Certified Phlebotomy Technician Exam Special Specimen Collections 3

Question 1

Which specimen collection technique is used for a PKU (phenylketonuria) newborn screen?

Accepted Answer

Heel stick spotted onto filter paper cards

Answer

Newborn screening for PKU uses a heel stick with blood drops spotted onto specialized filter paper (Guthrie cards) and allowed to dry.

Question 2

When performing a capillary puncture on an infant, which part of the heel is the correct puncture site?

Accepted Answer

The medial or lateral plantar surface of the heel

Answer

The medial or lateral plantar surface of the heel is the safe zone for infant heel sticks, avoiding the posterior curve where the calcaneus is closest to the skin.

Question 3

A patient requires a fasting lipid panel. Which of the following foods/drinks is acceptable before the draw?

Accepted Answer

Water

Answer

Only plain water is permitted during a fasting period; coffee, juice, and food can alter lipid and glucose values.

Question 4

What additive is found in the gray-top tube used for glucose testing?

Accepted Answer

Sodium fluoride and potassium oxalate

Answer

Gray-top tubes contain sodium fluoride (glycolytic inhibitor) and potassium oxalate (anticoagulant) to preserve glucose levels in the specimen.

Question 5

When is a cold agglutinin specimen collection required?

Accepted Answer

When testing for autoimmune hemolytic anemia caused by cold-reactive antibodies

Answer

Cold agglutinins are antibodies that bind red blood cells at low temperatures; the specimen must be kept warm (37°C) from collection to separation to prevent in vitro agglutination.

Certified Phlebotomy Technician Exam Practice Test

Certified Phlebotomy Technician Exam Practice Test

Certified Phlebotomy Technician Exam Special Specimen Collections 3