NRCMA Practice Exam 05
100 multiple-choice practice questions • Correct answers highlighted in green
Instructions: Select the single best answer. Review the green answer strip and rationale beneath each question.
Clinical Procedures
1. A patient becomes faint during a blood draw. The assistant should:
A. Stop, protect the patient, and summon help as needed
B. Continue filling tubes
C. Ask the patient to stand
D. Leave the patient alone
Correct answer: A. Stop, protect the patient, and summon help as needed
Patient safety takes priority.
2. A pulse oximeter estimates:
A. Peripheral oxygen saturation
B. Blood glucose
C. Body mass index
D. Urine concentration
Correct answer: A. Peripheral oxygen saturation
Pulse oximetry estimates oxygen saturation.
3. When documenting vital signs, staff should:
A. Record measured values promptly and accurately
B. Copy the previous visit’s values
C. Round values to normal ranges
D. Wait until the end of the week
Correct answer: A. Record measured values promptly and accurately
Accurate, timely documentation supports care.
4. If a reading seems inconsistent, the assistant should:
A. Recheck using correct technique and report concerns
B. Guess a more likely value
C. Ignore it
D. Use another patient’s reading
Correct answer: A. Recheck using correct technique and report concerns
Unexpected measurements should be verified.
5. Which device measures body temperature?
A. Thermometer
B. Stethoscope
C. Otoscope
D. Sphygmomanometer
Correct answer: A. Thermometer
A thermometer measures temperature.
6. Before using equipment, staff should confirm it is:
A. Clean, functional, and appropriate for the task
B. The newest-looking model only
C. Owned by another patient
D. Not in need of inspection
Correct answer: A. Clean, functional, and appropriate for the task
Equipment checks reduce preventable errors.
NRCMA Original Practice Material Page 1
, 7. A patient reports dizziness during a procedure. The assistant should:
A. Pause, protect the patient, assess, and alert clinical staff
B. Tell the patient to ignore it
C. Continue without checking
D. Ask them to leave alone
Correct answer: A. Pause, protect the patient, assess, and alert clinical staff
New symptoms require attention and possible escalation.
8. A good way to confirm identity is to use:
A. Two approved identifiers
B. Room number alone
C. A visitor’s guess
D. Appearance alone
Correct answer: A. Two approved identifiers
Two identifiers help prevent wrong-patient errors.
9. Before a procedure, the assistant should first:
A. Verify the patient and explain the procedure
B. Skip identity checks
C. Use another patient’s chart
D. Begin without preparation
Correct answer: A. Verify the patient and explain the procedure
Identity checks and explanation support safe care.
10. For a routine blood pressure reading, the patient should ideally be:
A. Seated with back supported, feet flat, arm at heart level
B. Standing with arm overhead
C. Seated with legs crossed and arm unsupported
D. Lying with arm hanging down
Correct answer: A. Seated with back supported, feet flat, arm at heart level
Correct positioning improves measurement accuracy.
Phlebotomy & Specimens
11. A specimen should generally be labeled:
A. Immediately after collection, following policy
B. Before the patient arrives and left blank
C. At the end of the day
D. Only if the lab asks
Correct answer: A. Immediately after collection, following policy
Immediate labeling helps preserve identity.
12. Lavender-top hematology tubes commonly contain:
A. EDTA
B. Distilled water only
C. No additive in all cases
D. Alcohol
Correct answer: A. EDTA
Lavender tubes commonly use EDTA; follow current lab guidance.
13. The order of draw helps reduce:
A. Additive carryover between tubes
B. Need for patient identification
C. Need for gloves
D. All clotting
Correct answer: A. Additive carryover between tubes
Order of draw reduces additive contamination.
14. An unlabeled specimen should be:
A. Handled under rejection/recollection policy; never guessed
B. Labeled from memory
C. Sent without reporting
D. Given another patient’s label
Correct answer: A. Handled under rejection/recollection policy; never guessed
Never guess a specimen’s identity.
NRCMA Original Practice Material Page 2
100 multiple-choice practice questions • Correct answers highlighted in green
Instructions: Select the single best answer. Review the green answer strip and rationale beneath each question.
Clinical Procedures
1. A patient becomes faint during a blood draw. The assistant should:
A. Stop, protect the patient, and summon help as needed
B. Continue filling tubes
C. Ask the patient to stand
D. Leave the patient alone
Correct answer: A. Stop, protect the patient, and summon help as needed
Patient safety takes priority.
2. A pulse oximeter estimates:
A. Peripheral oxygen saturation
B. Blood glucose
C. Body mass index
D. Urine concentration
Correct answer: A. Peripheral oxygen saturation
Pulse oximetry estimates oxygen saturation.
3. When documenting vital signs, staff should:
A. Record measured values promptly and accurately
B. Copy the previous visit’s values
C. Round values to normal ranges
D. Wait until the end of the week
Correct answer: A. Record measured values promptly and accurately
Accurate, timely documentation supports care.
4. If a reading seems inconsistent, the assistant should:
A. Recheck using correct technique and report concerns
B. Guess a more likely value
C. Ignore it
D. Use another patient’s reading
Correct answer: A. Recheck using correct technique and report concerns
Unexpected measurements should be verified.
5. Which device measures body temperature?
A. Thermometer
B. Stethoscope
C. Otoscope
D. Sphygmomanometer
Correct answer: A. Thermometer
A thermometer measures temperature.
6. Before using equipment, staff should confirm it is:
A. Clean, functional, and appropriate for the task
B. The newest-looking model only
C. Owned by another patient
D. Not in need of inspection
Correct answer: A. Clean, functional, and appropriate for the task
Equipment checks reduce preventable errors.
NRCMA Original Practice Material Page 1
, 7. A patient reports dizziness during a procedure. The assistant should:
A. Pause, protect the patient, assess, and alert clinical staff
B. Tell the patient to ignore it
C. Continue without checking
D. Ask them to leave alone
Correct answer: A. Pause, protect the patient, assess, and alert clinical staff
New symptoms require attention and possible escalation.
8. A good way to confirm identity is to use:
A. Two approved identifiers
B. Room number alone
C. A visitor’s guess
D. Appearance alone
Correct answer: A. Two approved identifiers
Two identifiers help prevent wrong-patient errors.
9. Before a procedure, the assistant should first:
A. Verify the patient and explain the procedure
B. Skip identity checks
C. Use another patient’s chart
D. Begin without preparation
Correct answer: A. Verify the patient and explain the procedure
Identity checks and explanation support safe care.
10. For a routine blood pressure reading, the patient should ideally be:
A. Seated with back supported, feet flat, arm at heart level
B. Standing with arm overhead
C. Seated with legs crossed and arm unsupported
D. Lying with arm hanging down
Correct answer: A. Seated with back supported, feet flat, arm at heart level
Correct positioning improves measurement accuracy.
Phlebotomy & Specimens
11. A specimen should generally be labeled:
A. Immediately after collection, following policy
B. Before the patient arrives and left blank
C. At the end of the day
D. Only if the lab asks
Correct answer: A. Immediately after collection, following policy
Immediate labeling helps preserve identity.
12. Lavender-top hematology tubes commonly contain:
A. EDTA
B. Distilled water only
C. No additive in all cases
D. Alcohol
Correct answer: A. EDTA
Lavender tubes commonly use EDTA; follow current lab guidance.
13. The order of draw helps reduce:
A. Additive carryover between tubes
B. Need for patient identification
C. Need for gloves
D. All clotting
Correct answer: A. Additive carryover between tubes
Order of draw reduces additive contamination.
14. An unlabeled specimen should be:
A. Handled under rejection/recollection policy; never guessed
B. Labeled from memory
C. Sent without reporting
D. Given another patient’s label
Correct answer: A. Handled under rejection/recollection policy; never guessed
Never guess a specimen’s identity.
NRCMA Original Practice Material Page 2
