Certified Phlebotomy Technician Exam Specimen Collection 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which condition is a contraindication for venipuncture from a specific arm?
- Mild dehydration
- Presence of a functioning dialysis fistula (AV fistula) (Correct answer)
- Patient preference for the left arm
- Presence of light body hair
Correct answer: Presence of a functioning dialysis fistula (AV fistula)
A functioning AV fistula for dialysis must never be used for routine venipuncture due to risk of infection, clotting, or damage to the access site.
Question 2: What is the purpose of a clot activator additive (found in SST/red-top tubes)?
- Prevent the blood from clotting
- Speed up the natural clotting process to yield serum faster (Correct answer)
- Preserve RNA for molecular testing
- Prevent glycolysis
Correct answer: Speed up the natural clotting process to yield serum faster
Clot activators (silica particles) accelerate coagulation so serum can be separated from the clot more quickly after centrifugation.
Question 3: A phlebotomist notices a hard, cord-like feel along the vein. What does this suggest?
- A healthy, well-hydrated vein
- Sclerosis or scarring of the vein from repeated venipuncture or IV therapy (Correct answer)
- An ideal site for blood draw
- Superficial phlebitis only in elderly patients
Correct answer: Sclerosis or scarring of the vein from repeated venipuncture or IV therapy
A cord-like, indurated vein indicates sclerosis (scar tissue), making it a poor choice for venipuncture due to difficult access and unreliable flow.
Question 4: Which of the following tests requires a fasting specimen for accurate results?
- CBC
- Fasting lipid panel (Correct answer)
- BUN
- TSH
Correct answer: Fasting lipid panel
A fasting lipid panel (triglycerides, LDL calculated) requires 9–12 hours of fasting because recent food intake significantly elevates triglycerides.
Question 5: What does a 'short draw' in a coagulation tube cause?
- Falsely shortened PT/aPTT
- Falsely prolonged PT/aPTT due to excess anticoagulant relative to blood volume (Correct answer)
- No effect on results
- Hemolysis of the sample
Correct answer: Falsely prolonged PT/aPTT due to excess anticoagulant relative to blood volume
Underfilling a citrate tube leaves excess anticoagulant relative to blood, falsely prolonging clotting times.
Question 6: When labeling a specimen tube, which piece of information is MOST critical to include?
- The phlebotomist's preferred nickname
- Patient full name and date of birth (or unique ID), date and time of collection, and collector's ID (Correct answer)
- Only the test name
- Only the patient's room number
Correct answer: Patient full name and date of birth (or unique ID), date and time of collection, and collector's ID
Proper labeling requires at least two patient identifiers plus collection date/time and collector ID to ensure specimen integrity and patient safety.
Question 7: A phlebotomist accidentally needlesticks themselves after drawing blood from an HCV-positive patient. What is the FIRST action?
- Immediately notify the supervisor and file an incident report
- Wash the wound vigorously with soap and water, then report to employee health immediately (Correct answer)
- Apply a bandage and monitor for symptoms over 6 months
- Request a blood transfusion
Correct answer: Wash the wound vigorously with soap and water, then report to employee health immediately
Immediate thorough washing of the wound with soap and water, followed by prompt reporting to employee health, is the standard first response to a needlestick.
Certified Phlebotomy Technician Exam Specimen Collection 5
Which condition is a contraindication for venipuncture from a specific arm?