MEDCA PHLEBOTOMY CERTIFICATION EXAM
NEWEST 2025
Work duties of a phlebotomist technician can be categorized into 4 categories - ANS-
Equipment
Procedure
Patient Care
Patient Information
Equipment - ANS-- phlebotomists must ensure that all equipment and areas used are
sterile
- equipment includes needles, bandages, gauzes, tubes, other
collection devices, as well as labels for tubes
- tracking supplies to ensure that proper amounts are always present - disposal of
needles and other used supplies
Procedure - ANS-- correct puncture or incision of patient's skin
- collecting the correct amount of blood or other fluids - correct labeling of collection
tubes/devices
- completing and submitting documents needed to lab
Patient Care - ANS-- reassuring patients, as some may have fear of needles
- being able to answer questions that patients may have
- verifying patient information to ensure accuracy of tests or procedure - monitoring
patient during procedure to prevent movement or fainting
Patient Information - ANS-- patients' rights must be respected
- keeping patients' medical records confidential
- accurate documentation of collection, ordered tests, and test results - providing
accurate documentation to the laboratory to ensure
performance of tests ordered by physician
Quality Improvement Methods - ANS-Include the use of data-based methods in order to
reach improvement
Include flow charts and pareto charts
Flowchart - ANS-- used to break out components into diagrams in order to understand a
process
Pareto Chart - ANS-- bar charts are made that show the frequency of problems
What does quality improvement for specimen collection involve? - ANS-Technique of
Phlebotomist
Frequency of hematoma
,Recollection Rates
What is included in quality control records - ANS-Expiration Date
Stability Information
Storage Information
Proper Use
Precision of testing supplies/reagents
Accuracy of testing supplies/reagents
Where can phlebotomists work? - ANS-Hospital
Clinic
Doctor's office
Laboratories
Blood Banks
Research Firms
Pharmaceutical Firms
Hospital - ANS-institution which provides medical and surgical treatment
Clinic - ANS-institution or hospital department focusing on diagnosis and care of
outpatients
Doctor's Office - ANS-suite/office where doctors receive and treat patients
Laboratory - ANS-building or room where tests are performed to evaluate specimens in
order to diagnose medical conditions
Blood Bank - ANS-institution where blood is collected from donors, and then stored and
prepared for transfusion
Research Firm - ANS-institution equipped for scientific/medical research that may
specialize in basic research or on specific areas
Pharmaceutical Firm - ANS-institution that develops and markets drugs for use as
medications
How must all needles be discarded? - ANS-intact
What does it mean if an infection is classified as nosocomical - ANS-A patient
developed the infection while they were in the hospital that was not present before
entering the hospital
What is included in the chain of infection - ANS-source
susceptible host
poor isolation technique
, Hygiene - ANS-wash hands with soap and water if they are visibly dirty
good hand-hygiene techniques reduce number of outbreaks of infections
hand washing is the single most important way to prevent spread of infection
Equipment used to control infections - ANS-gloves, masks, goggles, gowns, or coats
autoclaves (instruments for sterilizing under pressure)
Emergency Needle Stick Information - ANS-if exposed to blood due to a needle stick or
other sharp object, wash needle stick and cut with soap and water
flush mouth, eyes, and skin with water
report the incident to a supervisor
seek medical treatment
Blood Pressure - ANS-pressure exerted by circulating blood upon the walls of blood
vessels
Usually refers to the arterial pressure of systemic circulation
When does blood pressure decrease - ANS-decreases as the circulating blood moves
away from the heart through the arteries
Where does blood pressure drop most rapidly - ANS-along the small arteries and
arterioles
Decreases continuously as it moves through capillaries and back through veins to the
heart
What other factors can influence blood pressure in the body - ANS-valves in veins
Gravity
Pumping from contraction of skeletal muscles
How is blood pressure measured - ANS-Systolic (maximum) over diastolic (diastolic)
Systolic - ANS-Blood pressure at the time of contraction
Specifically during contraction of the left ventricle
Systolic contraction is contraction of the ventricles
Heard during the normal first and second heart sound
NEWEST 2025
Work duties of a phlebotomist technician can be categorized into 4 categories - ANS-
Equipment
Procedure
Patient Care
Patient Information
Equipment - ANS-- phlebotomists must ensure that all equipment and areas used are
sterile
- equipment includes needles, bandages, gauzes, tubes, other
collection devices, as well as labels for tubes
- tracking supplies to ensure that proper amounts are always present - disposal of
needles and other used supplies
Procedure - ANS-- correct puncture or incision of patient's skin
- collecting the correct amount of blood or other fluids - correct labeling of collection
tubes/devices
- completing and submitting documents needed to lab
Patient Care - ANS-- reassuring patients, as some may have fear of needles
- being able to answer questions that patients may have
- verifying patient information to ensure accuracy of tests or procedure - monitoring
patient during procedure to prevent movement or fainting
Patient Information - ANS-- patients' rights must be respected
- keeping patients' medical records confidential
- accurate documentation of collection, ordered tests, and test results - providing
accurate documentation to the laboratory to ensure
performance of tests ordered by physician
Quality Improvement Methods - ANS-Include the use of data-based methods in order to
reach improvement
Include flow charts and pareto charts
Flowchart - ANS-- used to break out components into diagrams in order to understand a
process
Pareto Chart - ANS-- bar charts are made that show the frequency of problems
What does quality improvement for specimen collection involve? - ANS-Technique of
Phlebotomist
Frequency of hematoma
,Recollection Rates
What is included in quality control records - ANS-Expiration Date
Stability Information
Storage Information
Proper Use
Precision of testing supplies/reagents
Accuracy of testing supplies/reagents
Where can phlebotomists work? - ANS-Hospital
Clinic
Doctor's office
Laboratories
Blood Banks
Research Firms
Pharmaceutical Firms
Hospital - ANS-institution which provides medical and surgical treatment
Clinic - ANS-institution or hospital department focusing on diagnosis and care of
outpatients
Doctor's Office - ANS-suite/office where doctors receive and treat patients
Laboratory - ANS-building or room where tests are performed to evaluate specimens in
order to diagnose medical conditions
Blood Bank - ANS-institution where blood is collected from donors, and then stored and
prepared for transfusion
Research Firm - ANS-institution equipped for scientific/medical research that may
specialize in basic research or on specific areas
Pharmaceutical Firm - ANS-institution that develops and markets drugs for use as
medications
How must all needles be discarded? - ANS-intact
What does it mean if an infection is classified as nosocomical - ANS-A patient
developed the infection while they were in the hospital that was not present before
entering the hospital
What is included in the chain of infection - ANS-source
susceptible host
poor isolation technique
, Hygiene - ANS-wash hands with soap and water if they are visibly dirty
good hand-hygiene techniques reduce number of outbreaks of infections
hand washing is the single most important way to prevent spread of infection
Equipment used to control infections - ANS-gloves, masks, goggles, gowns, or coats
autoclaves (instruments for sterilizing under pressure)
Emergency Needle Stick Information - ANS-if exposed to blood due to a needle stick or
other sharp object, wash needle stick and cut with soap and water
flush mouth, eyes, and skin with water
report the incident to a supervisor
seek medical treatment
Blood Pressure - ANS-pressure exerted by circulating blood upon the walls of blood
vessels
Usually refers to the arterial pressure of systemic circulation
When does blood pressure decrease - ANS-decreases as the circulating blood moves
away from the heart through the arteries
Where does blood pressure drop most rapidly - ANS-along the small arteries and
arterioles
Decreases continuously as it moves through capillaries and back through veins to the
heart
What other factors can influence blood pressure in the body - ANS-valves in veins
Gravity
Pumping from contraction of skeletal muscles
How is blood pressure measured - ANS-Systolic (maximum) over diastolic (diastolic)
Systolic - ANS-Blood pressure at the time of contraction
Specifically during contraction of the left ventricle
Systolic contraction is contraction of the ventricles
Heard during the normal first and second heart sound
