Special Specimen Collections 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 Special Specimen Collections flashcards as text
A sputum specimen for culture and sensitivity should ideally be collected at what time of day?
Answer: First thing in the morning upon waking
Early morning sputum is preferred because secretions accumulate overnight and yields the highest concentration of organisms for accurate culture results.
Which of the following describes the correct handling of a specimen collected for cryoglobulin analysis?
Answer: Keep warm at 37°C from collection through centrifugation
Cryoglobulins precipitate at cold temperatures, so the specimen must be kept at 37°C until centrifugation to prevent false-negative results from protein loss.
When collecting a specimen for erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), which tube is used and what is the maximum time before testing?
Answer: EDTA (lavender-top); must test within 4 hours of collection
ESR is performed on EDTA whole blood and must be tested within 4 hours of collection (or 12 hours if refrigerated at 4°C) to yield valid results.
What is the minimum volume of each blood culture bottle (aerobic and anaerobic) typically required for an adult collection?
Answer: 8–10 mL per bottle
Standard adult blood culture protocols require 8–10 mL per bottle to maximize pathogen detection sensitivity.
A timed specimen for cortisol is ordered at 8 AM and 4 PM. Why is timing critical for this test?
Answer: Cortisol follows a diurnal rhythm with peak levels in the morning and nadir in the evening
Cortisol levels follow a circadian pattern, peaking in the early morning and reaching their lowest point in the evening; timed draws allow evaluation of this normal variation.
Which of the following is correct regarding throat swab collection for strep culture?
Answer: Swab both tonsillar pillars and the posterior pharynx while avoiding the tongue and uvula
For throat cultures, the swab must contact both tonsillar pillars and the posterior pharynx — the primary sites of streptococcal colonization — while avoiding the tongue and uvula.
During an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), which of the following actions by the patient would invalidate the test?
Answer: Smoking a cigarette during the test
Smoking during an OGTT stimulates catecholamine release, which raises blood glucose and can falsely elevate results.