What scaled score do I need to pass the CET?

The NHA reports the CET on a scaled 200–500 range, and you need a scaled score of 390 to pass. Scaling keeps the standard consistent across exam forms, so the raw number of correct answers needed can shift slightly while 390 stays fixed.

How current is the CET cheat sheet?

It's built from the NHA's current CET test plan and candidate handbook, plus AHA/NIH conduction and rhythm standards, and we review it against those official sources regularly. Always confirm live fees and scheduling at nhanow.com before you apply.

How do I get the CET cheat sheet?

Click the download button (or the preview card) at the top of this page to open the PDF instantly. Bookmark this page so you can find it again in your final week before test day.

Free CET Cheat Sheet 2026 — Downloadable PDF

Q: What's on the CET cheat sheet?

It condenses the highest-yield NHA CET facts into a fast review: the 10-electrode/12-lead placement landmarks, the SA-to-Purkinje conduction pathway, machine settings (25 mm/s, 10 mm/mV), artifact fixes, heart-rate math, and the life-threatening rhythms — organized by the three domains the NHA scores.

This CET cheat sheet distills the NHA Certified EKG Technician exam into a printable rundown of the facts the test hits hardest, weighted the way the NHA weights its three scored domains. It's a premium cheat sheet built by Capital Prep — the one premium prep we trust — and it's yours free. Reinforce it with the rest of your free CET toolkit: the practice test, study guide, and flashcards.

CET exam at a glance

Questions: 120 items (100 scored + 20 unscored pretest)
Time: 2 hours
Passing score: Scaled score of 390 (on a 200–500 range)
Certifying body: National Healthcareer Association (NHA)
Cost: Approximately $129 exam fee (verify current amount at nhanow.com)

What’s on the CET cheat sheet

EKG Acquisition (44%) — cardiac anatomy and the conduction pathway, 10-electrode 12-lead placement, skin prep, paper speed and standardization, and artifact troubleshooting — the largest domain (44 items).
Safety, Compliance & Coordinated Patient Care (32%) — HIPAA and PHI, scope of practice, infection control and standard precautions, communication, vital signs, and EMR/EHR documentation (32 items).
EKG Analysis & Interpretation (24%) — the P-QRS-T waveform and intervals, heart-rate calculation, and rhythm recognition including life-threatening findings (24 items).

Highest-yield facts on the sheet

A 12-lead EKG uses 10 electrodes (4 limb + 6 precordial) to produce 12 leads — place V1/V2 at the 4th intercostal space, V4 at the 5th ICS midclavicular line, V6 at the midaxillary line.
Standard machine settings: paper speed 25 mm/s, gain 10 mm/mV; the calibration pulse is 10 mm tall (1 mV), and each small box is 0.04 s, each large box 0.20 s.
Conduction runs SA node → AV node → bundle of His → bundle branches → Purkinje fibers; the SA node paces 60–100/min, with slower backups (AV 40–60, Purkinje 20–40).
Rate math: regular rhythm = 300 ÷ large boxes (or 1500 ÷ small boxes); irregular rhythm = QRS complexes in a 6-second strip × 10.
Recognize and escalate — never diagnose: ventricular fibrillation, pulseless ventricular tachycardia, asystole, and complete (third-degree) heart block are emergencies.

How to use it in your final week

Front-load EKG Acquisition — it's 44% of the scored exam (44 of 100 items). If you master one section of the sheet, make it lead placement, machine settings, and skin prep.
Drill the precordial landmarks until automatic: V1/V2 at the 4th intercostal space, V4 at the 5th ICS midclavicular line, V6 at the midaxillary line — electrodes are sensors, leads are views.
Lock in the rate math and the emergencies: 300 ÷ large boxes for a regular rhythm, count-in-a-6-second-strip × 10 when it's irregular, and recognize-and-escalate for VF, pulseless VT, asystole, and complete heart block.
Read the sheet the morning of the test, then pair each pass with a short timed practice set (120 questions in ~2 hours ≈ 1 minute each) to keep your pacing sharp.

The cheat sheet is your review layer — your CET practice test drives the exam-readiness ring at the top of this page. Download it, review, then take a full practice exam (or drill with the study guide and flashcards) to see where you stand.

CET cheat sheet FAQ

Yes — the CET (Certified EKG Technician) cheat sheet is 100% free to download as a PDF, with no sign-up required. It sits alongside Career Employer's free CET practice test, study guide, and flashcards, so your whole EKG technician toolkit costs nothing.

References

1.National Healthcareer Association (NHA). “Certified EKG Technician (CET) Certification.” nhanow.com, 2026. ↑
2.National Healthcareer Association (NHA). “Certified EKG Technician (CET) Test Plan — three scored domains.” nhanow.com, 2026. ↑
3.National Healthcareer Association (NHA). “NHA Candidate Handbook.” nhanow.com, 2026. ↑

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Your Free CET Cheat Sheet 2026 — Downloadable PDF