NHA Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT)Collection RoutineHard
A phlebotomy technician is collecting blood for a fasting glucose test. The patient states they had a small snack about 2 hours ago. Which of the following actions should the technician take?
- ADraw a non-fasting glucose level instead of a fasting one.
- BInform the patient that the test cannot be performed and reschedule.
- CProceed with the draw and note the snack on the requisition.
- DCollect the specimen and instruct the patient to fast for 8 hours for a retest.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Inform the patient that the test cannot be performed and reschedule.
A fasting glucose test requires the patient to be fasting for 8-12 hours. A snack 2 hours prior invalidates the fasting requirement. The technician must reschedule the test to ensure accurate results, as proceeding would yield misleading data.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Drawing a non-fasting glucose might be an option if the order was for a random glucose, but if the order specifically states 'fasting glucose', the fasting requirement must be met.
- C. Noting the snack is insufficient; the test requires a strict fasting state, and the results would be inaccurate for a 'fasting' value.
- D. Collecting the specimen now and retesting later is inefficient and wastes resources, as the current specimen is compromised for a fasting glucose.
Fasting Specimen Integrity
Ensuring a patient adheres to fasting requirements for specific blood tests to guarantee accurate and clinically meaningful results.
- Fasting typically means no food or drink (except water) for 8-12 hours.
- Common tests requiring fasting: Glucose, Cholesterol, Triglycerides.
- Patient non-compliance invalidates the test for its intended purpose.
- Technician's role is to verify fasting and reschedule if non-compliant.
Memory trick: Fasting means empty belly, or the test is folly.