Quality Assurance and Laboratory Operations Flashcards
6 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 6 Quality Assurance and Laboratory Operations flashcards as text
What is the purpose of a delta check in laboratory quality assurance?
Answer: To compare a patient's current result against their previous result to flag critical changes
A delta check compares a patient's current lab value against prior results to detect specimen mix-up, collection errors, or true critical patient changes.
Under HIPAA, a phlebotomist may share a patient's test results with:
Answer: Only individuals authorized by the patient or directly involved in their care
HIPAA restricts disclosure of protected health information (PHI) to only those authorized by the patient or directly involved in their care.
Which term describes a specimen collected at the wrong time relative to medication administration?
Answer: Timing error (trough/peak mislabel)
Collecting a drug-level specimen at the wrong time (e.g., confusing trough and peak draws) is a timing error that renders therapeutic drug monitoring results invalid.
What does 'stat' mean when applied to a laboratory request?
Answer: Immediate/urgent processing required
'Stat' (from Latin 'statim') means immediately, and these specimens receive priority processing with the fastest possible turnaround time.
A patient's fasting blood glucose is ordered. How long must the patient have fasted before collection?
Answer: 8–12 hours
A fasting glucose requires 8–12 hours of no caloric intake to obtain a baseline measurement unaffected by recent food consumption.
What action should a phlebotomist take if a patient refuses to have blood drawn?
Answer: Respect the refusal, document it, and notify the nurse or physician
Patients have the right to refuse procedures; the phlebotomist must respect this, document the refusal, and inform the ordering provider.