Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) MCQ Flashcards
7 cards from real Certified Phlebotomy Technician Exam practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) MCQ flashcards as text
Which specimen is preferred for point-of-care glucose testing using a glucometer?
Answer: Whole capillary blood
Point-of-care glucometers are designed to analyze whole capillary blood obtained from a fingerstick or heelstick.
What does CLSI (Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute) recommend as the correct number of times to invert an EDTA tube after collection?
Answer: 8–10 times
CLSI recommends gently inverting EDTA (lavender-top) tubes 8–10 times to ensure complete mixing of the anticoagulant with the blood.
A phlebotomist accidentally sustains a needlestick injury. What is the FIRST immediate action?
Answer: Squeeze blood from the wound and wash with soap and water
The first step after a needlestick is to immediately wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water; reporting and follow-up testing come after first aid.
Which of the following conditions would cause a specimen to be rejected for hemolysis?
Answer: Vigorously mixing the tube after collection
Vigorous mixing of a blood tube ruptures red blood cells, causing hemolysis, which interferes with potassium, LDH, and numerous other analyte measurements.
What is the primary purpose of performing a two-patient-identifier check before phlebotomy?
Answer: To ensure the specimen is collected from the correct patient
Two-patient-identifier verification (e.g., name and date of birth or ID number) is a critical safety step to prevent specimen mislabeling and wrong-patient errors.
A light-sensitive analyte such as bilirubin requires which special specimen handling?
Answer: Wrap the tube in foil or use an amber tube to protect from light
Bilirubin degrades rapidly when exposed to light, so specimens must be protected by wrapping in foil or using an amber-colored transport tube.
Which of the following sites is CONTRAINDICATED for venipuncture due to risk of infection and inaccurate results?
Answer: Arm on the same side as a mastectomy
Venipuncture should never be performed on the same side as a mastectomy because lymph node removal impairs drainage, increasing infection risk and causing false test results.