Certified EKG Technician Exam

The CET exam is a computer-based test. You can take it at an NHA-authorized school or training site, at a PSI testing center, or online through live remote proctoring.

Key Facts About the CET Exam

Exam Design by Domain

EKG Acquisition is the largest domain, so skin preparation, patient positioning, exact electrode placement, special lead placements, machine settings and artifact troubleshooting deserve the largest share of your study time. Safety, communication, patient instruction and emergency response come next. Rhythm analysis is about a quarter of the exam, but it often decides whether a candidate passes because it takes the most practice.

The test plan also lists core knowledge that can appear in any domain: basic cardiac anatomy and physiology, cardiac-testing emergencies such as syncope, chest pain and abnormal vital signs, and CPR and basic life support. Section 5 and Section 3 of this guide cover that core knowledge.

The CET uses scaled scores from 200 to 500, and you need a scaled score of 390 or higher to pass. A scaled score is not a percentage. Different exam forms can vary slightly in difficulty, and scaling makes a passing score mean the same thing on every form.

Only the 100 scored questions count, and you cannot tell which 20 questions are pretest items, so give every question your best effort. Unanswered questions are counted as wrong, so answer every question. Your score report shows pass or fail and whether your performance in each domain was above, near or below the passing standard. Use those domain results to plan your study if you need to retest.

• Electrode and lead placement for 12-lead EKGs, monitoring, Holter monitors, stress tests and special views
• Patient preparation and positioning, including patients who are pregnant, short of breath, amputees or children
• Artifact recognition and the correct fix
• Machine settings, calibration and the parts of a complete tracing
• Heart rate calculations, interval measurements and rhythm recognition from strip descriptions
• Safety, infection control, HIPAA, scope of practice, communication and electronic health records
• Patient instructions for stress tests and ambulatory monitors
• Emergencies: signs of cardiopulmonary compromise, life-threatening rhythms and basic life support

• Hold a high school diploma or GED, or expect to earn one within 18 months under the training-program option.
• Option 1: complete an EKG technician training or education program within the last five years.
• Option 2: have one year of supervised EKG technician work experience within the last three years, or two years within the last five years.
• Under either option, document at least 10 EKGs performed on live individuals.
• Certification lasts two years. You renew by completing 10 continuing education credits and paying the renewal fee.

If you do not pass, you may retake the exam after a 30-day waiting period, and again 30 days after a second attempt. After a third unsuccessful attempt, you must wait one year before each further attempt. Each retake requires a new registration and the full exam fee. Check the official NHA Candidate Handbook and the NHA website before you register, because fees and policies are updated from time to time.