EKG and Cardiovascular Testing

A medical assistant is preparing a patient who has shortness of breath for an EKG. What position should the MA place the patient?

• Prone

• Semi-Fowler's

• Supine

• Sims'

A medical assistant is preparing a patient for an EKG. What instructions should the MA provide?

• "Remove all clothing from the waist up."

• "Don't eat or drink anything for 6 hours prior to the test."

• "Apply lotion to the sites for electrode placement."

• "You must have a full bladder for the entire duration of the test."

Which of the following is true of limb leads and electrodes?

• Limb leads are unipolar.

• Leads V1 through V6 are limb leads.

• Limb leads are typically placed on fleshy areas of the skin.

• The left leg lead wire serves as the ground.

When calibrating an EKG machine, which of the following should the assistant identify as the standard speed of recording?

• 25 mm/second

• 50 mm/second

• 10 mm/second

• 5 mm/second

In which location should the V4 lead be placed?

• 5th intercostal space at the anterior axillary line

• 5th intercostal space at the midaxillary line

• Midway between V3 and V5

• 5th intercostal space at the midclavicular line

When performing an EKG, you notice a wandering baseline throughout the tracing. What issue could have resulted in this occurrence?

• The electrode pads were defective or poorly attached

• The machine was missing the grounding prong for the outlet

• The machine didn't note have the proper standardization settings set

• The cable tips were loose or had become separated

The MA notices rhythmic, sharp spikes throughout an EKG tracing. Which of the following artifacts is occurring?

• Wandering baseline

• Interrupted baseline

• Interference

• Somatic tremor

What is the ratio of applied leads to recorded lead for a standard EKG machine?

• 10:10

• 3:6

• 10:12

• 9:12

When performing an EKB, a medical assistant notices a widened QRS complex on the patient's EKG strip. Which of the following is a possible cause of this type of artifact?

• Atrial fibrillation

• Bradycardia

• Sinus dysrhythmia

• Premature ventricular contraction

Which of the following is a state of cellular rest and is represented by a flatline on an EKG strip?

• Myocardial infarction

• Polarization

• Premature atrial contraction

• Somatic tremor