Certified Biomedical Equipment Technician (CBET) Practice Exam

The essential safety device for protecting patients from electrical shock is an isolation transformer. An isolation transformer is designed to decouple the power source from the medical equipment, effectively isolating the electrical supply from the device connected to it. This means that if there is a fault in the device, such as a short circuit, the electrical energy is kept from passing onto the patient, significantly reducing the risk of electrical shock.

Isolation transformers are commonly used in medical environments to provide a safe and stable power supply, ensuring that any faults do not result in hazardous exposure to electrical currents for patients. Their design helps maintain patient safety while allowing sensitive medical equipment to operate effectively.

Surge protectors, ground fault circuit interrupters, and voltage regulators are also important in protecting electrical systems, but they operate differently. Surge protectors safeguard against power surges, ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) are designed to trip when they detect ground faults to prevent shocks, and voltage regulators help maintain consistent voltage levels. While these devices contribute to electrical safety, they do not provide the same level of protection against electrical shock to patients as isolation transformers do in a medical setting.