NHA Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) practice questions
200 free questions with answers and explanations.
- 1.A phlebotomy technician is preparing to send a specimen for a prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) to an off-site laboratory. Which of the following is the correct transport condition?Specimen Handling
- 2.Before performing venipuncture, a phlebotomy technician should ask the patient about their fasting status, if applicable. Which of the following best explains the importance of this question?Patient Preparation
- 3.A phlebotomy technician is preparing to transport a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimen to the laboratory. Which of the following is the most critical consideration for this specimen type?Specimen Handling
- 4.Before drawing blood from a patient, a phlebotomy technician explains that the tourniquet will be applied to make the veins more prominent. This explanation is an example of which aspect of patient preparation?Patient Preparation
- 5.A phlebotomy technician is preparing to draw blood from a patient's arm. The patient has visible edema in both antecubital fossae. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate action for the technician to take?Patient Preparation
- 6.A phlebotomy technician is preparing to transport a blood specimen that requires protection from light. Which of the following transport methods is most appropriate?Specimen Handling
- 7.A phlebotomy technician is processing a serum specimen that requires centrifugation. Which of the following situations would most likely lead to specimen rejection due to incomplete clotting?Specimen Handling
- 8.A phlebotomy technician approaches a patient to perform a venipuncture. The patient immediately pulls their arm away and states, 'I don't want to do this.' What is the MOST appropriate initial response from the technician?Patient Preparation
- 9.A phlebotomy technician is preparing to draw blood from a patient who reports having had a mastectomy on their left side. Which arm should the technician prioritize for venipuncture?Patient Preparation
- 10.A phlebotomy technician is instructing a patient on collecting a stool specimen for ova and parasites (O&P). Which of the following instructions is most important to ensure a valid specimen?Specimen Handling
- 11.A phlebotomy technician is attempting to aliquot a plasma specimen into several smaller tubes. Which of the following is the most appropriate safety precaution to take?Specimen Handling
- 12.A phlebotomy technician is preparing a specimen for shipment to an off-site laboratory. Which of the following materials is essential to include in the secondary container for safety?Specimen Handling
- 13.A phlebotomy technician observes a patient exhibiting signs of extreme anxiety prior to a blood draw, including rapid breathing and trembling hands. Which of the following communication techniques should the technician use FIRST?Patient Preparation
- 14.A phlebotomy technician is performing a venipuncture on a patient. During the draw, the patient begins to complain of sharp, shooting pain radiating down their arm. What is the MOST appropriate immediate action?Patient Preparation
- 15.A phlebotomy technician is preparing to draw blood from a patient's arm. The patient has a full sleeve tattoo covering both antecubital areas. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate site selection strategy?Patient Preparation
- 16.An adult patient is anxious about their upcoming blood draw. Which of the following communication strategies would be MOST effective in calming the patient?Patient Preparation
- 17.A phlebotomy technician observes that a urine specimen collected for a routine urinalysis (UA) is visibly cloudy and has been sitting at room temperature for 4 hours. Which of the following actions is most appropriate?Specimen Handling
- 18.When performing venipuncture on an infant, which of the following is the MOST crucial consideration for site selection?Patient Preparation
- 19.A phlebotomy technician is preparing to process a potassium specimen collected in a lavender-top (EDTA) tube. Which of the following is crucial to prevent erroneous results?Specimen Handling
- 20.A phlebotomy technician is preparing to draw blood from a patient who is an amputee and has a prosthetic arm on their right side. Their left arm has an active IV infusion. Which of the following sites should the technician consider for venipuncture?Patient Preparation
- 21.A phlebotomy technician is reviewing a requisition for a blood alcohol level (BAL) test. Which of the following antiseptics is contraindicated for skin preparation before this collection?Specimen Handling
- 22.A phlebotomy technician is preparing to centrifuge a blood specimen. Which of the following describes the most crucial aspect of centrifuge operation to ensure safety and proper separation?Specimen Handling
- 23.A phlebotomy technician is preparing to centrifuge a blood specimen. Which of the following actions should the technician take to prevent hemolysis?Specimen Handling
- 24.A phlebotomy technician is processing a serum specimen that requires centrifugation. Which of the following indicates that the specimen is NOT ready for centrifugation?Specimen Handling
- 25.A phlebotomy technician is preparing to process a blood specimen collected in a light blue top tube for a Prothrombin Time (PT) test. What is the maximum time allowed for this specimen to be centrifuged after collection if it is to be tested for routine coagulation studies?Specimen Handling
- 26.A phlebotomy technician observes that a serum specimen, which was collected an hour ago and has been sitting upright, now shows a visible layer of fibrin strands after centrifugation. Which of the following is the most likely cause of this issue?Specimen Handling
- 27.A phlebotomy technician is preparing to draw blood from a patient who has a history of fainting during blood draws. Which of the following positions is MOST appropriate for this patient?Patient Preparation
- 28.A phlebotomy technician is documenting a specimen rejection due to hemolysis. Which of the following is the most important information to include in the documentation?Specimen Handling
- 29.Before performing venipuncture, a phlebotomy technician should ask the patient about allergies to which of the following substances?Patient Preparation
- 30.A phlebotomy technician is preparing to draw blood from a patient's arm. The patient expresses concern about the pain and asks if there's anything to make it hurt less. What is the BEST response?Patient Preparation
- 31.A phlebotomy technician is preparing to send several specimens to an off-site reference laboratory. According to IATA and DOT regulations, which of the following is an essential component of proper packaging for biological substances, Category B?Specimen Handling
- 32.A phlebotomy technician is preparing to draw blood from a patient's arm. Upon palpation, the technician identifies a vein that feels hard, cord-like, and lacks resilience. What is the MOST appropriate action?Patient Preparation
- 33.A phlebotomy technician is processing a specimen for a glucose tolerance test (GTT). Which of the following is the most appropriate action for the collected blood samples?Specimen Handling
- 34.A phlebotomy technician is preparing to draw blood from a patient's hand. Which of the following actions is MOST important to ensure proper site selection and patient comfort?Patient Preparation
- 35.A phlebotomy technician is preparing to transport a blood specimen that requires protection from light. Which of the following methods should the technician use?Specimen Handling
- 36.A phlebotomy technician is preparing to perform venipuncture on an outpatient. After checking the requisition, the technician asks the patient to state their full name and date of birth. The patient provides the correct information. What is the NEXT step the technician should take for proper patient identification?Patient Preparation
- 37.A phlebotomy technician is preparing to draw blood from an elderly patient with visible petechiae on both arms. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate action?Patient Preparation
- 38.A phlebotomy technician needs to separate plasma from cells for a routine coagulation test (e.g., PT/INR). After collection, how soon should the specimen be centrifuged?Specimen Handling
- 39.A phlebotomy technician needs to draw blood from a patient with a history of seizures. The patient is currently alert and oriented. Which of the following precautions is MOST important for the technician to take?Patient Preparation
- 40.A phlebotomy technician has just collected a blood specimen for a STAT chemistry panel. Which of the following is the most appropriate action for specimen transport?Specimen Handling
- 41.A phlebotomy technician receives an order for a lactic acid level. Which of the following steps is critical for proper specimen handling and transport?Specimen Handling
- 42.A phlebotomy technician is training a new colleague on proper specimen labeling. Which of the following pieces of information is considered critical for identifying a specimen and preventing errors?Specimen Handling
- 43.A phlebotomy technician is asked to retrieve a stored plasma specimen for a specialized hormone assay. The specimen was collected 3 months ago. Which of the following storage conditions is most likely to have preserved the specimen's integrity for this duration?Specimen Handling
- 44.A phlebotomy technician is storing several collected specimens overnight before they can be transported to a reference lab. Which of the following conditions is generally appropriate for storing most routine chemistry and immunology specimens if immediate testing is not possible?Specimen Handling
- 45.A phlebotomy technician is preparing to transport a 24-hour urine specimen for creatinine clearance. Which of the following instructions should be reinforced to the patient regarding its storage during collection?Specimen Handling
- 46.A phlebotomy technician is preparing a specimen for shipment to an off-site laboratory. Which of the following is the primary purpose of the absorbent material placed inside the primary container?Specimen Handling
- 47.A phlebotomy technician is preparing to process a serum tube for a chemistry test. After collection, how long should the tube typically be allowed to clot at room temperature before centrifugation?Specimen Handling
- 48.A phlebotomy technician needs to prepare a complete blood count (CBC) specimen for transport to an off-site lab. Which of the following is the most appropriate storage condition for this specimen?Specimen Handling
- 49.A phlebotomy technician observes that a urine specimen collected for a routine urinalysis has been sitting at room temperature for over 3 hours. Which of the following actions should the technician take?Specimen Handling
- 50.A phlebotomy technician is preparing to process a blood culture specimen. Which of the following describes the appropriate handling for this specimen type?Specimen Handling