Cardiac HealthStream Telemetry Practice Exam 2026 – The Comprehensive All-in-One Guide for Exam Success!

The most common reason for poor telemetry tracing is high impedance at the electrode–skin interface, so the first thing to do is prepare the skin. Cleaning the skin, removing oils, dead skin cells, and hair, and ensuring a good, dry surface lowers impedance and allows the electrode to pick up the signal clearly. This simple step often resolves tracing issues before you move on to other potential problems.

If the tracing remains poor after skin prep, then you would inspect lead wires for damage, verify proper connections, or reapply the electrode. But addressing the skin contact first tackles the primary, quickest cause of poor tracing.