Specimen Collection Procedures & Chain of Custody Flashcards
7 cards from real CPC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Specimen Collection Procedures & Chain of Custody flashcards as text
A donor provides a urine specimen with a temperature of 82°F (27.8°C). What should the collector do?
Answer: Have the donor provide a second specimen under direct observation and document the temperature discrepancy
A temperature outside the 90–100°F range gives reason to believe tampering occurred; the collector must note the discrepancy and may require a second collection under direct observation.
Which specimen container is appropriate for collecting a blood specimen intended for blood alcohol content (BAC) analysis under forensic chain of custody?
Answer: Gray-top tube with sodium fluoride and potassium oxalate
Sodium fluoride inhibits glycolysis to preserve glucose/alcohol levels, and potassium oxalate acts as an anticoagulant, making gray-top tubes standard for BAC testing.
Under DOT regulations, which of the following would constitute a 'refusal to test'?
Answer: Donor fails to provide a sufficient specimen volume after adequate time and fluids
If a donor cannot provide 45 mL within 3 hours despite consuming up to 40 oz of fluid, it is reported as a refusal (shy bladder failure is treated as a refusal under DOT rules).
What is the primary reason specimen collection areas used for forensic/COC testing should have bluing agents added to toilet water?
Answer: To prevent donors from diluting specimens with toilet water
Bluing agents make toilet water an obviously different color so that a donor cannot easily substitute it for urine without detection.
When labeling a blood specimen tube at the point of collection, which information is MOST critical to include for chain-of-custody purposes?
Answer: Patient/donor name, date and time of collection, and collector's initials
Accurate patient identification, collection date/time, and collector initials are the minimum required identifiers on COC specimen labels to maintain specimen integrity.
Which of the following best describes a 'sentinel event' in the context of specimen collection?
Answer: An unexpected occurrence that could seriously affect specimen integrity or patient safety
A sentinel event is an unanticipated event that could compromise specimen integrity or patient safety, triggering immediate investigation and corrective action.
For a urine COC specimen collected at a collection site, the Federal CCF (Custody and Control Form) must be completed in how many copies?
Answer: 5
The Federal CCF is a five-part form; copies are distributed to the laboratory, MRO, employer, collection site, and retained by the donor.