General Practice 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 General Practice flashcards as text
When collecting a blood culture, why must the venipuncture site be cleaned with both chlorhexidine/alcohol and allowed to dry?
Answer: To eliminate skin flora that could contaminate the culture
Proper skin antisepsis is critical because skin contamination is the leading cause of false-positive blood culture results.
What is the purpose of inverting additive tubes gently after collection?
Answer: To mix the blood with the additive evenly
Gentle inversion ensures thorough mixing of blood with the additive while avoiding hemolysis caused by vigorous shaking.
A phlebotomist is asked to collect a specimen marked STAT. What does STAT indicate?
Answer: The specimen requires immediate collection and processing
STAT orders are urgent and must be collected and delivered for processing immediately, typically within minutes.
Which patient condition is a contraindication to using the antecubital area on one arm?
Answer: A fistula or graft is present in that arm
Drawing from an arm with an arteriovenous (AV) fistula or graft can damage it, cause inaccurate results, and create complications for dialysis patients.
What is the recommended minimum volume of hand sanitizer to use for hand hygiene between patients?
Answer: Enough to cover all surfaces of both hands
WHO and CDC guidelines require full coverage of all hand surfaces with alcohol-based sanitizer and rubbing until completely dry.
A light-blue top tube for coagulation is accidentally underfilled. What should the phlebotomist do?
Answer: Discard the tube and collect a new one at the correct fill level
Underfilled sodium citrate tubes have an excess of anticoagulant relative to blood, which falsely prolongs clotting times.
Which of the following is a pre-analytical error that can affect laboratory results?
Answer: Incorrect patient identification before the draw
Pre-analytical errors occur before the specimen reaches the analyzer and include patient ID mistakes, improper collection, and mislabeling.