NCCT Point-of-Care Testing 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the normal fasting blood glucose reference range for an adult according to standard POCT guidelines?
- 50–80 mg/dL
- 70–99 mg/dL (Correct answer)
- 100–125 mg/dL
- 126–180 mg/dL
Correct answer: 70–99 mg/dL
The normal fasting blood glucose range for adults is 70–99 mg/dL; values of 100–125 mg/dL indicate prediabetes and ≥126 mg/dL suggests diabetes.
Question 2: Which POCT analyzer is used to measure hemoglobin levels at the bedside?
- i-STAT analyzer
- HemoCue analyzer (Correct answer)
- Accu-Chek glucometer
- CoaguChek device
Correct answer: HemoCue analyzer
The HemoCue analyzer is a widely used POCT device specifically designed to measure hemoglobin concentration from a small capillary or venous blood sample.
Question 3: What information must be documented each time a POCT test is performed?
- Patient name only
- Patient ID, date, time, test result, and operator ID (Correct answer)
- Device serial number and reagent lot number only
- Insurance information and attending physician name
Correct answer: Patient ID, date, time, test result, and operator ID
Complete documentation including patient identification, date and time, test result, and operator ID is required for quality assurance and regulatory compliance.
Question 4: Which of the following POCT tests is used to monitor anticoagulant therapy with warfarin?
- D-dimer testing
- Prothrombin time/INR (PT/INR) (Correct answer)
- Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT)
- Fibrinogen level
Correct answer: Prothrombin time/INR (PT/INR)
PT/INR is the standard POCT test used to monitor warfarin therapy and assess the extrinsic coagulation pathway.
Question 5: What is the purpose of running liquid quality control (QC) checks on POCT analyzers?
- To clean the analyzer between patient samples
- To verify that the device produces accurate and reproducible results (Correct answer)
- To calibrate the device to a new reagent lot
- To extend the shelf life of the reagent strips
Correct answer: To verify that the device produces accurate and reproducible results
QC checks confirm that the POCT analyzer is functioning correctly and producing results within established acceptable ranges before patient testing.
Question 6: When is it most appropriate to repeat a POCT glucose test result?
- After every positive result to confirm accuracy
- When the result is inconsistent with the patient's clinical presentation (Correct answer)
- Only when the patient requests a retest
- Every 15 minutes during continuous monitoring
Correct answer: When the result is inconsistent with the patient's clinical presentation
A POCT result should be repeated when it does not correlate with the patient's signs, symptoms, or clinical history, as discrepancies may indicate an error.
Question 7: Which factor can most significantly interfere with capillary blood glucose POCT results?
- Patient's blood type
- Excessive squeezing of the puncture site (milking) (Correct answer)
- Time of day the test is performed
- The gauge of the lancet used
Correct answer: Excessive squeezing of the puncture site (milking)
Excessive milking of the puncture site dilutes the blood sample with interstitial fluid, leading to falsely low glucose readings.
NCCT Point-of-Care Testing 2
What is the normal fasting blood glucose reference range for an adult according to standard POCT guidelines?