NCCT PHLEBOTOMY LATEST EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
Which of the following steps is completed first in performing venipuncture?
identify the patient
Rationale
To prevent error and maintain a culture of safety, at least 2 identifiers (ex. full name and
date of birth) must be verified prior to performing a procedure.
Which of the following is the proper way to identify a patient prior to performing a
venipuncture?
Ask the patient to state his/her full name and DOB and compare to the chart.
Rationale
Before a venipuncture, the medical assistant should ask the patient to state his/her full
name and DOB (comparing what is stated to what is written in the chart or on a wrist
band patient identifier). This minimizes the risk for mis-identification errors because it
cross-checks what the patient says against written documentation. This provides a
verified identity so that all tubes collected will be associated with the correct patient
(provided the medical assistant labels them properly).
Using the guidelines for any method of venipuncture, which of the following
actions should the medical assistant perform directly after confirming patient
identity?
Review the requirements for collecting and handling the blood specimen as ordered by
the physician
Rationale
To ensure accuracy and quality, it is important to anticipate your needs before
beginning the actual venipuncture (i.e. tube color/size, minimum acceptable blood
volume, whether or not the specimen needs to be placed on ice). Therefore, the medical
assistant would identify the patient, then review the requirements for collecting and
handling the blood specimen as ordered by the physician. Next, assemble the
,appropriate equipment and select the proper evacuated tubes for test to be performed.
Then, apply the tourniquet and thoroughly palpate the selected vein. Finally, position the
patient's arm and cleanse the site with an antiseptic wipe, then proceed with the
venipuncture protocol.
Which of the following should be avoided as a form of patient identification?
insurance number
Rationale
An insurance number is not a common means of positive patient identification (entire
families can share the same insurance policy number). Patients must be positively
identified for medical services, whether they have insurance or not. Insurance
information is necessary for billing purposes. The only true unique identifier listed
among these choices is the social security number. Patient name and date of birth are
also commonly used to confirm identification.
Name the two most used patient identifiers.
Patient's name/date of birth
Rationale
Name and DOB are most often used as positive patient identifiers as they are easily
documented and work for inpatients or outpatients. Bed numbers should never be used
as identifiers for inpatients or outpatients, nor should physician name associations.
Medical record numbers are valuable for inpatients, with name and DOB being used
most often.
Prior to any type of inpatient specimen collection, a phlebotomist must correctly
verify their patient's identity by using which two-step procedure?
Check ID bracelet, and ask patient to verbally confirm their identity.
Rationale
The correct answer is to check the ID bracelet and ask the patient to verbally confirm
his/her identity. Patients may not have foot bed charts or IV bags, and the goal is to
, select the BEST answer of all choices. If a patient has both an ID bracelet and can
verify his/her own identity, it is ideal.
The phlebotomist is drawing blood from a patient that is taking blood thinners.
Which of the following is a necessary piece of additional equipment to have at the
drawing station?
non-adhering bandage
Rationale
Non-adhering bandage material would be helpful for patients on anticoagulant therapy
who may bleed more extensively than typical patients after venipuncture. It is necessary
to contain the bleed with a bandage, but adhesive might bruise once removed from a
patient who has anticoagulated blood.
In which of the following time frames should a tourniquet be routinely released on
a patient while performing a blood draw?
within one minute
Rationale
The standard time limit for having a tourniquet on a patient is one minute. Inaccurate
laboratory test results may occur if a tourniquet is not removed within one minute. When
a tourniquet is applied, the local blood flow is stopped. This leads to concentration of the
blood and blood entering the surrounding tissue. This may result in falsely high values
for all protein-based analytes, increased packed cell volume, and changes in other
cellular elements. The most current edition of the CLSI Procedures for the Collection of
Diagnostic Blood Specimens by Venipuncture, H3-A6, states that the tourniquet
application for preliminary vein selection should not exceed one minute. For most
patients, it is easy to release the tourniquet within the one-minute period. Most veins are
easily located and the venipuncture procedure can be completed quickly.
A medical assistant has active symptoms of the common cold. Under which of
the following conditions may he perform venipuncture?
The medical assistant may perform venipuncture provided he is wearing a mask and
afebrile.
ANSWERS
Which of the following steps is completed first in performing venipuncture?
identify the patient
Rationale
To prevent error and maintain a culture of safety, at least 2 identifiers (ex. full name and
date of birth) must be verified prior to performing a procedure.
Which of the following is the proper way to identify a patient prior to performing a
venipuncture?
Ask the patient to state his/her full name and DOB and compare to the chart.
Rationale
Before a venipuncture, the medical assistant should ask the patient to state his/her full
name and DOB (comparing what is stated to what is written in the chart or on a wrist
band patient identifier). This minimizes the risk for mis-identification errors because it
cross-checks what the patient says against written documentation. This provides a
verified identity so that all tubes collected will be associated with the correct patient
(provided the medical assistant labels them properly).
Using the guidelines for any method of venipuncture, which of the following
actions should the medical assistant perform directly after confirming patient
identity?
Review the requirements for collecting and handling the blood specimen as ordered by
the physician
Rationale
To ensure accuracy and quality, it is important to anticipate your needs before
beginning the actual venipuncture (i.e. tube color/size, minimum acceptable blood
volume, whether or not the specimen needs to be placed on ice). Therefore, the medical
assistant would identify the patient, then review the requirements for collecting and
handling the blood specimen as ordered by the physician. Next, assemble the
,appropriate equipment and select the proper evacuated tubes for test to be performed.
Then, apply the tourniquet and thoroughly palpate the selected vein. Finally, position the
patient's arm and cleanse the site with an antiseptic wipe, then proceed with the
venipuncture protocol.
Which of the following should be avoided as a form of patient identification?
insurance number
Rationale
An insurance number is not a common means of positive patient identification (entire
families can share the same insurance policy number). Patients must be positively
identified for medical services, whether they have insurance or not. Insurance
information is necessary for billing purposes. The only true unique identifier listed
among these choices is the social security number. Patient name and date of birth are
also commonly used to confirm identification.
Name the two most used patient identifiers.
Patient's name/date of birth
Rationale
Name and DOB are most often used as positive patient identifiers as they are easily
documented and work for inpatients or outpatients. Bed numbers should never be used
as identifiers for inpatients or outpatients, nor should physician name associations.
Medical record numbers are valuable for inpatients, with name and DOB being used
most often.
Prior to any type of inpatient specimen collection, a phlebotomist must correctly
verify their patient's identity by using which two-step procedure?
Check ID bracelet, and ask patient to verbally confirm their identity.
Rationale
The correct answer is to check the ID bracelet and ask the patient to verbally confirm
his/her identity. Patients may not have foot bed charts or IV bags, and the goal is to
, select the BEST answer of all choices. If a patient has both an ID bracelet and can
verify his/her own identity, it is ideal.
The phlebotomist is drawing blood from a patient that is taking blood thinners.
Which of the following is a necessary piece of additional equipment to have at the
drawing station?
non-adhering bandage
Rationale
Non-adhering bandage material would be helpful for patients on anticoagulant therapy
who may bleed more extensively than typical patients after venipuncture. It is necessary
to contain the bleed with a bandage, but adhesive might bruise once removed from a
patient who has anticoagulated blood.
In which of the following time frames should a tourniquet be routinely released on
a patient while performing a blood draw?
within one minute
Rationale
The standard time limit for having a tourniquet on a patient is one minute. Inaccurate
laboratory test results may occur if a tourniquet is not removed within one minute. When
a tourniquet is applied, the local blood flow is stopped. This leads to concentration of the
blood and blood entering the surrounding tissue. This may result in falsely high values
for all protein-based analytes, increased packed cell volume, and changes in other
cellular elements. The most current edition of the CLSI Procedures for the Collection of
Diagnostic Blood Specimens by Venipuncture, H3-A6, states that the tourniquet
application for preliminary vein selection should not exceed one minute. For most
patients, it is easy to release the tourniquet within the one-minute period. Most veins are
easily located and the venipuncture procedure can be completed quickly.
A medical assistant has active symptoms of the common cold. Under which of
the following conditions may he perform venipuncture?
The medical assistant may perform venipuncture provided he is wearing a mask and
afebrile.
