Certified Phlebotomy Technician Exam Safety and Compliance 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A phlebotomist recaps a needle using one hand to avoid needlestick injury. This technique is permitted under which circumstances?
- Never; recapping is always prohibited
- Only when a safety device is unavailable and one-hand scoop method is used (Correct answer)
- Anytime, as long as gloves are worn
- Only when the patient's blood is known to be HIV-negative
Correct answer: Only when a safety device is unavailable and one-hand scoop method is used
OSHA prohibits two-handed recapping; the one-hand scoop method is acceptable only as an exception when no safer alternative exists.
Question 2: Which body fluid is NOT covered under OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard for routine precautions?
- Blood
- Cerebrospinal fluid
- Sweat (Correct answer)
- Semen
Correct answer: Sweat
Sweat is not considered a potentially infectious material under OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard unless it is visibly contaminated with blood.
Question 3: Which ergonomic measure best reduces repetitive strain injury risk for phlebotomists?
- Working faster to reduce overall task time
- Rotating tasks and taking micro-breaks to reduce repetitive motion (Correct answer)
- Using a dominant hand for all procedures
- Wearing wrist weights to strengthen muscles
Correct answer: Rotating tasks and taking micro-breaks to reduce repetitive motion
Task rotation and scheduled micro-breaks reduce cumulative repetitive strain by allowing muscle recovery.
Question 4: What does the term 'chain of custody' mean in phlebotomy?
- The process of transporting specimens in a locked cooler
- A documented, unbroken record tracking specimen handling from collection to result reporting (Correct answer)
- The hospital's policy for patient identification
- The order in which tubes are drawn
Correct answer: A documented, unbroken record tracking specimen handling from collection to result reporting
Chain of custody is a documented process ensuring specimen integrity and accountability at every step from collection through analysis.
Question 5: A patient arrives for a draw and appears confused and cannot state their name. What is the BEST patient identification approach?
- Proceed based on the requisition form details
- Ask a family member or nurse to verify identity using the patient's ID band (Correct answer)
- Compare the patient's face to their ID photo
- Skip the draw and reschedule when the patient is alert
Correct answer: Ask a family member or nurse to verify identity using the patient's ID band
For patients unable to self-identify, a family member or nurse should verify identity using at least two identifiers, including the ID band.
Question 6: Which of the following is considered an engineering control under the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard?
- Wearing double gloves
- Using a needle with a retractable safety shield (Correct answer)
- Posting biohazard warning signs
- Following hand hygiene protocols
Correct answer: Using a needle with a retractable safety shield
Engineering controls are physical or mechanical devices — such as safety-engineered needles — that isolate or remove bloodborne pathogen hazards.
Question 7: What is the MINIMUM number of patient identifiers required before performing a blood draw, per The Joint Commission standards?
- One (name only)
- Two (e.g., name and date of birth) (Correct answer)
- Three (name, DOB, and MRN)
- Four (name, DOB, MRN, and address)
Correct answer: Two (e.g., name and date of birth)
The Joint Commission requires at least two patient identifiers (such as name and date of birth) before any specimen collection.
Certified Phlebotomy Technician Exam Safety and Compliance 5
A phlebotomist recaps a needle using one hand to avoid needlestick injury.
This technique is permitted under which circumstances?