the first step in the CDC's scrub the hub protocol for CVC?
• The nephron is composed of which parts?
• During dialysis, a low venous pressure alarm most likely indicates which issue?
• What is the normal range for resting respirations in an adult?
• Which statement about fistula maturation is true?
• Excess fluid is forced out of the blood and into the dialysate during dialysis by which principle?
• Dialysate pH should be maintained in which range?
• Dialysate that is too hot during dialysis can cause which complication?
• During dialyzer reprocessing, the blood compartment is tested to assess which of the following aspects?
• Protein is lost during dialysis treatment; nutritional monitoring is needed
• A 58-year-old patient who is blind comes to treatment accompanied by his wife. What approach should the dialysis tech use when interacting with the patient?
• A pulse rate of 54 beats per minute is best described as:
• Hives, itching, tightness of the chest and respiratory distress may be signs and symptoms of
• In an AV graft, which maneuver helps distinguish which anastomosis is arterial versus venous?
• Which term describes the diffusion driving force across the dialysis membrane?
• Which solution is used for fluid replacement during dialysis?
• Which statement correctly describes osmotic movement in body fluids?
• Rise in transmembrane pressure is most directly a sign of:
• Which statement about hepatitis B vaccination is true?
• Which laboratory test is used to monitor anemia in patients with end-stage kidney disease?
• Which is NOT a sign or symptom of an infected dialysis access?
• Which practice best reduces infection risk in dialysis care?
• Which of the following is a documented consequence of dialysate being too hot?
• Correct lab draw technique requires:
• What is the largest needle gauge commonly used in cannulation?
• The medication used to treat anemia is:
• A patient weighs 70 kilograms; the approximate weight in pounds is?
• When fluid replacement is necessary during hemodialysis, which solution is used?
• Short frequent hemodialysis treatments in patients with high BUN are performed to prevent what?
• The air detector alarms during treatment. if the machine is working properly, the dialysis technician should expect which of these events to have occurred
• Which combination of PPE is appropriate when handling potential blood contamination on the dialysis unit?
• Water moves across a membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration by which principle?
• A patient with diabetes should be observed for signs of low blood sugar, which include:
• During dialysis, diffusion moves solutes from where to where?
• When edema and shortness of breath are present, adjusting the treatment plan typically involves:
• ESRD-specific tests such as BUN, Creatinine, and URR are indicators of what?
• Which statement is true about kidney transplantation?
• Fluid to be removed divided by the treatment time tells us
• What is not a symptom of uremia?
• Which action is the most important to prevent the spread of infection in dialysis settings?
• When a post-dialysis sample is suspected to be drawn incorrectly, the technician should verify:
• Which medication is dialyzed off easily?
• Dialysate conductivity is primarily a measure of what property?
• A water softener operates on the principle of
• What would cause a high venous pressure alarm?
• What is the maximum total microbial count allowed in dialysate water for conventional dialysis according to AAMI standards?
• Which food is highest in phosphorus?
• What must occur to stop the process of diffusion or osmosis?
• What is considered to be safe water for dialysis?
• What practice helps build a patient's immunity to hepatitis B?
• Which set of tests includes BUN, Creatinine, and URR?
• Abnormal levels of which electrolyte can cause cardiac arrhythmias and even death?
• Which action is most effective in preventing the spread of infection in a dialysis unit?
• Which option represents a classic sign of hemolysis in the dialysis circuit?
• Which organization sets the standards for dialysis water quality?
• Germicide rebound during dialysis is most directly related to which step of the dialysis setup?
• Why must a dialysis technician be certified?
• In dialysis, if the blood has a higher solute concentration than the dialysate, diffusion causes solutes to move in which direction?
• Asepsis is best defined as the absence of what?
• Which learning domain is knowledge-based content associated with?
• Waste products are removed during dialysis by which principle?
• Acceptable interdialytic weight gains are how many percent of TW?
• The extracorporeal circuit consists of the:
• If a patient is exposed to bleach or germicide in the dialysis area, what action is expected?
• The learning domain dealing with feelings and attitudes is?
• Which factor most contributes to infections after transplantation?
• The bruit in an AV fistula or graft is detected by
• Which bacterial component is most associated with fever when released during dialysis?
• The reprocessed dialyzer is carefully rinsed prior to patient use to remove which substance?
• Interdialytic weight gain is calculated as a percent of TW. What does TW stand for in this context?
• Ultrafiltration is influenced by
• In a dialysis care team, who is considered the most important member?
• Which statement best describes the purpose of ESRD-specific tests BUN, Creatinine, and URR?
• Albumin testing provides information about which patient status?
• Which marker is used to determine the middle molecule clearance of a dialyzer?
• What is the proper disposal method for used needles after venipuncture or cannulation on the dialysis unit?
• Which two fluids are separated by the dialyzer membrane?
• During a dialysis treatment, if the venous needle infiltrates, what is the first action the technician should take?
• Which of the following is NOT a sign or symptom of an infected vascular access?
• Which ions are removed by the water softener to prevent hardness in dialysis water?
• Total cell volume (TCV) is an indirect measure of the dialyzer performance.
• Which scenario most strongly suggests the need to increase heparin during dialysis?
• What is the purpose of the Scrub the Hub protocol?
• During dialysis, a patient reports feeling chilled. In addition to giving a blanket, what action should the technician take?
• Total chlorine levels in dialysis water are tested at what intervals?
• Before starting predialysis data collection, which question is most appropriate to ask?
• Which action should the technician take if elevated post-dialysis temperature is observed?
• Mr. Jones suffers from constipation. He goes to the drug store to buy a laxative. Mr. Jones should avoid which medication?
• Hyperkalemia can lead to
• When the extracorporeal circuit clots and must be discarded, which patient parameter should be monitored?
• Based on Mrs. Smith's total amount of fluid to be removed, what is the ultrafiltration rate per hour (mL/hr) for her 4-hour treatment?
• A pulse rate of 104 beats per minute indicates:
• What might indicate a need to decrease the heparin dose?
• A semipermeable membrane is a porous barrier that:
• Reddened and warm skin over a vascular access site indicates infection and requires:
• What is the leading cause of chronic kidney disease in adults in the United States?
• One major challenge in kidney transplantation programs is?
• Which condition is a known risk for patients receiving their first dialysis treatment?
• What substance may be added to municipal drinking water to make it clearer?
• How is lidocaine administered?
• All of the following is not a phosphate binder EXCEPT:
• Which practice supports asepsis?
• What is the most important technique used to prevent infection in dialysis settings?
• After a dialysis session, if the patient's temperature is elevated, what action should the dialysis technician take?
• Patient exposure to chloramines during the hemodialysis treatment may cause
• A male patient asks a female dialysis technician to go out to dinner; in addition to declining, what action should the technician take?
• Which statement best addresses a patient's anxiety about lifestyle changes due to dialysis?
• If three hours have passed according to the wall clock, but the machine shows 2.5 hours, what happened?
• Which vascular access has the fewest complications?
• What is the most accurate measure of dialysis adequacy?
• The purpose of using counter-current flow in dialysis is to
• The most common cause of a low conductivity alarm during hemodialysis is:
• Target weight is defined as which of the following?
• To differentiate arterial vs venous graft flow when uncertain, which technique is recommended?
• Mrs. Smith's target weight is 62 kg. Pretreatment weight when she came in for treatment on Monday was 67 kg. The priming saline amount is 240 mL, the rinseback amount is 200 mL, fluid from medications is 100 mL, and she is not allowed any fluids during treatment. What is the total amount of fluid weight to be removed during her treatment?
• Which process is primarily responsible for removing excess water from the blood during dialysis?
• Which condition is most likely to trigger a high venous pressure alarm?
• Abnormal levels of which electrolyte can cause cardiac arrhythmias and death in dialysis patients?
• Endotoxin levels in dialysate are measured in which units?
• To determine the patency of an arteriovenous vascular access, the dialysis technician should initially feel for the presence of
• During dialysis, if an air detector alarm occurs but the machine is functioning, which event is expected?
• Which action increases diffusion during dialysis?
• Which technology operates on the principle of exchanging ions to soften water?
• What is the appropriate immediate action when a dialysis machine alarms for a potential blood leak?
• Which unit is used to express the ultrafiltration rate?
• The dextrose used in the dialysate for peritoneal dialysis can cause which condition?
• If a patient has pain at the venous needle site with distal swelling and rising venous pressure, the technician should suspect what?
• Before a hemodialysis treatment, if the cap is removed from the fistula needle and the needle tip touches a chair, what action should the technician take first?
• Which transfer safety practice helps prevent injury when moving a patient from a wheelchair?
• Legally, if a treatment was performed but not charted in the patient’s record, it was:
• Which food is highest in phosphorus?
• During a dialysis session, if a patient goes into cardiac arrest, what is the first action for the dialysis technician?
• A dialysis technician observes a drop of blood on the surface of a patient's dialysis machine. What action is appropriate?
• Which of the following is a sign of fluid overload in a dialysis patient?
• If a small amount of fluid spills on the treatment floor, what is the proper response?
• Which organization establishes the standards and recommendations for dialyzer reprocessing?
• Why is vitamin D therapy given to dialysis patients?
• A central venous catheter may be used as a vascular access when a patient has inadequate blood vessels in the limbs.
• In an arteriovenous fistula, the venous needle should be placed in which direction relative to blood flow?
• Which measure best prevents air in dialysis bloodlines?
• If the conductivity alarm test fails during machine setup, what action should the technician take?
• Low albumin levels in dialysis patients have been linked with which outcome?
• Mr. Roberts verbalizes how to hand crank his blood pump in the event of an emergency. this is an example of which adult principle?
• What is the AAMI standard for endotoxin levels in conventional dialysate?
• In hemodialysis, the term 'reuse' refers to the cleaning and disinfecting of:
• The functional unit of the kidney, the structure that does the work, is the
• Which symptoms indicate the need to increase the target weight?
• Albumin level is used to assess what aspect of a dialysis patient’s health?
• Which statement describes the role of phosphate binders in dialysis care?
• What are the typical signs of fluid overload?
• Which medication is used to improve calcium absorption in dialysis patients?
• Which medication is removed by dialysis relatively easily?
• Which measure helps ensure accuracy in documenting patient care data?
• Which combination of signs best indicates fluid overload in a dialysis patient?
• A patient new to hemodialysis expresses concern about giving up his daily morning walks. Which response by the technician would be best?
• Interdialytic weight gain is typically expressed as a percentage of which of the following?
• The part of the component in bacteria that, when released, can cause fever in dialysis patients is which of the following?
• A mixed bed DI tank contains which components?
• Prior to cannulation, reddened and warm skin over the fistula most likely indicates?
• Which component in dialysis is used to correct metabolic acidosis?
• Before a dialysis treatment, if a patient reports yesterday's GI bleed but feels much better today, how is the treatment most likely to be modified?
• If there is air in the extracorporeal circuit during dialysis and the nurse is being summoned, in which position should the patient be placed?
• What is dialysis-related amyloidosis?
• For a four-hour treatment, if a patient’s preweight is 72 kg and the target dry weight is 70 kg, the amount of fluid to be removed is best expressed as what rate in mL per hour?
• Before patient use, the reprocessed dialyzer is rinsed to remove which item?
• What are the key components of a water softener?
• Acceptable interdialytic weight gains are what percent of total body weight (TW)?
• Which of the following on the treatment floor poses an environmental risk?
• What is the first step in a chair-to-chair or stand-and-pivot transfer?
• Which statement about ultrafiltration rate is true?
• What is the primary purpose of dialysate during hemodialysis?
• For accurate lab results, labs must be drawn in what manner?
• The total pressure that exists across the dialyzer membrane is called which term?
• How often is the AAMI chemical analysis of water used for hemodialysis performed?
• One cause of aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms is
• One reason normal saline is used to prime and recirculate the extracorporeal circuit prior to treatment is to remove
• In an arteriovenous fistula, the venous needle should be placed in which direction relative to blood flow?
• What is the usual daily fluid allowance for a person with kidney failure?
• Post-transplant infection risk is most strongly associated with which therapy?
• Which item is not a phosphate binder among the following?
• What might indicate the need to increase heparin?
• What measure helps prevent air in bloodlines?
• Symptoms of hyperkalemia may include which sensation?
• The water softener removes which ions from the dialysis water?
• During predialysis data collection, which question is best to ask the patient?
• The AAMI standard for conventional dialysate requires the total microbial count be less than:
• Which process during hemodialysis is primarily responsible for removing excess fluid from the blood?
• URR stands for what in dialysis terminology?
• A patient arrives for dialysis with a pre-dialysis weight 4.7 kg above the last post-treatment weight. What action should the technician take next?
• Which organization has the goal to improve the care and outcomes of all individuals with kidney disease?
• Which fluids are considered when calculating the total fluid to be removed in a dialysis session?
• Solutions with higher osmolarity than body fluids are called?
• Which guideline about dialysate pH is correct?
• If a pre-dialysis weight change indicates possible fluid overload, which action is appropriate for the technician?
• A patient is to receive 2000 units of heparin. If the vial is 1000 units per mL, how many mL are needed?
• Biohazardous waste includes any material exposed to which of the following?
• If the air detector alarms and foam is visible in the venous drip chamber, the immediate action is to:
• If a patient reports yesterday’s GI bleeding but feels better today, which anticoagulation adjustment is most likely indicated?
• If a patient weighs 70 kg, approximately how many pounds is that?
• What is a cause of hypotension during and after dialysis treatment?
• When cannulating, the tips of the needles should be at least how far apart?
• What is the dialysis technician's role in patient education?
• Dialysis patients are more likely to become infected with germs like MRSA because they have what?
• The movement of fluid from tissues toward a higher concentration of sodium in the blood is an example of which process?
• Who is able to tell you if a patient has gained or lost real weight?
• Which outcome is expected from regular fistula vessel exercises?
• During dialyzer reprocessing, the blood compartment is tested to determine which parameter?
• Getting enough protein is important for people on dialysis because protein helps them to
• A true aneurysm is dangerous because:
• Fifteen minutes before the end of a hemodialysis treatment, a patient complains of dizziness and nausea. These symptoms are most likely due to:
• Which scenario indicates central venous catheter use as vascular access may be appropriate?
• If an air detector alarm is triggered with foam in the venous line, which action is appropriate?
• How should you assess whether a patient can safely disconnect themselves in an emergency?
• Which adult learning principle is demonstrated when a patient verbalizes procedural steps for operating a dialysis-related task?
• If a patient presents with shortness of breath and edema during dialysis, what is the likely plan regarding treatment parameters?
• How do you correct a documented incorrect entry on a patient's chart?