NCCT INTERACTIVE REVIEW MEDICAL INSURANCE EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Which of the following is the minimum PPE requirement when drawing lab work
on a patient with suspected HIV?
A. gloves only
B. gown, gloves, and mask
C. mask only
D. gloves and mask only
gloves only
Rationale: To prevent viral exposure and transmission, gloves are required when
drawing lab work on a patient with suspected HIV. HIV can be spread through blood, so
it is important that gloves be worn at all times when drawing lab work. Gowns and
masks do not need to be worn when drawing lab work, because HIV cannot be spread
through ordinary contact.
Keeping contaminated equipment and supplies away from the phlebotomist's
clothing to prevent pathogen transmission to the next patient is an example of
which of the following?
A. medical asepsis
B. sanitization
C. disinfection
D. surgical asepsis
medical asepsis
Rationale: Medical asepsis is the prevention of direct effect of cross contamination from
ourselves to another patient. Medical asepsis is the destruction of disease causing
pathogens. Surgical asepsis is the destruction of all microorganisms. Sanitization is the
cleaning process that reduces the number of organisms. Disinfection is the process of
killing pathogenic organisms making them inactive, not effective for all spores.
,Which of the following organizations makes on-site visits to inspect phlebotomy
laboratories?
A. FDA
B. DEA
C. CLIA
D. ASCLS
CLIA
Rationale: All laboratory testing in the United States that is performed on humans is
highly regulated. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) governs
laboratories via the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA).
Which of the following is the appropriate blood collection device for obtaining a
blood spot collection on an infant?
A. syringe
B. evacuated tube
C. micro-collection container
D. lancet
lancet
Rationale: PKU is a neonatal screening test collected on a blot card. The recommended
method of blood collection on infants less than a year old is via capillary (thus
eliminating the venipuncture choices). A capillary collection using heel puncture lancet
would be the correct choice in this situation. The heel puncture lancet would go the
proper depth on an infant (there are even different sizes of lancets available for
premature vs. term infants).
A phlebotomist has received a requisition to draw a bilirubin on an infant with
jaundice. The phlebotomist should
A. protect the specimen from light.
, B. transport the specimen on ice.
C. draw a waste tube.
D. invert the specimen immediately.
protect the specimen from light.
Rationale: Bilirubin is a photo-sensitive analyte (can degrade by as much as 50% with
an hour of light exposure). A specimen submitted for bilirubin testing should be collected
in an amber tube which will protect it from light (a regular tube wrapped in aluminum foil
could also be acceptable). It is not necessary to keep the specimen warm with a heel
warmer, nor is it necessary to chill the specimen to slow metabolism and stabilize the
specimen. As long as the specimen is properly collected, protected from light, and
handled according to normal serum protocol, it can be run as routine, thus Stat analysis
is not necessary.
After selecting the appropriate location to collect a blood sample, how many
inches above that location should the phlebotomist tie the tourniquet?
A. more than 6 inches
B. 3 to 4 inches
C. 5 to 6 inches
D. 1 to 2 inches
3 to 4 inches
Rationale: Tourniquets are used to make it easier to locate veins by causing them to
become distended and easier to palpate. This occurs because the tourniquet impedes
venous blood flow right (i.e., below the application site) but does not impede arterial
blood flow. Most phlebotomy experts recommend a tourniquet be applied approximately
3 to 4 inches above the site of blood collection for optimum palpation in venipuncture.
Placing a tourniquet too far away will not impede blood flow sufficiently to help with
palpation, but too close may cause hemoconcentration, possibly affecting the ratio of
cellular components to plasma and laboratory test results.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Which of the following is the minimum PPE requirement when drawing lab work
on a patient with suspected HIV?
A. gloves only
B. gown, gloves, and mask
C. mask only
D. gloves and mask only
gloves only
Rationale: To prevent viral exposure and transmission, gloves are required when
drawing lab work on a patient with suspected HIV. HIV can be spread through blood, so
it is important that gloves be worn at all times when drawing lab work. Gowns and
masks do not need to be worn when drawing lab work, because HIV cannot be spread
through ordinary contact.
Keeping contaminated equipment and supplies away from the phlebotomist's
clothing to prevent pathogen transmission to the next patient is an example of
which of the following?
A. medical asepsis
B. sanitization
C. disinfection
D. surgical asepsis
medical asepsis
Rationale: Medical asepsis is the prevention of direct effect of cross contamination from
ourselves to another patient. Medical asepsis is the destruction of disease causing
pathogens. Surgical asepsis is the destruction of all microorganisms. Sanitization is the
cleaning process that reduces the number of organisms. Disinfection is the process of
killing pathogenic organisms making them inactive, not effective for all spores.
,Which of the following organizations makes on-site visits to inspect phlebotomy
laboratories?
A. FDA
B. DEA
C. CLIA
D. ASCLS
CLIA
Rationale: All laboratory testing in the United States that is performed on humans is
highly regulated. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) governs
laboratories via the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA).
Which of the following is the appropriate blood collection device for obtaining a
blood spot collection on an infant?
A. syringe
B. evacuated tube
C. micro-collection container
D. lancet
lancet
Rationale: PKU is a neonatal screening test collected on a blot card. The recommended
method of blood collection on infants less than a year old is via capillary (thus
eliminating the venipuncture choices). A capillary collection using heel puncture lancet
would be the correct choice in this situation. The heel puncture lancet would go the
proper depth on an infant (there are even different sizes of lancets available for
premature vs. term infants).
A phlebotomist has received a requisition to draw a bilirubin on an infant with
jaundice. The phlebotomist should
A. protect the specimen from light.
, B. transport the specimen on ice.
C. draw a waste tube.
D. invert the specimen immediately.
protect the specimen from light.
Rationale: Bilirubin is a photo-sensitive analyte (can degrade by as much as 50% with
an hour of light exposure). A specimen submitted for bilirubin testing should be collected
in an amber tube which will protect it from light (a regular tube wrapped in aluminum foil
could also be acceptable). It is not necessary to keep the specimen warm with a heel
warmer, nor is it necessary to chill the specimen to slow metabolism and stabilize the
specimen. As long as the specimen is properly collected, protected from light, and
handled according to normal serum protocol, it can be run as routine, thus Stat analysis
is not necessary.
After selecting the appropriate location to collect a blood sample, how many
inches above that location should the phlebotomist tie the tourniquet?
A. more than 6 inches
B. 3 to 4 inches
C. 5 to 6 inches
D. 1 to 2 inches
3 to 4 inches
Rationale: Tourniquets are used to make it easier to locate veins by causing them to
become distended and easier to palpate. This occurs because the tourniquet impedes
venous blood flow right (i.e., below the application site) but does not impede arterial
blood flow. Most phlebotomy experts recommend a tourniquet be applied approximately
3 to 4 inches above the site of blood collection for optimum palpation in venipuncture.
Placing a tourniquet too far away will not impede blood flow sufficiently to help with
palpation, but too close may cause hemoconcentration, possibly affecting the ratio of
cellular components to plasma and laboratory test results.
