Jam with Confidence: Rock Your Certified Rhythm Analysis Technician Exam 2026!

A significant amount of wandering baseline on a newly admitted patient's ECG tracing is typically caused by issues related to electrode placement. This phenomenon occurs when the electrodes are not positioned correctly on the skin, leading to poor electrical contact and interference with the signal being recorded. The wandering baseline reflects fluctuations in the baseline of the ECG, which can obscure the actual heart rhythm and make it difficult to analyze the tracing accurately.

When electrodes are positioned improperly, movement, muscle tension, or poor adhesion can create noise in the tracing, contributing to the wandering baseline. This highlights the importance of proper electrode placement as a critical step in obtaining a reliable and clear ECG reading.

The other options may cause issues but are less likely to be the primary cause of a wandering baseline. For example, while calibration issues can affect the accuracy of the readings, they typically do not lead to a wandering baseline. Similarly, chills due to fever may induce tremors or discomfort, but this is less directly tied to the wandering baseline than improper electrode placement. Lead wire reversal would create significant misrepresentations in waveforms but would not generally lead to a wandering baseline either. Thus, incorrect electrode placement stands out as the most likely cause.