CMLA Specimen Collection & Handling 4

Question 1

A 24-hour urine collection is started at 7:00 AM. The patient's first morning void should be:

Accepted Answer

Discarded, and collection begins with the next void

Answer

The first morning void is discarded to establish a clean starting point; all subsequent voids for exactly 24 hours are collected.

Question 2

Which of the following conditions makes a specimen unsuitable for most laboratory tests?

Accepted Answer

Gross hemolysis of a specimen

Answer

Gross hemolysis releases intracellular contents into the serum/plasma, interfering with many analytes and rendering most results unreliable.

Question 3

What does 'chain of custody' refer to in specimen collection?

Accepted Answer

Documented, unbroken record of specimen handling for legal or forensic specimens

Answer

Chain of custody is a formal, documented process ensuring specimen integrity from collection to reporting for legal, workplace drug testing, or forensic purposes.

Question 4

A blood smear prepared from an EDTA tube should ideally be made within how many hours of collection to preserve accurate WBC morphology?

Accepted Answer

Within 2–4 hours

Answer

Blood smears should be prepared within 2–4 hours of EDTA collection to prevent EDTA-induced morphological changes such as lymphocyte vacuolation.

Question 5

During a capillary puncture, why should the first drop of blood be wiped away?

Accepted Answer

It may be contaminated with tissue fluid that can alter results

Answer

The first drop may contain tissue fluid from the puncture, which dilutes the blood and can interfere with test accuracy.

(CMLA) Certified Medical Laboratory Assistant Practice Test

(CMLA) Certified Medical Laboratory Assistant Practice Test

CMLA Specimen Collection & Handling 4