EKG AcquisitionQuestion 61 of 100
A technician opens a package of disposable electrodes and finds the conductive gel is dry and crusted. What should be done?
a.Moisten the electrodes with tap water and use them
b.Discard the package and open fresh electrodes within their expiration date
c.Add alcohol to the gel to soften it
d.Use them anyway and increase the machine gain to compensate
Explanation
Dried electrodes cannot conduct properly and cause wandering baseline and false readings, so they are discarded and replaced with fresh, unexpired electrodes stored in a sealed package. Water and alcohol are not substitutes for conductive gel and alcohol actually increases resistance once it dries. Increasing gain amplifies the artifact along with the signal and does not fix the contact problem.
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