Phlebotomy Certification Review 22-23

A patient reports that during a previous blood draw he felt lightheaded and almost passed out. What should the phlebotomy technician do?

• Call the patient’s doctor to verify that the draw should be performed

• Give the patient a cup of juice or light snack before the draw

• Perform the draw according to standard procedures, but make sure a trained first aid provider is nearby

• Perform the draw with the patient reclined or in a supine position

Answer explanation

Perform the draw with the patient reclined or in a supine position just in case the patient become faint and passes out.

When a blood culture is ordered along with other tests, which tube is filled first?

• Yellow ACD

• Yellow SPS

• Lavender EDTA

• Light blue sodium citrate

Answer explanation

This tube is drawn first to prevent contamination of speciment.

A phlebotomy technician is performing a venipuncture collection on a young adult and needs to draw a citrate tube, a serum separator tube, and an EDTA tube. The citrate tube and SST fill quickly. The EDTA tube fills partway and then blood flow stops. What is the most likely explanation?

• The patient’s vein has collapsed.

• A clot has formed in the needle.

• The tube’s vacuum is compromised.

• The patient’s vein is empty.

Answer explanation

Since the blood flow was good with the other tubes, more than likely the tube is damaged and has lost suction so try another tube.

Blood exits the heart through the body’s largest artery, the ________________.

• Atrium

• Aorta

• Vena cava

• Carotid artery

A requisition calls for the following tests: CBC, CMP, and PTT. Which of the following reflects the proper order of draw?

• EDTA, SST, citrate

• Citrate, SST, EDTA

• SST, citrate, EDTA

• EDTA, citrate, SST

When drawing a specimen for an ammonia test, what should a phlebotomy technician have ready for specimen transportation?

• A heating block

• An amber transport tube

• An ice slurry

• Ice cubes

A phlebotomy technician asks a patient to state and spell his name. He says, “Chris Morgan, C-H-R-I-S M-O-R-G-A-N.” The name listed on the requisition is “Criss Morgan.” What should the phlebotomy technician do?

• Assume the requisition has a typographical error and complete the blood draw

• Ask the patient if he minds that his name is misspelled on the requisition, then complete the blood draw if the patient agrees

• Cross out “Criss” on the requisition and write “Chris”

• Call the ordering provider to resolve the issue and get a new requisition with the correct spelling if the spelling was an error

A phlebotomy technician at a primary care clinic is performing venipuncture on a patient with suspected influenza. The patient is wearing a mask. What PPE should the technician wear?

• Gloves and a mask

• Gloves, gown, and a mask

• Gloves only

• Gloves, gown, mask, and goggles

What part of the evacuated tube system allows multiple collection tubes to be filled with one puncture?

• The interior needle/tube holder

• The syringe barrel

• The bevel

• The lumen

Which of these patient reactions should be documented, but is not a cause for discontinuing a draw or likely to affect analytes?

• Syncope in a seated patient

• Petechiae

• Hematoma

• Nerve involvement