NCCT - National Certified Phlebotomy Technician Quality, Law, and Ethics Questions and Answers

Question 1

A phlebotomist has just finished drawing blood from a patient.
In the hallway, a person who identifies themself as the patient's spouse asks for the names of the tests being run.
According to HIPAA, what is the phlebotomist's most appropriate response?

Accepted Answer

State that you cannot release any information and direct them to the patient's physician or nurse for details.

Answer

Provide the spouse with the test names as a professional courtesy.

Answer

Check the patient's chart to see if the spouse is listed as an emergency contact before sharing information.

Answer

Tell the spouse to wait while you ask the patient for permission to share the information.

Question 2

After a successful blood draw, a patient asks the phlebotomist, "What do my cholesterol levels look like? Are they high?" What is the most ethical and professional response?

Accepted Answer

"I am not qualified to interpret test results, but you can discuss them with your doctor once they are available."

Answer

"Let me look at the color of the serum; that can sometimes give a clue about high lipids."

Answer

"The normal range is under 200, but I can't see your specific result right now."

Answer

"I can't tell you the exact number, but everything looks normal from my end."

Question 3

A phlebotomist attempts to draw blood from a patient's basilic vein. The patient complains of severe, shooting pain down their arm, but the phlebotomist continues the draw. The patient later suffers permanent nerve damage. This action could be legally defined as which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Malpractice

Answer

Assault

Answer

Libel

Answer

Invasion of Privacy

Question 4

Leaving a tourniquet on a patient's arm for longer than one minute can lead to a condition called hemoconcentration. Which of the following analytes is most likely to be falsely elevated as a result?

Accepted Answer

Potassium

Answer

Glucose

Answer

Sodium

Answer

Bicarbonate

Question 5

An unconscious patient is brought to the emergency department requiring an immediate blood draw for diagnostic purposes. In this situation, the phlebotomist can proceed with the draw based on which legal principle?

Accepted Answer

Implied consent

Answer

Informed consent

Answer

Expressed consent

Answer

Consent of minors

Question 6

Before performing a point-of-care glucose test, the phlebotomist runs a liquid quality control (QC) check. The high control value is outside the acceptable range indicated by the manufacturer. What is the immediate next step?

Accepted Answer

Rerun the high control; if it fails again, take the meter out of service and report the issue.

Answer

Proceed with the patient test but make a note of the QC failure.

Answer

Adjust the meter's calibration settings manually until the control is in range.

Answer

Use the low control value instead and assume the high control vial is faulty.