Certified Phlebotomy Technician Exam Basic 5

Question 1

A requisition lists the patient's name as 'John Smith' but the wristband reads 'Jonathan Smith.' What should the phlebotomist do?

Accepted Answer

Stop and clarify the discrepancy with nursing staff before drawing

Answer

Any discrepancy between the requisition and patient identification must be resolved before specimen collection to prevent a patient identification error.

Question 2

What is the purpose of the 'discard tube' sometimes used with a butterfly needle set?

Accepted Answer

To fill the tubing dead space with blood so additive ratios in subsequent tubes are accurate

Answer

A discard tube (or wasting into a plain red tube) fills the butterfly tubing volume so the first additive tube receives the correct blood-to-additive ratio.

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT an acceptable patient identifier before phlebotomy?

Accepted Answer

Room number

Answer

Room number is not an acceptable identifier because patients can be moved; only unique patient-specific identifiers such as name, DOB, and MRN are acceptable.

Question 4

What is hemolysis in a blood specimen and which analyte is most critically affected?

Accepted Answer

Rupture of red blood cells releasing intracellular contents; most critically affects potassium

Answer

Hemolysis releases intracellular potassium from RBCs into the serum, causing falsely elevated potassium results and potentially triggering unnecessary treatment.

Question 5

A physician orders a timed specimen for a 2-hour postprandial glucose. What is the phlebotomist's responsibility regarding timing?

Accepted Answer

Note the collection time on the tube and requisition to reflect exactly 2 hours post-meal

Answer

Timed specimens must be collected at the exact specified interval and the time precisely documented, as glucose levels change rapidly and timing affects result interpretation.

Certified Phlebotomy Technician Exam Practice Test

Certified Phlebotomy Technician Exam Practice Test

Certified Phlebotomy Technician Exam Basic 5