Safety & ProfessionalismQuestion 82 of 100
Before performing an EKG on an inpatient, how should the technician identify the patient?
a.Confirm the room and bed number on the order
b.Call the patient's name and proceed if someone answers
c.Use two patient identifiers, such as having the patient state name and date of birth and comparing them to the armband and order
d.Ask the family member at the bedside to confirm who the patient is
Explanation
Two patient identifiers, most commonly full name and date of birth verified against the armband and the order, are the accepted standard, and the patient states them rather than confirming a name read aloud. Room and bed numbers change and are never acceptable identifiers. Patients may answer to the wrong name when medicated or hard of hearing, and family confirmation does not replace the required two identifiers.
Law Reference: The Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goal 01.01.01Practice all 100 questions free — no signup required.
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- A patient's chest has an open, draining wound near a chest electrode site. What does the bloodborne pathogens standard require of the technician?
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