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CPT — CERTIFIED PHLEBOTOMY TECHNICIAN
EXAM LATEST VERSION QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS 2026 EDITION
CPT — CERTIFIED PHLEBOTOMY TECHNICIAN EXAM — 250 Practice Questions
SECTION 1: SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE (Questions 1-65)
1. Which federal regulation requires healthcare employers to implement an
exposure control plan to protect workers from bloodborne pathogens?
A. HIPAA
B. OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard
C. CLIA
D. FDA regulations
Answer: B. Rationale: The OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030)
requires employers to implement an exposure control plan, provide personal protective
equipment, and offer hepatitis B vaccination to employees with occupational exposure
risk.
2. When a phlebotomy technician sustains a needlestick injury, what is the FIRST
action that should be taken?
A. Report the incident to the supervisor.
B. Complete an incident report.
C. Wash the site with soap and water.
D. Have the source patient tested.
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Answer: C. Rationale: The immediate first action following a needlestick injury is to
wash the exposed area with soap and water. Prompt washing reduces the risk of
pathogen transmission. The incident should then be reported immediately.
3. What is the purpose of Standard Precautions in phlebotomy?
A. To protect only the patient from infection.
B. To protect only the healthcare worker from infection.
C. To treat all blood and body fluids as potentially infectious.
D. To eliminate the need for hand hygiene.
Answer: C. Rationale: Standard Precautions assume that all blood and certain body
fluids are potentially infectious. This approach protects both the healthcare worker and
the patient by consistently using appropriate barriers and infection control practices.
4. Which of the following is an example of a engineering control designed to
prevent needlestick injuries?
A. Hand hygiene.
B. Gloves.
C. Self-sheathing needles.
D. Proper disposal of sharps.
Answer: C. Rationale: Engineering controls are devices that isolate or remove the
hazard. Self-sheathing or retracting needles are engineering controls. Gloves are
personal protective equipment, and proper disposal and hand hygiene are work
practice controls.
5. What is the maximum time a tourniquet should remain on a patient's arm during
venipuncture?
A. 30 seconds.
B. 1 minute.
C. 2 minutes.
D. 5 minutes.
Answer: B. Rationale: A tourniquet should not remain on the arm for more than 1
minute (60 seconds). Prolonged tourniquet application can cause hemoconcentration,
altered test results, and patient discomfort.
6. Which type of fire extinguisher is appropriate for use on a fire involving electrical
equipment?
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A. Class A.
B. Class B.
C. Class C.
D. Class D.
Answer: C. Rationale: Class C fire extinguishers are designed for electrical fires. Class
A is for ordinary combustibles, Class B is for flammable liquids, and Class D is for
combustible metals.
7. According to the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act, which of the following is
a requirement for healthcare employers?
A. Maintain a log of sharps injuries.
B. Provide hepatitis B vaccination to all employees.
C. Use safer medical devices.
D. All of the above.
Answer: D. Rationale: The Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act requires employers to
maintain a sharps injury log, provide hepatitis B vaccination, and use safer medical
devices with engineering controls.
8. A phlebotomy technician accidentally punctures their finger while disposing of a
used needle. What is the most important documentation to complete?
A. Patient's medical record.
B. Employee's personnel file.
C. Sharps injury log.
D. Supply order form.
Answer: C. Rationale: The sharps injury log must document the incident, including the
device involved, the location, and the circumstances. This documentation is required by
the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act.
9. What is the correct order for donning personal protective equipment (PPE)?
A. Gloves, gown, mask, eye protection.
B. Gown, mask, eye protection, gloves.
C. Mask, gloves, gown, eye protection.
D. Eye protection, gown, mask, gloves.
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Answer: B. Rationale: The correct order for donning PPE is: gown first, then mask or
respirator, then eye protection, and gloves last. This order prevents contamination of
the gown and ensures proper sequence.
10. What is the proper procedure for disposing of a contaminated needle?
A. Recap the needle and place in the regular trash.
B. Place the entire assembly in a puncture-proof sharps container without recapping.
C. Recap the needle and place in a biohazard bag.
D. Flush the needle down the toilet.
Answer: B. Rationale: Used needles should never be recapped. They should be placed
directly into a puncture-proof sharps container. Recapping increases the risk of
needlestick injuries.
11. What does the acronym "RACE" stand for in the context of fire safety?
A. Rescue, Alarm, Contain, Extinguish.
B. Run, Alert, Call, Evacuate.
C. Remove, Activate, Confine, Exit.
D. Report, Assess, Call, Evacuate.
Answer: A. Rationale: RACE stands for Rescue (rescue anyone in immediate danger),
Alarm (activate the alarm), Contain (contain the fire by closing doors), and Extinguish
(extinguish the fire if safe to do so).
12. Which federal law protects patient health information and requires patient
consent before sharing protected health information?
A. OSHA
B. CLIA
C. HIPAA
D. FDA
Answer: C. Rationale: The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
establishes national standards for the protection of patient health information. It
requires patient consent and limits the sharing of protected health information.
13. A patient refuses to have blood drawn. What is the phlebotomy technician's
most appropriate action?
A. Draw the blood anyway because the physician ordered it.
CPT — CERTIFIED PHLEBOTOMY TECHNICIAN
EXAM LATEST VERSION QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS 2026 EDITION
CPT — CERTIFIED PHLEBOTOMY TECHNICIAN EXAM — 250 Practice Questions
SECTION 1: SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE (Questions 1-65)
1. Which federal regulation requires healthcare employers to implement an
exposure control plan to protect workers from bloodborne pathogens?
A. HIPAA
B. OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard
C. CLIA
D. FDA regulations
Answer: B. Rationale: The OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030)
requires employers to implement an exposure control plan, provide personal protective
equipment, and offer hepatitis B vaccination to employees with occupational exposure
risk.
2. When a phlebotomy technician sustains a needlestick injury, what is the FIRST
action that should be taken?
A. Report the incident to the supervisor.
B. Complete an incident report.
C. Wash the site with soap and water.
D. Have the source patient tested.
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Answer: C. Rationale: The immediate first action following a needlestick injury is to
wash the exposed area with soap and water. Prompt washing reduces the risk of
pathogen transmission. The incident should then be reported immediately.
3. What is the purpose of Standard Precautions in phlebotomy?
A. To protect only the patient from infection.
B. To protect only the healthcare worker from infection.
C. To treat all blood and body fluids as potentially infectious.
D. To eliminate the need for hand hygiene.
Answer: C. Rationale: Standard Precautions assume that all blood and certain body
fluids are potentially infectious. This approach protects both the healthcare worker and
the patient by consistently using appropriate barriers and infection control practices.
4. Which of the following is an example of a engineering control designed to
prevent needlestick injuries?
A. Hand hygiene.
B. Gloves.
C. Self-sheathing needles.
D. Proper disposal of sharps.
Answer: C. Rationale: Engineering controls are devices that isolate or remove the
hazard. Self-sheathing or retracting needles are engineering controls. Gloves are
personal protective equipment, and proper disposal and hand hygiene are work
practice controls.
5. What is the maximum time a tourniquet should remain on a patient's arm during
venipuncture?
A. 30 seconds.
B. 1 minute.
C. 2 minutes.
D. 5 minutes.
Answer: B. Rationale: A tourniquet should not remain on the arm for more than 1
minute (60 seconds). Prolonged tourniquet application can cause hemoconcentration,
altered test results, and patient discomfort.
6. Which type of fire extinguisher is appropriate for use on a fire involving electrical
equipment?
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A. Class A.
B. Class B.
C. Class C.
D. Class D.
Answer: C. Rationale: Class C fire extinguishers are designed for electrical fires. Class
A is for ordinary combustibles, Class B is for flammable liquids, and Class D is for
combustible metals.
7. According to the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act, which of the following is
a requirement for healthcare employers?
A. Maintain a log of sharps injuries.
B. Provide hepatitis B vaccination to all employees.
C. Use safer medical devices.
D. All of the above.
Answer: D. Rationale: The Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act requires employers to
maintain a sharps injury log, provide hepatitis B vaccination, and use safer medical
devices with engineering controls.
8. A phlebotomy technician accidentally punctures their finger while disposing of a
used needle. What is the most important documentation to complete?
A. Patient's medical record.
B. Employee's personnel file.
C. Sharps injury log.
D. Supply order form.
Answer: C. Rationale: The sharps injury log must document the incident, including the
device involved, the location, and the circumstances. This documentation is required by
the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act.
9. What is the correct order for donning personal protective equipment (PPE)?
A. Gloves, gown, mask, eye protection.
B. Gown, mask, eye protection, gloves.
C. Mask, gloves, gown, eye protection.
D. Eye protection, gown, mask, gloves.
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Answer: B. Rationale: The correct order for donning PPE is: gown first, then mask or
respirator, then eye protection, and gloves last. This order prevents contamination of
the gown and ensures proper sequence.
10. What is the proper procedure for disposing of a contaminated needle?
A. Recap the needle and place in the regular trash.
B. Place the entire assembly in a puncture-proof sharps container without recapping.
C. Recap the needle and place in a biohazard bag.
D. Flush the needle down the toilet.
Answer: B. Rationale: Used needles should never be recapped. They should be placed
directly into a puncture-proof sharps container. Recapping increases the risk of
needlestick injuries.
11. What does the acronym "RACE" stand for in the context of fire safety?
A. Rescue, Alarm, Contain, Extinguish.
B. Run, Alert, Call, Evacuate.
C. Remove, Activate, Confine, Exit.
D. Report, Assess, Call, Evacuate.
Answer: A. Rationale: RACE stands for Rescue (rescue anyone in immediate danger),
Alarm (activate the alarm), Contain (contain the fire by closing doors), and Extinguish
(extinguish the fire if safe to do so).
12. Which federal law protects patient health information and requires patient
consent before sharing protected health information?
A. OSHA
B. CLIA
C. HIPAA
D. FDA
Answer: C. Rationale: The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
establishes national standards for the protection of patient health information. It
requires patient consent and limits the sharing of protected health information.
13. A patient refuses to have blood drawn. What is the phlebotomy technician's
most appropriate action?
A. Draw the blood anyway because the physician ordered it.
