Which of the following methods should an EKG technician use to store electrodes when not in use

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Certified EKG technicians make a difference every day
Prepare for your NHA Certified EKG Technician (CET) Certification Exam
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Renew your certification
How to Prepare Your Students for the NHA CET Exam
What Is the National Healthcareer Association?
How Is the NHA CET Exam Structured?
Domain 1 - Safety, Compliance, & Coordinated Patient Care
Domain 2 - EKG Acquisition
Domain 3 - EKG Analysis & Interpretation
Core Knowledge
How Do You Prepare Your Students for the NHA CET Exam?
Why might I need an electrocardiogram?
How do I get ready for an electrocardiogram?
What happens during an electrocardiogram?
What happens after an electrocardiogram?
Which of the following methods should an EKG technician use to calculate?
In which one of the following locations should an EKG technician place the electrode for lead V5?
When performing a 12 lead ECG Which of the following electrodes should the tech place at the Four intercostal space along the left sternal border?
Which of the following locations should the electrode for the white wire be placed for an exercise stress test EKG?

Certified EKG technicians make a difference every day

By administering EKGs — testing the electronic activity of the heart through small electrode patches attached to the body — you'll be making a life-changing difference, helping people of all ages prevent and treat heart disease. As an EKG tech, you may perform some or all of the following tasks:

Set up and administer EKGs (electrocardiograms) and stress tests
Prepare patients for Holter or ambulatory monitoring
Edit and deliver final test results to physicians for analysis
Schedule appointments
Transcribe physicians' interpretations

NHA partners with educators and employers across the United States to educate, train and certify EKG technicians. Find an open job near you to start your journey toward this rewarding and in-demand career.

Visit our Job Board

87% of employers require or encourage certification for EKG technicians.
(Source: 2020 Industry Outlook)

I chose to be NHA certified because it's a great start to an even greater career. Mercedes Osborne, CET, CPT

Prepare for your NHA Certified EKG Technician (CET) Certification Exam

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nician notes multiple small spikes of identical shape on an EKG tracing. The technicianshould recognize that this finding indicates which of the following complications?

The NHA CET exam is a certification test developed by the National Healthcareer Association to measure a student’s knowledge and skills of EKGs.

Table of Contents

How to Prepare Your Students for the NHA CET Exam
What Is the National Healthcareer Association?
How Is the NHA CET Exam Structured?
Domain 1 - Safety, Compliance, & Coordinated Patient Care
Domain 2 - EKG Acquisition
Domain 3 - EKG Analysis & Interpretation
Core Knowledge
How Do You Prepare Your Students for the NHA CET Exam?
Why might I need an electrocardiogram?
How do I get ready for an electrocardiogram?
What happens during an electrocardiogram?
What happens after an electrocardiogram?

When students pass the exam, they earn a certification acknowledging that they can work in a healthcare facility as a Certified EKG Technician. In addition to administering and reading EKGs, students who take the NHA CET exam will be able to do tasks related to Holter monitoring and stress testing.

But how do you prepare your learners for the exam?

On this page, we’ll share how the exam is structured and give you some tips on helping your students succeed. We’ll start with some background about the National Healthcareer Association since they provide the exam.

How to Prepare Your Students for the NHA CET Exam

What Is the National Healthcareer Association?

The National Healthcareer Association (NHA) is a nationally-accredited provider of health science certifications.

NHA’s mission is “empowering people to access a better future.” This includes both improving the quality of patient care and providing opportunities for people to become healthcare professionals.

Overall, the NHA works towards this mission by providing eight industry certifications:

Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS)
Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA)
Electronic Health Record Specialist (CEHRS)
EKG Technician (CET)
Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA)
Patient Care Technician/Assistant (CPCT/A)
Pharmacy Technician (CPhT)
Phlebotomy Technician (CPT)

Since 1989, the NHA has awarded more than 750,000 healthcare certifications across the US! Now that you know a bit about the NHA, let’s get to the details of the CET exam.

How Is the NHA CET Exam Structured?

TheCET exam is the NHA EKG certification test. It's comprised of 100 scored questions, which fall into three healthcare domains:

Safety, Compliance, & Coordinated Patient Care (32%)
EKG Acquisition (44%)
EKG Analysis & Interpretation (24%)

Each domain has a different number of subtopics and supporting statements that further evaluate the knowledge and skills students need to know to start their careers.

Domain 1 - Safety, Compliance, & Coordinated Patient Care

The Safety, Compliance, & Coordinated Patient Care domain is made up of nine subtopics with related supporting statements:

Adhere to HIPAA regulations
Adhere to infection control practices
Adhere to scope of practice and comply with ethical standards
Communicate appropriately with patients and members of the multidisciplinary healthcare team
Obtain and interpret patient vital signs
Instruct patients about preparation for and expectations during stress testing
Instruct patients on the use of ambulatory monitoring and verify their understanding
Utilize electronic medical records / electronic health records to input patient information
Recognize signs and symptoms of cardiopulmonary compromise

Overall, it’s crucial for EKG technicians to be constantly aware of the safety, privacy, and comfort of the patients they treat.

Domain 2 - EKG Acquisition

The EKG Acquisition domain includes 10 subtopics with supporting statements:

Maintain EKG equipment
Verify EKG machine settings
Prepare skin for electrode placement
Position patient for cardiac testing
Apply electrodes and attach leads for five types of testing
Verify that all leads were recorded
Identify and resolve artifacts from the tracing
Mount a completed EKG tracing strip for a patient’s chart
Assist in monitoring patient condition during stress testing
Provide support in responding to complications during stress testing

As an EKG technician, preparing for and carrying out testing is one of the most crucial aspects of your daily work.

Domain 3 - EKG Analysis & Interpretation

The EKG Analysis & Interpretation domain is made of eight subtopics and supporting statements:

Calculate patient’s heart rate from the EKG tracing
Determine the regularity of the patient’s heart rhythm from the EKG tracing
Measure EKG intervals and waveforms
Inspect the waveform characteristics for symmetry, direction, and amplitude
Identify arrhythmias from the EKG tracing
Recognize pacemaker spikes on an EKG tracing
Identify ischemia, injury, and infarction on the EKG tracing
Take appropriate action when life-threatening arrhythmias are identified

An EKG technician needs to be able to quickly identify important information from the readings, especially when it could save a patient’s life.

Core Knowledge

In addition to the three main domains, the NHA lists “Core Knowledge” that may be used in the context of questions on the exam. The core knowledge falls into three areas:

Basic anatomy and physiology of the heart
Emergencies related to cardiac testing
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation and basic life support

Overall, the NHA’s CET test plan includes all of the details on what your students need to know to pass the exam. On test day, students have two hours to complete the exam either at your school or a designated testing center.

In most cases, the exam is taken via an online portal, but on occasion, a paper-based test is given. After testing is complete, the NHA posts the results on the student’s online account within two days.

So now that you know the details of the NHA CET exam, there’s one question left: How do you prepare your students for the test?

How Do You Prepare Your Students for the NHA CET Exam?

There are many options out there for preparing students for certification exams, so finding the best one isn’t easy.

Many instructors use test prep materials to prepare their students.

The study guides and practice exams from the NHA are excellent tools to measure your students’ knowledge, but they don’t actually help you teach the information.

That’s why we recommend a two-step approach when preparing your students for the NHA CET exam.

First, you need to teach the foundational healthcare concepts and hands-on skills in your day-to-day lessons. Once your students know the information, it’s time to break out the test prep materials to help them review.

The key to success is to seamlessly tie these two strategies together.

Some teachers build their own curriculum by creating lessons, activities, and assessments from scratch. This is a great way to provide a tailor-made curriculum for your students, but it takes a lot of time to complete.

That’s why health science instructors across the US have switched to a digital curriculum system that does the heavy lifting when it comes to teaching and test prep.

An electrocardiogram (ECG) is one of the simplest and fastest tests used to evaluate the heart. Electrodes (small, plastic patches that stick to the skin) are placed at certain spots on the chest, arms, and legs. The electrodes are connected to an ECG machine by lead wires. The electrical activity of the heart is then measured, interpreted, and printed out. No electricity is sent into the body.

Natural electrical impulses coordinate contractions of the different parts of the heart to keep blood flowing the way it should. An ECG records these impulses to show how fast the heart is beating, the rhythm of the heart beats (steady or irregular), and the strength and timing of the electrical impulses as they move through the different parts of the heart. Changes in an ECG can be a sign of many heart-related conditions.

Why might I need an electrocardiogram?

Some reasons for your doctor to request an electrocardiogram (ECG) include:

To look for the cause of chest pain
To evaluate problems which may be heart-related, such as severe tiredness, shortness of breath, dizziness, or fainting
To identify irregular heartbeats
To help determine the overall health of the heart before procedures such as surgery; or after treatment for conditions such as a heart attack (myocardial infarction, or MI), endocarditis (inflammation or infection of one or more of the heart valves); or after heart surgery or cardiac catheterization
To see how an implanted pacemaker is working
To determine how well certain heart medicines are working
To get a baseline tracing of the heart's function during a physical exam; this may be used as a comparison with future ECGs, to determine if there have been any changes

There may be other reasons for your doctor to recommend an ECG.

An electrocardiogram (ECG) is a quick, easy way to assess the heart's function. Risks associated with ECG are minimal and rare.

You will not feel anything during the ECG, but it may be uncomfortable when the sticky electrodes are taken off. If the electrode patches are left on too long they may cause tissue breakdown or skin irritation.

There may be other risks depending on your specific medical condition. Be sure to discuss any concerns with your doctor before the test.

Certain factors or conditions may interfere with or affect the results of the ECG. These include, but are not limited to:

Obesity
Pregnancy
Fluid buildup in the abdomen (ascites)
Anatomical considerations, such as the size of the chest and the location of the heart within the chest
Movement during the test
Exercise or smoking before the test
Certain medicines
Electrolyte imbalances, such as too much or too little potassium, magnesium, or calcium in the blood

How do I get ready for an electrocardiogram?

Your doctor or the technician will explain the test to you and let you ask questions.
Generally, fasting (not eating) is not required before the test.
Tell your doctor of all medicines (prescribed and over-the-counter), vitamins, herbs, and supplements that you are taking.
Tell your doctor if you have a pacemaker.
Based on your medical condition, your doctor may request other specific preparation.

What happens during an electrocardiogram?

An electrocardiogram (ECG) may be done on an outpatient basis or as part of your hospital stay. Steps may vary depending on your condition and your doctor's practices.

Generally, an ECG follows this process:

You will be asked to remove any jewelry or other objects that may interfere with the test.
You will be asked to remove clothing from the waist up. The technician will ensure your privacy by covering you with a sheet or gown and exposing only the necessary skin.
You will lie flat on a table or bed for the test. It will be important for you to lie still and not talk during the ECG, so that you don't alter the tracing.
If your chest, arms, or legs are very hairy, the technician may shave or clip small patches of hair, as needed, so that the electrodes will stick closely to the skin.
Electrodes will be attached to your chest, arms, and legs.
The lead wires will be attached to the electrodes.
Once the leads are attached, the technician may enter identifying information about you into the machine's computer.
The ECG will be started. It will take only a short time for the tracing to be completed.
Once the tracing is completed, the technician will disconnect the leads and remove the skin electrodes.

What happens after an electrocardiogram?

You should be able to go back to your normal diet and activities, unless your doctor tells you differently.

Generally, there is no special care after an electrocardiogram (ECG).

Tell your doctor if you develop any signs or symptoms you had before the ECG (for example, chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, or fainting).

Your doctor may give you other instructions after the test, depending on your particular situation.

Next steps

Before you agree to the test or the procedure make sure you know:

The name of the test or procedure
The reason you are having the test or procedure
What results to expect and what they mean
The risks and benefits of the test or procedure
What the possible side effects or complications are
When and where you are to have the test or procedure
Who will do the test or procedure and what that person’s qualifications are
What would happen if you did not have the test or procedure
Any alternative tests or procedures to think about
When and how will you get the results
Who to call after the test or procedure if you have questions or problems
How much will you have to pay for the test or procedure

If you have a new or existing heart problem, it's vital to see a doctor. Our heart health checklist can help you determine when to seek care.

Which of the following methods should an EKG technician use to calculate?

NHA EKG.

In which one of the following locations should an EKG technician place the electrode for lead V5?

EKG test questions.

When performing a 12 lead ECG Which of the following electrodes should the tech place at the Four intercostal space along the left sternal border?

Placement of Lead V2 Since you have placed lead V1, you can now put the electrode for lead V2 at the same level to the left side of the sternum (4th intercostal space, left sternal border).

Which of the following locations should the electrode for the white wire be placed for an exercise stress test EKG?

Place RA (white) electrode under the right clavicle, mid-clavicular line within the rib cage frame. Place LA (black) electrode under the left clavicle, mid-clavicular line within the rib cage frame. Place LL (red) electrode on the lower left abdomen within the rib cage frame.