Point of Care Testing Flashcards

Which regulatory category covers most point-of-care testing devices such as glucose meters and urine dipsticks?

Answer: Waived testing

Most POCT devices are classified as waived tests under CLIA because they are simple to perform and pose minimal risk of harm if performed incorrectly.

When performing quality control on a glucose meter, the QC result falls outside the acceptable range. What is the FIRST action the phlebotomist should take?

Answer: Repeat the QC test using fresh control solution

The first step when QC fails is to repeat the test with fresh control solution to rule out an error with the original control sample.

A patient's HbA1c POCT result is 8.2%. What does this value primarily reflect?

Answer: Average blood glucose over the past 2–3 months

HbA1c reflects average blood glucose levels over the preceding 2–3 months, correlating with the lifespan of red blood cells.

Which anticoagulant is used in the collection tube for a POCT INR test performed on a fingerstick sample?

Answer: Sodium citrate

INR (prothrombin time) testing requires sodium citrate as the anticoagulant, which preserves coagulation factors.

A urine dipstick test shows a positive nitrite result. This finding is MOST indicative of:

Answer: Bacterial infection

Nitrites on a urine dipstick indicate the presence of nitrite-producing bacteria, which convert urinary nitrates to nitrites, suggesting a urinary tract infection.

For a rapid strep test performed at the point of care, a negative result in a symptomatic patient should typically be followed by:

Answer: Throat culture to confirm the negative result

Rapid strep tests have lower sensitivity than cultures; a negative result in a symptomatic patient should be confirmed by throat culture.

Which of the following is a pre-analytical error that can affect POCT glucose results?

Answer: All of the above

All of these are pre-analytical or analytical errors that can cause inaccurate glucose meter results, including wrong calibration codes, wrong tubes, and strip degradation.

A phlebotomist is performing a POCT glucose test. The meter displays 'HI'. What does this indicate?

Answer: The blood glucose is above the meter's measurable range

'HI' on a glucose meter indicates the glucose level exceeds the upper limit of the meter's measurement range, typically >600 mg/dL.