ASCP - 1-5

A blood specimen is requested on a patient suffering from tuberculosis. Which of the following items should the phlebotomist remove from the patient's room after completing the venipuncture?

The blood sample and the non-disposable equipment used in the venipuncture

A blood specimen is requested from a patient suspected of having septicemia. Which of the following substances should the phlebotomist use to clean the venipuncture site

Saline and iodine

Cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) is manufactured in the:

Meninges of the brain

To prevent blood from clotting in an indwelling line, which of the following substances may be flushed through the line

Saline or heparin

The surgery unit collects a blood specimen for routine chemistry testing and immediately places the specimen on ice. A phlebotomist who just happens to be in the unit is asked to take the sample to the laboratory. The phlebotomist accepts the sample and t

Request a repeat sample submitted at room temperature

A blood specimen is collected from a patient who is unable to speak. An upset family member is present at the time of the collection and abruptly asks the phlebotomist to explain the reason for the phlebotomy. The phlebotomist should

Answer the question in a diplomatic manner

A fingerstick is performed and blood flow is minimal. To increase the flow of blood from the site the phlebotomist should

Milk the finger

A phlebotomist collected a blood sample in the appropriate tube for an activated coagulation time (ACT) test, but did not mix the tube after collecting the sample. If the sample were used for bedside testing for ACT, the results obtained will likely be

Increased

Which of the following is required to perform quality control procedures on a centrifuge?

A tachometer

The best course of action to assist a patient who becomes nauseated following a venipuncture is to

Apply a cold, wet washcloth to the patient's forehead

Which of the following is the best option to collect a venipuncture sample from the hand of a patient with veins that are difficult to palpate?

Syringe

Capillary blood is acceptable for hemoglobin testing because it contains:

Oxygen-carrying red blood cells

A specimen for a legal blood alcohol was collected. Before delivering the blood to the laboratory for testing, the phlebotomist must complete which of the following forms?

Chain-of-custody requisition

The appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for collecting blood from a patient under droplet precautions is:

Mask and gloves

In the systemic circulatory system, deoxygenated blood leaves the heart and is brought to the lungs by which vessel?

Pulmonary artery

A blood specimen for a complete blood cell count (CBC) is collected in an EDTA tube and is mistakenly left on the accessioning counter overnight. Which of the following parameters, if any, would be affected by the processing delay of the specimen?

White blood cell differential

A 45-year-old, 260-pound truck driver in an outpatient clinic is waiting to have his blood collected while the phlebotomist is assembling the equipment. He states that he is feeling faint. What should be done next?

Have the patient lie down if there is a cot, or on the floor if necessary and have him raise his feet and breathe deeply

What is the function of a "lancet?

It pierces the skin to obtain blood via skin puncture

Which of the following are used for a bleeding time test?

Sphygmomanometer, filter paper, simplate, stopwatch

Which of the following statements is true concerning phlebotomy of newborn infants?

The same safety precautions are used for a skin puncture as for a venipuncture

What is the effect on a blood gas specimen if it is exposed to air?

The blood gas results will be in error

Where are blood gas specimens usually collected from an adult?

Median cubital vein on the arm

A phlebotomist is given the following categories of orders for the patients to be collected: STAT, fasting, routine, timed, pre-op. In what order should the patients be collected?

STAT, timed, fasting, pre-op, routine

What specimen is used to test for the disease "cystic fibrosis" in children?

Sweat

Which of the following should be collected in an anticoagulant tube, placed in ice water, and brought to the laboratory as soon as possible?

Lactate level

Four patients are waiting to have blood collected as follows: Patient #1: Chem 20 screen; Patient #2: CBC count and differential; Patient #3: cryoglobulin level; Patient #4: type and screen. Which patient should be the last one collected before returning

Patient #3

A specimen for a blood ammonia test was collected at 9:30 am, but did not reach the laboratory until 12:30 pm. The ammonia result was 250 g/dL (reference range, 15-50 g/dL). A repeat specimen collected at 1:00 pm and analyzed at 1:15 pm was 25 g/dL. Which

The first result could have been elevated due to processing delay

For which of the following tests must a patient closely follow instructions concerning diet before coming to the laboratory, and a record of the time for each specimen collected is of utmost importance?

Glucose tolerance test (GTT)

What is the recommended minimum time period for allowing blood to clot in a serum separator tube before centrifuging?

30 minutes

A patient is scheduled for peak and trough vancomycin levels. When the phlebotomist arrives to collect the peak level at 10 am, he notices that the vancomycin IV bag still contains fluid and the IV site is swollen. After informing the nurse about the IV s

Reschedule the peak and trough levels with the next dose

AABB Standards state that labels for crossmatch specimens must include patient name, patient identification number, and:

Date of collection

A specimen for urine cytology requires a:

Random urine

Which of the following terms refers to surgical removal of breast tissue?

Mastectomy

Blood Doping" refers to:

Increasing the oxygen carrying capacity of blood through the use of erythropoietin

The preferred specimen in sports drug testing is:

Urine

If a patient had a mastectomy on the right side, which site would be the best choice for collection of a blood specimen?

Left arm

A specimen for blood acetone should be kept tightly sealed during transport and processing to prevent:

Evaporation

Pericardial fluid is collected from the:

Heart cavity

A dark blue topped tube is required for the collection of a specimen to be tested for:

Manganese

What kind of fluid is collected during a lumbar puncture?

Spinal

At what angle should the needle used for venipuncture enter the skin?

15�

Acid washed syringes are used to collect specimens for analysis of:

Trace elements

A child who is crying may have a falsely elevated:

White blood cell count

The primary purpose of Standard Precautions is to:

Prevent disease transmission

After preparing a puncture site with alcohol, it must be allowed to dry completely to prevent:

Specimen hemolysis

Which profile requires a patient to fast?

Lipid

The maximum depth for a heel puncture is:

2.4 mm

The most significant advantage of an automatic lancet device is that the:

Puncture depth is standardized

The gel in a serum separator tube aids in:

Glycolysis prevention

Specimens for capillary blood gases can be stored in an ice slurry for a maximum of:

2 hours

The appropriate anticoagulant used to coat a syringe for collecting an arterial blood gas is:

Heparin

A patient in the intensive care unit had indwelling lines for fluid and medication. A chemistry panel was ordered. The correct procedure for collecting blood from an indwelling line is:

To discard the first 5 mL

A sample was collected 24 hours ago in a red-topped tube and sent to the Chemistry Laboratory for testing. This morning the physician requested that a manganese test be added. This trace metal:

Is stable at room temperature for 7 days

A specimen that was difficult to collect was sent to the laboratory for an activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and the results were prolonged. The patient was not on any medication. A repeat sample was collected and the results were normal. A pos

Under-collected, causing excess anticoagulant

A patient in the intensive care unit (ICU) is infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MSRA). The proper personal protection equipment to be worn when collecting blood from this patient is:

Gown and gloves

A patient scheduled for a 2-hour glucose tolerance test drinks the glucose beverage and complains of feeling nauseated. The patient vomits 75 minutes into the test. The phlebotomist should:

Stop the test, it is complete

A patient is being monitored for diabetes. While hypoglycemia is diagnosed with a fasting blood specimen, diabetes is monitored with a:

2-hour postprandial blood test

A patient needs to submit a urine test for a routine drug screen but is unable to provide a urine sample. The patient is instructed to drink up to 24 fluid ounces of water in 2 hours. Another sample is obtained but it is insufficient in quantity. The labo

Discard the urine sample and cancel the test

To best preserve the urinary sediment in a 24-hour urine specimen, the preservatives of choice are:

Boric acid and Thymol

For a 24-hour urine specimen to be handled appropriately it should include:

The total volume of urine collected

A sample collected by syringe for coagulation testing should not be placed into a vacutainer tube by piercing the cap because of:

Hemolysis of red blood cells

When collecting blood from adolescents the phlebotomist should:

Answer all questions the adolescent might ask

Contaminated sharps must be placed in a puncture resistant container that displays:

A biohazard symbol

A patient comes to the outpatient phlebotomy area to have blood collected. The patient is on AZT, and the test ordered is a CD4. The phlebotomist assumes the patient is HIV infected and should:

Practice standard procedures routinely used for collecting blood

Which of the following could be an application of bar code utilization in the post-analytical phase?

Maintaining frozen specimen storage records

A patient's results were abnormal for the following tests: potassium, calcium, uric acid, and bilirubin. It was noted that the sample was collected by fingerstick. A possible source of error is:

Using Betadine to clean the site

NCCLS recommends when performing a heelstick on a newborn, the site be warmed for:

42�C for 3 minutes

The best vein for venipuncture is the:

Median cubital

The trough value of a drug is collected:

Prior to the patient receiving the drug

A patient sample that was difficult to collect had a complete blood count with abnormally high red blood cell (RBC) and hemoglobin values. Upon recollection the results were normal. This could be a result of:

Prolonged tourniquet application

Failure of a phlebotomist to provide standard of care is:

Malpractice

The loosened skin seen on geriatric patients is due to:

The loss of supportive connective tissue

Post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for exposure to HIV is most effective when started:

1-2 hours after exposure

According to NCCLS, an Ivy bleeding time should be stopped after:

15 minutes

Blood cultures containing ARD/resin would be collected:

On patients receiving antibiotics

If a patient has fragile veins that appear likely to collapse during phlebotomy, the best system to use for blood collection is a:

Syringe

A patient who is recumbent is:

Supine

When performing a venipuncture on a 65-year-old patient with good veins, the phlebotomist should choose which guage needle for the venipuncture?

21

A patient in the emergency department must have a blood alcohol level collected to be used in court in relation to drunk driving charges. The site should be cleansed with

Betadine

If a patient is receiving tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), blood may be collected:

Only with a physician's approval

The inner lining of the heart is known as the:

Endocardium

Which of the following should be collected as a whole blood specimen?

HLA typing

A patient's blood glucose was tested at the point-of-care (POC). The result exceeded the established range for the POCT equipment. The first course of action would be to:

Repeat the sample

If a glucose level is ordered "postprandial," the sample should be collected after:

Eating

The best way for a phlebotomist to verify a patient's name is to:

Check their wristband

The main function of the circulatory system is to provide:

Transportation

Which of the following statements best describes a vein?

It contains structures called valves.

When handling body fluids, universal precautions should be used:

At all times

A blood sample is to be collected from a patient. The patient has an IV in the right arm and full cast on the left arm. In order to collect the sample:

Ask the nurse to shut off the IV and collect the sample from below the IV site

A nurse agrees to collect a blood sample from a patient's indwelling line. The nurse submits the very first syringe of blood collected from the line. The phlebotomist would:

Ask the nurse to collect a second syringe of blood from the patient's line and use this sample to fill your collection tubes

The safe area(s) for a heel puncture on an infant is/are

The most medial or lateral portion of the plantar surface

Which of the following arteries in the leg is recommended for collecting blood for arterial blood gases?

Femoral artery

Which of the following conditions would create an adverse effect on the quality of a fingerstick blood specimen?

Swollen fingers

Which of the following analytes would be affected if the sample were exposed to light?

Bilirubin

A phlebotomist is collecting blood samples from 6 inpatients. The requisition for the first patient requires a sample be collected for a blood gas. While collecting blood from the remainder of the patients, the best way to store/transport this sample is:

In ice water

When collecting a blood sample from an elderly, frail patient sometimes the best method is to collect from the back of the patient's hand. The best collection device to use in this situation is:

A syringe

Upon entering the emergency department, a physician has just completed collecting a blood sample. The physician recaps the needle using the one-handed scoop method and discards the needle into a regular trash container lined with plastic. The physician la

A collection needle should never be disposed of in a regular trash container

A method that is inaccurate but precise would be represented on a bull's-eye target as:

Tight scatter off the bull's eye

A conscious hospital patient is not wearing an identification armband. The name and room number on the door agree with the information on the laboratory requisition. The next step is to:

Not collect the patient's blood until an armband is placed on the patient's arm

Blood is carried away from the heart to the rest of the body via:

Arteries

Which of the following is part of the standard protocol when doing a bleeding time?

A butterfly-type bandage is used

When collecting blood using a syringe, samples should be placed into evacuated tubes in the following order:

Blue, lavender, red

The outer layer of the heart is the:

Epicardium

A platelet count of 650,000 per cubic millimeter is termed:

Thrombocytosis

A phlebotomist with 6 collection orders for patients in the hospital receives a handwritten laboratory order for a STAT glucose after only completing the fourth phlebotomy. The phlebotomist should:

Collect the STAT glucose, deliver it to the laboratory, then return to perform the other 2 collections

Point-of-care testing (POCT) occurs:

At the patient's bedside, In the emergency department, In patients' homes

Quality control for point-of-care testing (POCT) must be performed:

Each day of use

Special considerations for phlebotomy on an elderly person would most likely include:

Decreasing the angle of penetration of the venipuncture needle

A body fluid that should be protected from light before analysis for bilirubin is:

Amniotic fluid

Skin puncture on an infant should be done on the plantar surface of the heel, medial to an imaginary line extending from the middle of the great toe to the heel or lateral to an imaginary line extending from between the fourth and fifth toes to the heel t

Bone

The most important part of the blood collection procedure is:

Skin antisepsis

Veins carry:

Deoxygenated blood to the heart

When collecting blood from an artery for arterial blood gases (ABG), it is not necessary to pull back on the plunger of the syringe because:

Arterial blood is under pressure from the contraction of the ventricles

A plasma protein that is not present in serum is:

Fibrinogen

A specimen for a peak gentamicin level should be collected:

30 to 60 minutes after administration of the drug

If a patient indicates that he/she is not fasting, the phlebotomist should:

Ask the patient's nurse if the sample should be collected at this time

When performing a skin puncture, which specimen should be collected last?

Heparin microcollection tubes

During the venipuncture procedure, place the phlebotomy tray

Within easy reach on a bedside table

Blood samples collected on filter paper for newborn screening tests should not be hung to dry to avoid:

Concentration of the blood toward one end of the filter paper

Chain-of-custody protocol must be followed when collecting a forensic sample to ensure that:

The integrity of the specimen is accounted for

Blood specimens collected for carotene analysis should be:

Protected from light

Blood specimens collected for Prothrombin time testing must be analyzed within:

24 hours of collection

When collecting blood for plasma renin activity testing, the blood must be transported:

In ice water

The right ventricle of the heart pumps blood into the:

Lungs

Leukocytes are responsible for:

Defending the body against bacteria and viruses

The appropriate course of action for a STAT order is:

To send the tubes to the laboratory immediately upon collection

A fingerstick sample for hemoglobin must be collected from a patient whose middle finger is broken and bandaged. The next best choice for the fingerstick is the:

Ring finger

When testing for a Prothrombin time (PT) with a point-of-care (POC) instrument, the on-board controls (OBC) will:

Be accepted by a bar code range

A patient who has had a mastectomy cannot have blood collected from the arm on the same side as the mastectomy due to:

Lymphedoma - swelling of the lymph nodes causing infection

All testing on cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) samples should be performed within 1 hour of collection because cytolysis is dependent on:

Temperature

A phlebotomist used a vacutainer system to collect blood specimens for the following laboratory tests: complete blood count (CBC), Prothrombin time (PT), and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT). The OSHA bloodborne pathogen standard states that:

Both the needle and holder must be discarded together

Collecting blood from a vascular access device can result in:

Colonized bacteria that accumulate around the line can be pulled into the line when used for a blood collection

A patient has an unsuitable antecubital vein. The next best choice to use for phlebotomy would be the:

Dorsal side of the hand

The left ventricle pumps blood into the heart itself and into the circulation via the:

Aortic artery

The principal component of plasma is:

Water

A patient seeks care at the emergency department with a temperature of 101oF. A thorough history and physical exam revealed no cause for the patient's increased temperature. Blood culture specimens should be collected:

2 blood cultures at intervals of 45-60 min, 2 more at 24-48 hours

A fasting urine specimen is:

The second voided urine specimen of the day

An activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and factor VIII assay are requested on a patient with hemophilia. The appropriate course of action is to:

Hold pressure on the collection site for 15-20 minutes

When obtaining a routine blood sample and a vein is not evident, a blood pressure cuff may be used at the following level:

60-80

Removal of more than 10% of an infant's blood volume at one time may cause:

Cardiac arrest

During a trial in which forensic samples were used as evidence, it was noted that method validation for linearity limits were not performed for the drug-based testing. The evidence is:

Unacceptable due to questionable linearity limits

A blood sample for carotene analysis should be labeled and:

Wrapped in aluminum foil

When a patient seeks care at the emergency department because of complaints of chest pain, acute myocardial infarction (AMI) specimens measuring cardiac markers must be collected:

When the patient arrives, as well as 2-4, 6-8, and 12 hours later

A specimen for a cold agglutinin analysis was collected and placed in a 37�C incubator. The specimen is unacceptable because:

The sample should have been prewarmed for 30 minutes

Specimens for daily chemistry testing were placed into the centrifuge. Upon starting to spin, the centrifuge began to shake. This could be due to

An imbalance of tubes

The best way to prevent mislabeling of a tube is to:

Label blood tubes immediately after collecting

Requirements for personal protective equipment (PPE), chemical hazards, reactivity and health hazards are found in:

Material Safety Data Sheets

The phlebotomist must select the appropriate method of obtaining a blood sample after considering the patient's:

Age and sample requirements

When preparing to collect a sample for an arterial stick the radial artery can be recognized by:

Its pulse

If a sample is delayed en route to the chemistry laboratory, the glycolytic action of blood cells will primarily affect tests for:

Glucose, phosphorous, and enzymes

A hematoma may be caused by all the following, except:

Holding pressure on the venipuncture site with the arm straight

The steps to be followed in response to discovering a fire may be remembered by the acronym:

RACE

When blood leaves the right ventricle, it enters the:

Right and left pulmonary arteries

A blood sample collected in a tube without anticoagulant would contain:

Serum

A STAT specimen:

Must be collected and tested immediately

When collecting blood from an infant or neonate, the best site for a skin puncture is:

The medial or lateral section of the foot

What g value and minimum time are used in a centrifuge to effect good separation of clotted blood from serum?

1000 rpm for 10 minutes

Obese patients may be difficult to draw because their veins can be more difficult to palpate. Excessive probing by the phlebotomist may:

Release some tissue clotting factors

What percentage of water in a human body is found within the cells?

60%

What is the guideline for the use of gloves when performing a skin puncture?

Gloves must be changed between patients

When preparing a site for venipuncture, which of the following is not mandated?

Always start with using iodine

Which of the following is true of veins?

All veins contain deoxygenated blood

Which of the following is not true of arteries?

Arteries have a pulse

Which of the following is true of plasma?

Plasma contains fibrinogen

Concerning the collection of a timed specimen, which of the following is true?

If a timed glucose is collected too early; the result could be falsely evaluated

If a phlebotomist notices a patient eating during a glucose tolerance test, the correct procedure would be to:

Contact the physician to determine if the test should be continued

Which of the following is true concerning required neonatal screening for phenylketonuria (PKU)?

Never touch the filter paper directly to the puncture site

When using vacuum tubes, the proper order of the collection tubes is:

Red, light blue, gel separator, green

When performing capillary punctures on neonates, the following order of the collection is mandated:

Hematology, chemistry, blood bank

When dealing with forensic samples, the "Chain-of-Custody" would include:

Documentation of each person who handles the specimen

Specimens for which of the following analytes must be protected from light immediately after collecting?

Bilirubin and carotene

A phlebotomist was scheduled to collect the 2-hour specimen for a glucose tolerance test at exactly 9:00 AM. At 9:15 AM the phlebotomist realizes that the specimen has not yet been collected. What is the appropriate course of action?

Collect the sample as soon as possible and note the collection time on the tube and laboratory slip

Which of the following must be kept at 37�C after collection?

Cold agglutinins and cyrofibrinogen

Centrifuges should be checked on a regular maintenance schedule using a tachometer that registers:

Revolutions per minute (RPM)

Which of the following is not an acceptable form of identification, with the exception of a patient with severe burns or a patient in isolation?

Patient name card on the bed or door

When filling glass capillary tubes, follow the OSHA recommendation:

To use glass capillary tubes wrapped in puncture-resistant film

Which of the following is not true of pediatric heelsticks?

The best way to assure a good blood flow with less injury to the tissue is to perform the heelstick at the same site as a previous heelstick

Which artery should be used when performing an arterial puncture?

Radial

A blood specimen for the following test need not be transported in a mixture of ice and water?

Amylase

Which of the following is not standard equipment when performing an arterial puncture for blood gases?

Tourniquet

If no other site is available it is permissible to collect from an arm with an IV line provided that:

The sample is collected from below the IV line

When collecting blood for trace metal analysis, which of the following must be observed:

Avoid the use of an anticoagulant that binds metal

A hemolyzed blood sample would have the greatest impact and cause elevated levels of the following:

Potassium, iron, magnesium

When collecting blood from a patient in reverse isolation, which of the following is true?

Articles removed from the room need not be double bagged

A patient scheduled for a 3-hour glucose tolerance test wants to know when the final specimen will be collected. The fasting specimen was collected at 7:00 AM, and the patient finished drinking the glucose solution at 7:10 AM. The final specimen will be c

10:10 AM

Which of the following is mandated in preparation of a patient for a glucose tolerance test?

Not fasting for more than 14-hours before the test

When instructing a patient on the proper procedure to use for collection of a mid-stream urine specimen, which of the following is not mandated?

The sample should always be the second voided of the day in order to reduce contamination

Which of the following preservatives used in 24-hour urine collection will interfere least with the dipstick analysis and other urine chemical tests?

Boric acid

Instructions for a 24-hour urine collection would indicate the starting time of collection and ending time. This means that:

The patient voids into the toilet and starts the timing with an empty bladder collecting all subsequent samples

A blood sample tested for liver enzymes showed an elevation of all liver enzymes except lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). This lower result may have been the result of:

Refrigeration of the blood sample

If the phlebotomist were unsuccessful upon a first attempt to collect a blood specimen, the next step would be:

To ask the patient if they are willing to allow the phlebotomist to perform a second attempt

What is the appropriate procedure for tourniquet use?

Tourniquets must be wiped with 70% alcohol between patients

The action of sodium polyanethole sulfate (SPS) as an additive to blood culture containers includes:

Complement inhibition

The best marker to insure the completeness of a 24-hour urine collection, would be:

4-aminobenzoic acid level

Which of the following anticoagulants does not bind calcium?

Heparin

Which of the following antiglycolytic agents is preferred because it does not interfere with urease and allows the same blood sample to be tested for blood urea nitrogen (BUN) as well as glucose?

Sodium iodoacetate

From the standpoint of patient safety, which is the most dangerous practice?

Prelabeling the vacutainer tubes before collection

Which of the following additives is a true anticoagulant?

Sodium citrate

When preparing a patient's arm for a blood culture collection:

Use iodine first only if the patient is not allergic to it

Which of the following is true of capillary punctures done on the fingertips?

Insert the lancet perpendicular to the fingerprint

Arterial blood leaves the heart through the:

Aorta

The liquid portion of the blood within the body is:

Plasma

The laboratory receives a STAT request for a blood glucose level on a patient in the emergency department. It is appropriate to:

Treat the request as a medical emergency: collecting and processing the blood immediately

The best location to perform a dermal puncture for a point-of-care glucose test on an adult is the tip of the palmar surface of the:

Third or fourth finger

Low and high controls are required for a glucose meter. These are run:

Exactly the same as patient samples are run

A patient has recently had a radical mastectomy of the right breast. The best site for venipuncture in this patient is the:

Left arm

Urine begins forming in the __________ where the blood is ____________.

Kidneys; filtered

The length and width of lancet blades are important for assuring an adequate flow of blood and to:

Prevent injury to the bone

Blood culture collection sites are prepared by swabbing the venipuncture site with iodine, which is left on for at least:

20 seconds

A tourniquet is applied to the arm above a venipuncture site to:

Slow the flow of venous blood to the heart

Arterial walls have thick layers of _________________to withstand increased blood pressure during the contraction phase of the heart and to maintain blood flow during its resting phase.

Muscle

Which of the following is a normal finding in a plasma specimen?

Light yellow color

A blood specimen for a 2-hour postprandial glucose test is collected:

After the patient eats a meal

Which of the following describes the appropriate response by the phlebotomist?

A patient on withhold for 8 hours reports drinking water. A blood glucose level was collected, and no report was added to the requisition.

A patient's laboratory requisition requests the specimen by collected by fingerstick. The phlebotomist about to perform the fingerstick notices that the patient's hand feels cold. It is appropriate for the phlebotomist to:

Warm the patient's skin prior to performing the puncture

A patient has a cast on the left arm and an IV in the right forearm. A venipuncture in the patient's right arm must be done:

Below the IV in a different vein

Skin puncture for neonatal screening specifies that:

The first drop of blood is wiped away

To prevent tampering and misidentification of samples for legal purposes, everyone who handles the specimen must provide:

Documentation of their identity and the date and time the sample is handled

A neonatal bilirubin specimen should be collected in a (n):

Amber microcollection tube and protected from light

Peak and trough specimens are collected for therapeutic drug monitoring. The trough specimen is typically collected:

30 minutes before a dose

A specimen for a blood ammonia test is to be preserved from the time of collection until it is tested in the laboratory. The best course of action is to keep the tube:

In a cup of ice water

The performance and speed of centrifuges should be checked:

Every 3 months

Which of the following is the proper greeting to say when first approaching a patient?

Good afternoon. I'm from the laboratory. Can you tell me your name please?

Which of the following best describes the safe operation of a centrifuge?

Tube stoppers are left on, the centrifuge is loaded by balancing similar tubes, and the lid is closed during centrifugation

The preferred depth of incision for a skin puncture of a premature infant is:

0.85 mm

The arteries used for arterial puncture, listed in order of preference, are:

Radial, brachial, femoral

The transportation of blood and body fluid specimens by pneumatic tube system:

Is not recommended

A phlebotomist is asked to assemble the equipment for an arterial puncture. Which of the following would be inappropriate?

Tourniquet

When collecting blood samples from a patient with a venous access device (VAD):

Discard the first 5 mL of blood to flush the VAD

The industry-wide stopper color for tubes chemically clean enough to be used for collecting blood specimens for the determination of trace elements is:

Royal blue

After centrifuging a green-stoppered tube containing blood to be tested for an electrolyte panel, the phlebotomist notes that the serum is pink, indicating:

Hemolysis and an unacceptable specimen

A phlebotomist must collect from a patient in isolation with contact precautions. The appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) is:

Gloves and gown

The procedure for a glucose tolerance test (GTT) calls for blood specimens to be collected at intervals of one-half hour, 1 hour and 2 hours after the glucose dose has been ingested. An outpatient scheduled for a GTT arrives at the clinic at 0715. The pat

0800

When a lipid panel is ordered, the patient should be:

Fasting for at least 12 hours; water is allowed but not caffeine or nicotine

A patient is given urine collection materials and told to collect a urine sample by cleaning the urethral meatus, starting to void without collection, and collecting the remainder of the voided urine in a specimen cup. This urine sample is:

A clean-catch, midstream urine

The container for a 24-hour urine collection should be:

Labeled and stored in a refrigerator

During the collection of a 24-hour urine, it is important to:

Avoid contamination of the urine specimen with feces

Which blood specimen would be rejected as unsatisfactory?

A light blue-stoppered tube that is 1/3 full

A phlebotomist is waiting while an elderly patient slowly gets back into bed. The phlebotomist shows appropriate nonverbal communication skills by:

Being thoughtful, considerate, and offering to assist

After completing venipuncture by evacuated tube, it is appropriate to:

Dispose of the needle in a nearby sharps container

When collecting blood with a syringe, pulling back quickly and hard on the plunger can:

Collapse the vein and hemolyze the blood

A skin puncture for a complete blood cell (CBC) count is ordered on a newborn. The phlebotomist finds the infant is crying violently. The phlebotomist should:

If possible wait until the infant has stopped crying for 1 hour

Proper placement of the needle within a vein is indicated by all the following, except:

Swelling around the venipuncture site

Which of the following represents an inappropriate technique for labeling of blood collection tubes?

The phlebotomist labels the vacutainer tubes before calling an outpatient into the drawing area

All the following terms indicate the patient has had nothing to eat, except:

Postprandial

The term for identifying the means of transmission of a contagious disease from its host is:

Chain of infection

The most effective means of preventing the spread of infectious diseases is:

To observe proper hand-washing techniques

The laboratory receives a request to collect 450 mL of blood from a patient with polycythemia. This blood collection would be called a (n):

Therapeutic phlebotomy

Care in centrifuging, such as eliminating splashing or splattering and not 'popping' off tube stoppers, are designed to prevent the formation of:

Aerosols

A phlebotomist performs a venipuncture without disinfecting the venipuncture site and leaving the tourniquet on longer than indicated. This would be considered:

Negligence