Certified Associate in Biomedical Technology CABT

Certified Associate in Biomedical Technology CABT Flashcards: 225 cards

225 free Certified Associate in Biomedical Technology flashcards from the course's cheat sheet and glossary. Tap a card to flip it. Mark the ones you know and they drop out of the deck; the rest keep coming back.

Acronyms 104

AAMI: Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation. The standards body for medical equipment and the sponsor of the technician credentials.
AC: Alternating current. Power that reverses direction many times a second; wall power is AC.
ACI: AAMI Credentials Institute. The body inside AAMI that writes and administers the certification exams.
AED: Automated external defibrillator. A defibrillator that reads the rhythm itself and advises a shock only when one will help.
ALARA: As low as reasonably achievable. The radiation safety principle: keep every dose as small as the work allows.
AV: Atrioventricular. The node that relays the signal between the upper and lower chambers of the heart.
AWG: American wire gauge. The numbering system for wire thickness, where a lower number means a thicker wire.
BF: Body floating (applied part). An applied part isolated from earth, safe on the body but not for a direct heart connection.
BIOS: Basic input output system. The firmware that starts a computer and hands control to the operating system.
BMET: Biomedical equipment technician. The person who inspects, repairs, and verifies the medical equipment a hospital uses.
CABT: Certified Associate in Biomedical Technology. The entry-level ACI credential: 100 questions, 2 hours, remote proctored, no experience required.
CBET: Certified Biomedical Equipment Technician. The technician-level credential: full certification needs a qualifying degree or program plus two years of work, or four years of work alone.
CF: Cardiac floating (applied part). The applied-part type rated for a direct connection to the heart, with the tightest leakage limits.
CHTM: Certified Healthcare Technology Manager. The ACI credential for people who run an equipment program rather than work the bench.
CMMS: Computerized maintenance management system. The database that holds every asset, work order, maintenance schedule, and repair record.
CO2: Carbon dioxide. The gas the body gives off as waste; measured in exhaled breath by a capnograph.
COM: Common. The multimeter jack the black test lead stays in for every measurement.
CPM: Continuous passive motion. A machine that moves a joint slowly through a set range after surgery.
CPR: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Chest compressions and rescue breathing that keep blood moving until an organized rhythm returns.
CPU: Central processing unit. The processor that executes the instructions in a computer.
CRES: Certified Radiology Equipment Specialist. The ACI credential for imaging equipment: radiography, fluoroscopy, and high-voltage systems.
CT: Computed tomography. An imaging scanner that takes many X-ray views and builds cross-section images.
DB9: Nine-pin D-subminiature connector. The nine-pin D-shaped plug that carries a serial connection on older equipment.
DC: Direct current. Current that flows steadily in one direction, as from a battery or a power supply output.
DHCP: Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. The service that hands out IP addresses automatically when a device joins a network.
DISS: Diameter index safety system. Gas-specific threaded fittings that keep the wrong gas from being connected to a pipeline outlet.
DMM: Digital multimeter. The handheld meter that reads voltage, current, resistance, and continuity.
DNS: Domain Name System. The service that turns a name into an IP address.
DoD: Department of Defense. Its data-wiping specification became the common name for a multi-pass overwrite of a drive.
DVI: Digital Visual Interface. An older digital video connector, usually a white plug with a wide pin field.
ECG: Electrocardiogram or electrocardiography. The recording of the heart's electrical activity through electrodes on the skin.
EEG: Electroencephalogram or electroencephalography. The recording of the brain's electrical activity through electrodes on the scalp.
EKG: Electrocardiogram. Another spelling of the heart tracing, from the German form of the word.
EMR: Electronic medical record. The patient's electronic chart, where device readings and clinician notes live together.
ESD: Electrostatic discharge. The static spark that can destroy a chip you cannot see any damage on.
ESU: Electrosurgical unit. The generator that cuts and seals tissue with high-frequency current during surgery.
EtCO2: End-tidal carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide measured at the end of a breath, normally 35 to 45 mmHg.
GFCI: Ground fault circuit interrupter. A receptacle or breaker that cuts power when current leaks out of the intended path.
GHS: Globally Harmonized System of classification and labelling of chemicals. The international scheme behind the chemical pictograms and the sixteen-section safety data sheet.
GPU: Graphics processing unit. The processor that draws the display, and the part that matters on imaging workstations.
HDD: Hard disk drive. Storage built around spinning magnetic platters and a moving head.
HDMI: High-Definition Multimedia Interface. The common digital connector that carries video and audio on one cable.
HIPAA: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. The US law that sets the rules for protecting patient health information.
HIV: Human immunodeficiency virus. One of the three bloodborne viruses the exposure rules are written around.
HL7: Health Level Seven. The long-standing messaging standard that carries patient and clinical data between hospital systems.
HTM: Healthcare technology management. The modern name for the department and the discipline that manages medical equipment.
IDF: Intermediate distribution frame. A floor or wing data closet that feeds the wall jacks around it.
IEC: International Electrotechnical Commission. The body behind IEC 60601-1, the safety standard medical electrical equipment is built to.
IFU: Instructions for use. The manufacturer's manual written for the clinician who operates the device.
IP: Internet Protocol address. The numeric address that identifies a device on a network.
ISO: Independent service organization. A third-party company that services equipment under contract instead of the hospital or the maker.
IT: Information technology. The computers, networks, and software side of the hospital, and the department that runs it.
KVO: Keep vein open. A very slow infusion rate that keeps a line from clotting after the main dose finishes.
LAN: Local area network. The network inside one building or campus.
LED: Light-emitting diode. A diode that gives off light when current passes through it the right way.
LOTO: Lockout and tagout. Locking an energy source off and tagging it so nobody can start the equipment while you work.
MAP: Mean arterial pressure. The average pressure in the arteries over a heartbeat, estimated from the two cuff numbers.
MDF: Main distribution frame. The building's core data room, where the floor closets and the outside circuits come together.
MFA: Multi-factor authentication. Proving who you are with two different kinds of evidence, not just a password.
MR: Magnetic resonance. The labeling prefix for whether an item may enter a magnet room: safe, conditional, or unsafe.
MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging. Imaging that uses a very strong magnet instead of radiation, and the magnet is always on.
NFPA: National Fire Protection Association. The body behind NFPA 99, the health care facilities code that sets the in-hospital electrical limits.
NIBP: Non-invasive blood pressure. Blood pressure measured with an inflating cuff rather than a catheter in an artery.
O2: Oxygen. The gas patients need, piped in green-coded lines in the United States.
OEM: Original equipment manufacturer. The company that built the device, and the source of its factory parts and training.
OSHA: Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The US agency whose rules protect workers, including technicians at a hospital bench.
PASS: Pull, aim, squeeze, sweep. How to use a fire extinguisher: pull the pin, aim low, squeeze, sweep across the base.
PCA: Patient-controlled analgesia. A pump that lets the patient press a button for a pain dose inside programmed limits.
PDF: Portable document format. The fixed-layout file that service manuals and instructions for use are distributed in.
PHI: Protected health information. Any health information that can be tied back to a person.
PISS: Pin index safety system. The pin-and-hole pattern that keeps a small gas cylinder from accepting the wrong yoke.
PM: Preventive maintenance. The scheduled inspection, testing, and service a device gets before it fails.
PPE: Personal protective equipment. The gown, mask, eye protection, and gloves that stand between you and an exposure.
QR: Quick response code. The square two-dimensional barcode on asset tags and labels that a phone camera can read.
QRS: QRS complex. The tall spike on a heart tracing, made by the lower chambers firing.
RACE: Rescue, alarm, confine, extinguish. What to do when you find a fire in a hospital, in order.
RAM: Random access memory. A computer's fast working memory, and it is volatile: content is lost when power drops.
RFID: Radio frequency identification. Tags read by radio, used to identify and track equipment and supplies.
RJ45: Registered jack 45. The eight-pin network plug on the end of an Ethernet cable.
RMS: Root mean square. The effective value (the DC voltage that would deliver the same power) of an alternating voltage or current.
RPM: Revolutions per minute. How fast something turns; the number a tachometer reads on a centrifuge or a blower.
RS-232: Recommended Standard 232 (serial communication). The old serial standard still used to configure medical devices and pull their stored data.
RTLS: Real-time location system. The system that tells a hospital where its mobile equipment actually is.
SA: Sinoatrial. The heart's own pacemaker node, in the upper right chamber.
SAE: Society of Automotive Engineers. The fractional-inch sizing on hand tools, as opposed to metric sizing.
SCD: Sequential compression device. Sleeves that squeeze the legs in a timed cycle to keep blood from pooling.
SDS: Safety data sheet. The sixteen-section document that describes a chemical's hazards and what to do about them.
SpO2: Peripheral oxygen saturation. The percentage of hemoglobin carrying oxygen, measured with a light probe, normally 95 to 100%.
SSD: Solid-state drive. Storage with no moving parts: faster, quieter, and far better on a cart that gets bumped.
SSID: Service set identifier. The name a wireless network broadcasts so that devices know what to join.
STAR: Situation, task, action, result. A way to answer an interview question so the story has a point.
TENS: Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. Small electrical pulses through skin electrodes to reduce pain.
UEFI: Unified Extensible Firmware Interface. The modern replacement for a computer's startup firmware.
UPS: Uninterruptible power supply. Batteries and an inverter that carry equipment through a power interruption.
USB: Universal Serial Bus. The connector family that carries data and power to nearly every peripheral.
VGA: Video Graphics Array. The old analog video connector, a blue fifteen-pin plug with thumbscrews.
VLAN: Virtual local area network. A separate logical network inside the same switches, used to keep device traffic apart.
VPN: Virtual private network. An encrypted tunnel across an untrusted network, and the proper way in for remote service.
VTBI: Volume to be infused. The total volume a pump is told to deliver before it stops and alarms.
WAN: Wide area network. The network that links separate sites across distance.
Wi-Fi: Wireless networking (the certification brand for the wireless standards). The radio network that carries wireless devices onto the hospital network.
WMTS: Wireless Medical Telemetry Service. Radio bands reserved for patient telemetry so consumer devices cannot interfere.
WPA2: Wi-Fi Protected Access 2. The long-standing wireless security standard, still widely used and acceptable.
WPA3: Wi-Fi Protected Access 3. The current wireless security standard, with a stronger handshake than the version before it.

The exam itself 13

Certifying body: AAMI Credentials Institute (ACI)
Questions: 100 multiple choice
Time and rules: 2 hours, closed book, no notes or phones
Calculator: An on-screen four-function calculator is provided; no calculator of your own
Delivery: Live remote proctoring year-round through Kryterion: webcam, microphone, quiet room, cleared desk
Eligibility: High school junior or above; no work experience and no degree required
Window to test: Six months from purchase to the test date
Results: Pass or fail on screen immediately, confirmed by email within 24 hours
Cut score: Not published; this course trains to 70% on the official-format test
Fee: 2026 fee: $220 member, $270 non-member; non-refundable
Retake: $190 member, $240 non-member, after a 60-day wait
Validity: 5 years, non-renewable; by then you qualify for the technician-level exam
Domain weights: Anatomy and Physiology 10%; Medical Devices as Related to Patient Care 23%; Safety in Healthcare 16%; Fundamentals of Electricity and Electronics 14%; Reasoning and Problem Solving 24%; Healthcare Information Technology 13%

Anatomy, physiology, and terminology 6

Four chambers: Right atrium/ventricle pump blood to the lungs; left atrium/ventricle pump it to the body; the left ventricle is thickest, working hardest
Valves: Tricuspid (right atrium to right ventricle), pulmonary (to the lungs), mitral (left atrium to left ventricle), aortic (to the body); keep flow one way
SA and AV nodes: SA node: the natural pacemaker in the right atrium, fires first and sets the rate. Flow path: body, right atrium, right ventricle, lungs, left atrium, left ventricle, body. AV node: the relay that delays the signal so the ventricles have time to fill before they squeeze
P, QRS, and T: P wave: the atria depolarizing, the small bump before the spike. QRS complex: the ventricles depolarizing, the tall spike; monitors count heart rate from it and defibrillators synchronize to it. T wave: the ventricles recovering after the beat
Systole and diastole: Systole is the squeeze and the higher number; diastole is the refill and the lower number
Blood: Red cells carry oxygen on hemoglobin, white cells fight infection, platelets clot, plasma is the liquid that carries the rest

Electricity and electronics 20

Prefixes: kilo is 1,000 times (1 kV = 1,000 V), milli is one thousandth (1 mA = 0.001 A), micro is one millionth (1 microamp = 0.000001 A)
Current and resistance ladders: 1 A = 1,000 mA = 1,000,000 microamps (0.47 A is 470 mA); 1 kohm = 1,000 ohm; 1 Mohm = 1,000,000 ohm = 1,000 kohm
Color digits: Black 0, brown 1, red 2, orange 3, yellow 4, green 5, blue 6, violet 7, gray 8, white 9
First three bands: The first two bands are the first two digits; the third band is the multiplier, meaning how many zeros to add
Fourth band: Tolerance: gold 5%, silver 10%, no band 20%
Worked example: Brown, black, red, gold = 1, 0, add two zeros = 1,000 ohm plus or minus 5%. Measure out of circuit with power off; parallel parts pull the reading low
DC: Steady, one direction: batteries, power supply outputs, most circuit boards. Red lead is positive, black is negative
AC: Reverses direction many times a second: wall power. The United States uses 120 V at 60 Hz; much of the world uses 230 V at 50 Hz
RMS: The 120 V on the label is RMS, the effective value (DC voltage giving the same power); the waveform peaks near 170 V
Transformers: Change AC voltage (more turns on the output raises it, fewer lowers it) and can isolate a circuit; an isolation transformer has equal turns; does nothing on DC
Rectifier: Diodes turn AC into DC inside a power supply; a capacitor smooths the ripple
United States building and cord wiring: Black or red is hot, white is neutral, green or bare copper is ground
International device cords: Brown is live, blue is neutral, green with a yellow stripe is ground
DC leads: Red is positive, black is negative; on a battery the terminals are marked plus and minus
Wire gauge: AWG runs backwards: a lower number is thicker, carrying more current (14 AWG thicker than 18 AWG). Every cord entering a case needs a clamp or bushing so a pull lands on the case, not the conductors
Chemistries: Alkaline 1.5 V, single use; nickel metal hydride 1.2 V, rechargeable; lithium coin cell 3 V, holds memory/clock settings; lithium-ion 3.6 to 3.7 V, rechargeable, never crush, puncture, or fully drain; sealed lead-acid 2 V per cell (a 12 V block is six cells), common in infusion pumps, carts, and beds
Capacity and stacking: Capacity in amp-hours or milliamp-hours; runtime falls as a pack ages even though voltage looks fine. Cells in series add voltage, cells in parallel add capacity at the same voltage
Open: Infinite resistance (the meter shows OL), no current flows, and the full source voltage appears across the break
Short: Near zero resistance, far too much current, heat, and a blown fuse or tripped breaker
High resistance joint: Current still flows, but the voltage drop across the joint is large and the joint runs warm

Math, measurement, and reasoning 17

Volume: 1 L = 1,000 mL; 1 mL = 1 cubic centimeter
Mass and length: 1 kg = 1,000 g = 2.2 lb; 1 inch = 2.54 cm
Pressure, airway: 1 mmHg = 1.36 cmH2O
Pressure, gas: 1 psi = 51.7 mmHg; 1 atmosphere = 14.7 psi = 760 mmHg; 1 kPa = 7.5 mmHg
Temperature formulas: F = C x 9/5 + 32; C = (F minus 32) x 5/9
Temperature anchors: 37 C = 98.6 F; 0 C = 32 F; 100 C = 212 F
Flow rate: mL/h divided by 60 = mL/min, so 120 mL/h is 2 mL/min; a 30-minute collection doubled gives the hourly rate
Percent error: (measured minus expected) / expected x 100; keep the sign so you know which way it is off
Tolerance band: expected x percent; a 5% band on 40 mL is 2 mL, so 38 to 42 mL
Pass or fail: Pass when the size of the error is inside the band, ignoring the sign
Worked example: 37 mL where 40 mL was expected: (37 minus 40) / 40 x 100 = -7.5%, which fails a 5% band. A pump set to 100 mL/h that delivers 103 mL is +3%, which passes
Accuracy and precision: Accuracy is how close to the truth; precision is how repeatable. A meter can be precisely wrong
Paper speed: 25 mm/s is standard
Box sizes: A small box is 1 mm wide = 0.04 s; a large box is 5 mm wide = 0.2 s, so five small boxes make one large one
Height: 1 mV of signal = 10 mm tall at normal gain
Rate from the boxes: 300 / the large boxes between two R waves, or 1,500 / the small boxes. Four large boxes is 300 / 4 = 75 beats per minute
Six-second rule: Count the beats in a six-second strip and multiply by 10; the quickest way with an irregular rhythm

Safety in healthcare 30

1 mA: Threshold of perception
5 mA: Accepted maximum harmless current
10 to 20 mA: Let-go threshold: muscles clamp, cannot release the conductor
50 mA: Pain, possible fainting, respiratory arrest
100 to 300 mA: Ventricular fibrillation likely
6 A and above: Sustained contraction and burns
Microshock: 10 microamps direct to the heart can cause fibrillation
Ground resistance, chassis to the plug ground pin (NFPA 99): 0.5 ohm maximum for patient-care equipment
Chassis (touch) leakage, cord-connected patient-care equipment (NFPA 99): 500 microamps in current editions; older editions used 300 or 100 microamps
Patient care vicinity (NFPA 99): About 6 ft (1.8 m) out from the bed or chair and 7.5 ft (2.3 m) up from the floor
GFCI trip (NFPA 99 wet locations): 4 to 6 mA of imbalance between hot and neutral
Hospital-grade receptacle: Marked with a green dot; checked for retention force and polarity
Extension cords and cheater adapters: Never used with patient-care equipment; a three-prong to two-prong adapter defeats the ground
Relocatable power taps: Only where allowed, rated, and secured; never daisy-chained
Damaged cords and plugs: Remove from service: a cracked plug, missing ground pin, or pinched cord fails inspection on sight
Class I / Class II / internally powered: Class I: metal case grounded by a third-wire protective earth; ground continuity is the critical test. Class II: double insulated, no ground pin, marked with a square inside a square. Internally powered: runs on its own battery, isolated from the mains while unplugged
Type B / BF / CF applied parts: Type B (stick figure): touches the body, not for cardiac connection. Type BF (stick figure in a box): body floating, isolated from earth. Type CF (heart in a box): cardiac floating, safe for a direct heart connection, tightest leakage limits
Defibrillation-proof: Adds the paddle symbol: the applied part survives a defibrillator discharge
Macroshock vs. microshock: Macroshock crosses the skin and takes milliamps to hurt; microshock bypasses the skin through a catheter or lead and needs only microamps
Full sequence: Visual and cord inspection, ground resistance, chassis leakage in each condition, then patient lead leakage; stop at the first failure and tag the device
Leakage conditions: Normal polarity, reversed polarity, open ground, open neutral; worst with the ground open
When to test: Incoming inspection, after any repair touching the power path or enclosure, and on the scheduled maintenance interval
Trending: Rising leakage or ground resistance means insulation or a cord is failing; compare to the last reading, not only the limit
Colors and uses (United States): Oxygen (O2) green, for therapy; medical air yellow, ventilator driving gas; nitrous oxide blue, anesthesia; nitrogen black, surgical tools; carbon dioxide gray, insufflation; vacuum or suction white
Oxygen hazard: Supports combustion: no oil, grease, or tape on a fitting, no ignition source nearby
Full E cylinder: About 2,000 to 2,200 psi and about 660 liters of gas
Wall outlets: About 50 psi delivered to the device
Connections: Small cylinders use the pin index safety system (PISS), pipeline outlets use the diameter index safety system (DISS); each gas has its own pattern, no adapters or forcing
Handling: Cylinders chained or racked upright, caps on when not in use, full separated from empty, never free-standing on a cart
Zone valves: Labeled shutoff valves isolating the gas for one area; know their locations

Medical devices and test equipment 13

Biphasic adult shock: 120 to 200 J, depending on the manufacturer's protocol
Monophasic adult shock: 360 J
Pediatric settings: Lower and weight based, chosen by the clinician
Analyzer load: The analyzer presents a 50 ohm load, standing in for the patient's chest
Charge time: Timed from the charge button to the ready tone; a slow charge usually means an aging battery or capacitor
Synchronized mode: Times the shock to the QRS complex for an organized rhythm; a chaotic rhythm gets unsynchronized defibrillation. Compare delivered joules at low, middle, and maximum settings against tolerance
Rate: Programmed in mL/h; the pump moves the set volume per hour, not drops per minute
Volume to be infused (VTBI): How much to give before the pump stops and alarms
Keep vein open (KVO): A small trickle after the volume finishes so the line does not clot
Flow accuracy check: Collect into a graduated cylinder for 30 minutes and double it, or use an infusion analyzer; typical spec is plus or minus 5%
Occlusion alarm: Pressure above the threshold: a clamp left closed, a kink, or a blocked site
Air-in-line alarm: The ultrasonic detector sees bubbles; purge the set on setup
Free-flow protection: The set clamps itself when removed from the pump, so gravity cannot dump the bag into the patient

Healthcare IT 22

Core components: CPU: processor that runs instructions, speed and cooling set performance. RAM: fast working memory, volatile, gone when power drops. GPU: draws the display, matters on imaging review workstations. Power supply: converts wall AC into the board's DC voltages; a failing one causes random reboots. Motherboard: the board everything plugs into, carrying the buses between parts
Storage, firmware, software, and peripherals: HDD: spinning magnetic drive with moving parts, clicking is its warning. SSD: solid-state, no moving parts, better on a cart that gets bumped. BIOS/UEFI: firmware that starts the machine and finds the boot device. Operating system and drivers: the operating system manages hardware and runs applications; drivers let it talk to one specific device, and wrong or missing drivers are the classic after-update failure. Printers: local by USB, network with its own IP address
USB-A, USB-B, USB-C, micro-USB: Rectangular host, square-ish device, the reversible oval, small legacy plug on handhelds
HDMI and DisplayPort: Current digital video and audio to a monitor
VGA and DVI: Older video: VGA is analog with a blue fifteen-pin shell, DVI is the white digital connector
RJ45: The eight-pin network jack on Cat5e or Cat6 cable
Fiber: Glass strands for long runs and for electrical isolation between buildings
RS-232 serial, often on a DB9 shell: The nine-pin serial port still used to configure and pull data from medical devices
LAN and WAN: A LAN is one building or campus; a WAN links sites across distance
Switch: Connects wired devices inside a LAN and forwards traffic only to the port that needs it
Router and default gateway: A router joins networks; the default gateway is where a device sends traffic bound for another network
IP address and subnet mask: The address identifies the device; the mask says which part of it is the network
DHCP: Hands out addresses automatically; medical devices often get a reservation so the address never changes
DNS: Turns names into addresses; if an address works but the name does not, suspect DNS
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth: Wi-Fi: 2.4 GHz reaches farther, 5 GHz is faster with less interference, secured with WPA2 or WPA3. Bluetooth: short-range pairing for probes, printers, handheld scanners
RFID and RTLS: Tags and readers that locate equipment; a real-time location system is how a hospital finds its pumps
VLAN and VPN: A VLAN is a logical network inside the switch; medical devices usually live on their own. A VPN is an encrypted tunnel, how a vendor reaches a device for remote service
IDF, MDF, racks, and patch panels: MDF is the building's core data room; IDF is the floor closet feeding the jacks. Rack units hold the gear; the patch panel is where every wall jack terminates and gets a short cable to a switch port
WMTS: Protected radio bands reserved for patient telemetry so consumer devices cannot step on them
ipconfig: The device's own IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway, which is where every network call starts
ping: Whether a destination answers, how long it takes, and how many packets were lost; ping the gateway first, then the server
Same subnet or not: With a /24 mask, devices sharing the first three numbers of the address are on the same subnet and can talk without a router

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225: 104 Acronyms, 13 The exam itself, 6 Anatomy, physiology, and terminology, 20 Electricity and electronics, 17 Math, measurement, and reasoning, 30 Safety in healthcare, 13 Medical devices and test equipment, 22 Healthcare IT. They come from the course's cheat sheet and glossary, so what you drill is what the lessons teach.

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