Exam Content Outline

Cardiovascular Credentialing International publishes its exam outlines and other important information on its website (www.cci-online.org). Visit the site for complete information about applying for and taking the registry examinations. The outline for each exam indicates the approximate percentage of the exam that a particular topic represents. This information is important because it indicates the relative importance of each topic and allows you to study more effectively. For example, Conducting Pre-Procedural Activities is 17.14% of the exam, whereas Performing Diagnostic Studies is 8%.

The complete outline for the Registered Cardiac Electrophysiology Specialist Examination appears below.

EP Duties/Tasks/Steps: (68.57%)
A. Conducting pre-procedural activities (17.14%)         1. Prepare procedure room         2. Prepare sterile table         3. Ensure regulatory compliance         4. Perform patient identification         5. Review patient laboratory results         6. Review patient medical record         7. Verify physician's orders         8. Verify/obtain patient consent         9. Start patient IV         10. Insert/apply urinary catheter         11. Transport patients to procedure room         12. Prepare patients for invasive procedures         13. Prepare patients for non-invasive procedures    B. Conducting intra-procedural activities (14.29%)         1. Maintain patient comfort         2. Monitor vital signs of patients         3. Administer medications to patients         4. Monitor ACT (activated clotting time)         5. Acquire radiographic images         6. Evaluate implanted ICDs and pacemakers         7. Place central venous lines         8. Place arterial lines    C. Conducting post-procedural activities (7.43%)         1. Remove arterial catheters         2. Remove venous catheters         3. Prepare patient for transfer to recovery         4. Reset procedure room    D. Performing diagnostic studies (8%)         1. Position diagnostic catheters         2. Perform stimulation protocols         3. Perform venography         4. Perform tilt table test    E. Performing therapeutic procedures (12.57%)         1. Assist physicians with vascular interventions         2. Assist transeptal puncture         3. Assist physician with ablation         4. Assist physicians with lead extractions         5. Assist with periocardiocentisis         6. Assist physicians with implant devices    F. Collecting Data (5.71%)         1. Analyze ECG         2. Analyze EGMs    G. Communicating with patients and the health care team (3.43%)         1. Update family regarding patients         2. Summarize procedural data         3. Hand off patients (reporting)         4. Conduct patient education and training
Basic Sciences (31.44%)
A. General concepts (2.29%)         1. Math         2. Units of measurement    B. Patient care (10.86%)         1. Medical terminology         2. Positioning         3. Documentation         4. Transport         5. Risk management/ patient safety         6. Communication and instructions         7. History and physical         8. Patient assessment         9. Standards/regulations/techniques    C. General anatomy and physiology (2.86%)         1. Structural components         2. Cellular metabolism and energy productions         3. Basic structural components         4. General circulation — arterial and venous         5. Basic physiological mechanisms    D. Cardiovascular anatomy and physiology (12.57%)         1. Structural components         2. Heart         3. Embryology         4. Arterial and venous anatomy         5. Coronary anatomy         6. Innervation         7. Cardiovascular/cerebrovascular disease         8. Electro mechanical events of the heart         9. Transportation and exchange         10. Left ventricular function         11. Hemodynamics         12. Peripheral circulation and control of blood flow         13. Cardiovascular pharmacology    E. Quality improvement (2.86%)         1. Instrumentation         2. Statistical analysis         3. Sterilization         4. Cardiac procedures/protocols

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