Lab Procedures Flashcards
7 cards from real PCT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Lab Procedures flashcards as text
What is the primary purpose of inverting blood collection tubes after drawing?
Answer: To mix the blood with the tube additive
Gentle inversion mixes the blood with anticoagulants or other additives to prevent clotting or ensure proper preservation.
A urinalysis report shows 3+ protein. Which condition should the PCT alert the nurse about?
Answer: Possible kidney disease or nephrotic syndrome
Significant proteinuria (3+) is a hallmark of nephrotic syndrome and other serious kidney disorders requiring medical evaluation.
Which of the following is the correct order of draw when using a multi-tube system?
Answer: Blood culture, light blue, red/gold, green, lavender, gray
The standard order of draw minimizes cross-contamination of additives between tubes and ensures accurate results.
A 24-hour urine collection is ordered. What instruction should the PCT give the patient?
Answer: Discard the first void, then collect all urine for 24 hours
The first void is discarded to establish a clean start time, then all subsequent urine is collected for exactly 24 hours.
When performing a blood glucose test using a glucometer, the PCT should calibrate the device using:
Answer: A control solution provided by the manufacturer
Manufacturer-provided control solutions verify that the glucometer is reading accurately within acceptable ranges.
What does a specific gravity of 1.030 in a urinalysis indicate?
Answer: Concentrated urine, possible dehydration
A specific gravity of 1.030 is at the high end of normal, indicating highly concentrated urine often caused by dehydration.
Which laboratory value is MOST directly used to monitor warfarin (Coumadin) therapy?
Answer: Prothrombin time/INR (PT/INR)
PT/INR measures the extrinsic coagulation pathway, which warfarin directly affects, making it the standard monitoring tool.