NHA Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT)Collection RoutineHard
A phlebotomy technician is collecting a blood specimen for a fasting glucose test. The patient states they had a small cup of coffee with sugar 30 minutes ago. Which of the following actions should the technician take?
- ACollect the specimen and note the patient's statement on the requisition.
- BProceed with the collection as planned.
- CReschedule the test for another day.
- DAsk the patient if they can wait another hour before collection.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Reschedule the test for another day.
A fasting glucose test requires the patient to be fasting for 8-12 hours. Ingesting sugar or coffee (which can stimulate hormones that raise glucose) within this window invalidates the fasting state. The test must be rescheduled.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. While noting the information is good practice, the specimen itself would be compromised for a fasting glucose, necessitating a redraw.
- B. Proceeding would yield inaccurate results, making the test useless for diagnosis.
- D. Waiting another hour is insufficient as the effects of the sugar and coffee would still be present and the fasting period requirement would not be met.
Fasting Specimen Integrity
For fasting tests (e.g., glucose, cholesterol), patients must abstain from food and drink (except water) for a specified period (typically 8-12 hours). Any deviation requires rescheduling the test.
- Crucial for accurate baseline measurements
- Food/drink (except water) invalidates the fast
- Coffee can also affect glucose levels
- Technician must verify fasting status before collection
Memory trick: No 'Food or Drink' for 'Fasting' tests, or it's a 'Fail' and a 'Redraw'.