PCT CERTIFICATION ACTUAL EXAM QUESTIONS
WITH CORRECT ANSWERS 2026
A patient care technician is taking a patient's pulse oximetry reading. The technician cannot get
the reading to appear on the monitor. Which of the following could be the cause?
A. the patient is running a fever
B. the patient has a blood pressure of 84/62 mm Hg with cold hands and fingers
C. the patient was elevated in semi-fowlers
D. the patient's skin was flushed - CORRECT ANSWER -B. the patient has a blood pressure of
84/62 mm Hg with cold hands and fingers
A PCT is caring for a patient whose daughter is visiting. The daughter asks about the health of
the patient's roommate. Which of the following statements by the PCT is an appropriate
response?
A. I'll get the nurse
B. You can ask the patient about his condition
C. I'll send a request to the medical records department
D. I need you to fax over a written request - CORRECT ANSWER -B. You can ask the patient about
his condition
A PCT is providing instructions to a newly hired technician about transporting and handling
blood specimens. Which of the following instructions should the technician include?
A. avoid inverting a specimen tube if it includes an additive
B. ensure the blood in the specimen tub maintains contact with a tube stopper
C. ensure the blood specimen transport bag has a liquid-tight closure
D. avoid wearing gloves when carrying the specimens transport bag - CORRECT ANSWER -C.
ensure the blood specimen transport bag has a liquid-tight closure
,A PCT is monitoring a patient who has severe hypertension. Which of the following findings is
related to the patients condition should the PCT report to the nurse immediately?
A. the patient reports stiffness in his hands and feet
B. the patient needs help lifting his legs onto his bed
C. the patient's lower limbs show pitting edema
D. the patient's fingers are thick and fat - CORRECT ANSWER -C. the patient's lower limbs show
pitting edema
A PCT is caring for a patient who suddenly becomes unresponsive. Which of the following
actions should the technician take first?
A. check the movement of the patient's chest for 10 seconds
B. tap the patient's shoulders and ask if they're okay
C. start chest compressions after placing the patient flat
D. notify the emergency response team - CORRECT ANSWER -B. tap the patient's shoulders and
ask if they're okay
Which of the following structures of the heart is immediately affected if the SA node fails?
A. bundle of HIS
B. purkinje fibers
C. AV node
D. interventricular septum - CORRECT ANSWER -C. AV node
A PCT is caring for a patient who has a stage 2 pressure ulcer. Which of the following findings
should the PCT expect?
A. skin that is intact and nonblanchable
B. tissue loss with exposed bone
C. visible subcutaneous fat
,D. blister-like appearance - CORRECT ANSWER -D. blister-like appearance
A PCT is assisting with the physical examination of an older patient. Which of the following
statements by the patient indicates a risk factor for elder abuse?
A. i sometimes forget where i put my cell phone
B. i am not able to see quite as well as i used to
C. i am able to walk well using a cane
D. i live alone and i don't get many visitors - CORRECT ANSWER -D. i live alone and i don't get
many visitors
A PCT is preparing to transport a patient via a stretcher. Which of the following actions should
the technician take when transferring the patient from a bed to the stretcher?
A. roll the sheets away from the patient
B. remove the patient's IV and indwelling catheter
C. instruct the patient to put their hands by their side
D. raise the patient's bed to the same level as the stretcher - CORRECT ANSWER -D. raise the
patient's bed to the same level as the stretcher
A PCT should identify that which of the following is the most commonly used paper speed for an
EKG monitor?
A. 10 mm/sec
B. 50 mm/sec
C. 25 mm/sec
D. 5 mm/sec - CORRECT ANSWER -C. 25 mm/sec
A PCT has just collected a blood specimen from a patient. For which of the following reasons
should the technician invert the collection tubes that contain anticoagulant immediately
following a blood collection?
, A. to encourage the mixing of hemoglobin and plasma
B. to prevent clotting of the blood
C. to prevent blood from mixing with the additives
D. to encourage sedimentation within the collection tubes - CORRECT ANSWER -B. to prevent
clotting of the blood
A PCT should recognize that chain of custody is used for which of the following reasons?
A. to follow methods of collection with samples and data
B. to guarantee the identification and integrity of samples
C. to ensure that samples are being disposed of using correct operating procedures
D. to track the location of samples and date - CORRECT ANSWER -B. to guarantee the
identification and integrity of samples
A PCT is caring for a patient who has a new diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. The patient asks the
technician to demonstrate how to give an insulin injection. Which of the following statements
should the technician make?
A. I will inform the nurse about your request regarding the injection
B. we should wait for your family because they should also learn about how to give the injection
C. the best time to get the injection is before breakfast, so we can do it at that time
D. i think you should look for information online about how to administer the injection -
CORRECT ANSWER -A. I will inform the nurse about your request regarding the injection
A patient presents alert and oriented, but a PCT finds that all the waveforms are negative in lead
1. The PCT should check the cable connections for which of the following limb electrodes?
A. left leg and right leg
B. left arm and leg
C. right arm and left leg
D. right arm and left arm - CORRECT ANSWER -D. right arm and left arm
WITH CORRECT ANSWERS 2026
A patient care technician is taking a patient's pulse oximetry reading. The technician cannot get
the reading to appear on the monitor. Which of the following could be the cause?
A. the patient is running a fever
B. the patient has a blood pressure of 84/62 mm Hg with cold hands and fingers
C. the patient was elevated in semi-fowlers
D. the patient's skin was flushed - CORRECT ANSWER -B. the patient has a blood pressure of
84/62 mm Hg with cold hands and fingers
A PCT is caring for a patient whose daughter is visiting. The daughter asks about the health of
the patient's roommate. Which of the following statements by the PCT is an appropriate
response?
A. I'll get the nurse
B. You can ask the patient about his condition
C. I'll send a request to the medical records department
D. I need you to fax over a written request - CORRECT ANSWER -B. You can ask the patient about
his condition
A PCT is providing instructions to a newly hired technician about transporting and handling
blood specimens. Which of the following instructions should the technician include?
A. avoid inverting a specimen tube if it includes an additive
B. ensure the blood in the specimen tub maintains contact with a tube stopper
C. ensure the blood specimen transport bag has a liquid-tight closure
D. avoid wearing gloves when carrying the specimens transport bag - CORRECT ANSWER -C.
ensure the blood specimen transport bag has a liquid-tight closure
,A PCT is monitoring a patient who has severe hypertension. Which of the following findings is
related to the patients condition should the PCT report to the nurse immediately?
A. the patient reports stiffness in his hands and feet
B. the patient needs help lifting his legs onto his bed
C. the patient's lower limbs show pitting edema
D. the patient's fingers are thick and fat - CORRECT ANSWER -C. the patient's lower limbs show
pitting edema
A PCT is caring for a patient who suddenly becomes unresponsive. Which of the following
actions should the technician take first?
A. check the movement of the patient's chest for 10 seconds
B. tap the patient's shoulders and ask if they're okay
C. start chest compressions after placing the patient flat
D. notify the emergency response team - CORRECT ANSWER -B. tap the patient's shoulders and
ask if they're okay
Which of the following structures of the heart is immediately affected if the SA node fails?
A. bundle of HIS
B. purkinje fibers
C. AV node
D. interventricular septum - CORRECT ANSWER -C. AV node
A PCT is caring for a patient who has a stage 2 pressure ulcer. Which of the following findings
should the PCT expect?
A. skin that is intact and nonblanchable
B. tissue loss with exposed bone
C. visible subcutaneous fat
,D. blister-like appearance - CORRECT ANSWER -D. blister-like appearance
A PCT is assisting with the physical examination of an older patient. Which of the following
statements by the patient indicates a risk factor for elder abuse?
A. i sometimes forget where i put my cell phone
B. i am not able to see quite as well as i used to
C. i am able to walk well using a cane
D. i live alone and i don't get many visitors - CORRECT ANSWER -D. i live alone and i don't get
many visitors
A PCT is preparing to transport a patient via a stretcher. Which of the following actions should
the technician take when transferring the patient from a bed to the stretcher?
A. roll the sheets away from the patient
B. remove the patient's IV and indwelling catheter
C. instruct the patient to put their hands by their side
D. raise the patient's bed to the same level as the stretcher - CORRECT ANSWER -D. raise the
patient's bed to the same level as the stretcher
A PCT should identify that which of the following is the most commonly used paper speed for an
EKG monitor?
A. 10 mm/sec
B. 50 mm/sec
C. 25 mm/sec
D. 5 mm/sec - CORRECT ANSWER -C. 25 mm/sec
A PCT has just collected a blood specimen from a patient. For which of the following reasons
should the technician invert the collection tubes that contain anticoagulant immediately
following a blood collection?
, A. to encourage the mixing of hemoglobin and plasma
B. to prevent clotting of the blood
C. to prevent blood from mixing with the additives
D. to encourage sedimentation within the collection tubes - CORRECT ANSWER -B. to prevent
clotting of the blood
A PCT should recognize that chain of custody is used for which of the following reasons?
A. to follow methods of collection with samples and data
B. to guarantee the identification and integrity of samples
C. to ensure that samples are being disposed of using correct operating procedures
D. to track the location of samples and date - CORRECT ANSWER -B. to guarantee the
identification and integrity of samples
A PCT is caring for a patient who has a new diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. The patient asks the
technician to demonstrate how to give an insulin injection. Which of the following statements
should the technician make?
A. I will inform the nurse about your request regarding the injection
B. we should wait for your family because they should also learn about how to give the injection
C. the best time to get the injection is before breakfast, so we can do it at that time
D. i think you should look for information online about how to administer the injection -
CORRECT ANSWER -A. I will inform the nurse about your request regarding the injection
A patient presents alert and oriented, but a PCT finds that all the waveforms are negative in lead
1. The PCT should check the cable connections for which of the following limb electrodes?
A. left leg and right leg
B. left arm and leg
C. right arm and left leg
D. right arm and left arm - CORRECT ANSWER -D. right arm and left arm
