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ASCP MLS Blood Bank Questions and
Answers Latest 2026
The minimum hemoglobin concentration in a fingerstick
from a male blood donor is:
a. 12.0 g/dL (120 g/L)
b. 12.5 g/dL (125 g/L)
c. 13.5 g/dL (135 g/L)
d. 15.0 g/dL (150 g/L) Ans: b. All donors, regardless of
sex, require a minimum hemoglobin of 12.5 g/dL (125
g/L). The value must not be performed on an earlobe
stick.
A cause for permanent deferral of blood donation is:
a. diabetes
b. residence in an endemic malaria region
c. history of jaundice of uncertain cause
d. history of therapeutic rabies vaccine Ans: c. Jaundice is
a sign of liver impairment, which might be due to HBV or
HCV. Infection with HBV and HCV is a cause for indefinite
deferral.
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Which of the following prospective donors would be
accepted for donation?
a. 32-year-old woman who received a transfusion in a
complicated delivery 5 months previously
b. 19-year-old sailor who has been stateside for 9 months
and stopped taking his anti-malarial medication 9
months previously
c. 22-year-old college student who has a temperature of
99.2F (37.3C) and states that he feels well, but is nervous
about donating
d. 45-year-old woman who has just recovered from a
bladder infection and is still taking antibiotics Ans: c.
The receipt of blood products is a
6-month deferral, the deferral for travel to areas endemic
for malaria is 12 months regardless of
antimalarial prophylaxis, and a person taking antibiotics
may have bacteremia. The requirement for temperature is
not over 37.5°C or 99.5°F.
Which one of the following constitutes permanent
rejection status of a donor?
a. a tattoo 5 months previously
b. recent close contact with a patient with viral hepatitis
c. 2 units of blood transfused 4 months previously
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d. confirmed positive test for HBsAg 10 years previously
Ans: d. A positive test for HbsAg at any time is an
indefinite deferral.
According to AABB standards, which of the following
donors may be accepted as a blood donor?
a. traveled to an area endemic for malaria 9 months
previously
b. spontaneous abortion at 2 months of pregnancy, 3
months previously
c. resides with a known hepatitis patient
d. received a blood transfusion 22 weeks previously Ans:
b. A woman who had a spontaneous abortion at 2 months
of pregnancy, 3 months previously would be acceptable.
A donor is acceptable if she has not been pregnant in the
previous 6 weeks.
Below are the results of the history obtained from a
prospective female blood donor:
Age: 16
Temperature: 99.0"F (37.2°C)
Hct: 36%
History: tetanus toxoid immunization 1 week previously
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How many of the above results excludes this donor from
giving blood for a routine transfusion?
a. none
b. 1
c. 2
d. 3 Ans: b. The Hct must be >38%, A donor may be l6
unless state law differs. Temperature must not exceed
99.5°C/37.5°C, blood pressure must be <180 mmHg
systolic and <100 mmHg diastolic, pulse 50-100 unless
an athlete (which can be lower). Toxoids and vaccines
from synthetic or killed sources have no deferral.
For apheresis donors who donate platelets more
frequently than every 4 weeks, a platelet count must be
performed prior to the procedure and be at least:
a. 150 x 10^3 / µL (150 x 10^9 / L)
b. 200 x 10^3/ µL (200 x 10^9/ L)
c. 250 x 10^3 / µL (250 x 10^9 / L)
d. 300 x 10^3 / µL (300 x 10^9 / L) Ans: a. The minimum
platelet count required for frequent repeat donors is 150
x 10^3/µL (150 x 10^9/L). A platelet count is not
required prior to the first donation or if the interval
between donations is at least 4 weeks.
© 2025 All rights reserved
ASCP MLS Blood Bank Questions and
Answers Latest 2026
The minimum hemoglobin concentration in a fingerstick
from a male blood donor is:
a. 12.0 g/dL (120 g/L)
b. 12.5 g/dL (125 g/L)
c. 13.5 g/dL (135 g/L)
d. 15.0 g/dL (150 g/L) Ans: b. All donors, regardless of
sex, require a minimum hemoglobin of 12.5 g/dL (125
g/L). The value must not be performed on an earlobe
stick.
A cause for permanent deferral of blood donation is:
a. diabetes
b. residence in an endemic malaria region
c. history of jaundice of uncertain cause
d. history of therapeutic rabies vaccine Ans: c. Jaundice is
a sign of liver impairment, which might be due to HBV or
HCV. Infection with HBV and HCV is a cause for indefinite
deferral.
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 2 | Page
Which of the following prospective donors would be
accepted for donation?
a. 32-year-old woman who received a transfusion in a
complicated delivery 5 months previously
b. 19-year-old sailor who has been stateside for 9 months
and stopped taking his anti-malarial medication 9
months previously
c. 22-year-old college student who has a temperature of
99.2F (37.3C) and states that he feels well, but is nervous
about donating
d. 45-year-old woman who has just recovered from a
bladder infection and is still taking antibiotics Ans: c.
The receipt of blood products is a
6-month deferral, the deferral for travel to areas endemic
for malaria is 12 months regardless of
antimalarial prophylaxis, and a person taking antibiotics
may have bacteremia. The requirement for temperature is
not over 37.5°C or 99.5°F.
Which one of the following constitutes permanent
rejection status of a donor?
a. a tattoo 5 months previously
b. recent close contact with a patient with viral hepatitis
c. 2 units of blood transfused 4 months previously
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 3 | Page
d. confirmed positive test for HBsAg 10 years previously
Ans: d. A positive test for HbsAg at any time is an
indefinite deferral.
According to AABB standards, which of the following
donors may be accepted as a blood donor?
a. traveled to an area endemic for malaria 9 months
previously
b. spontaneous abortion at 2 months of pregnancy, 3
months previously
c. resides with a known hepatitis patient
d. received a blood transfusion 22 weeks previously Ans:
b. A woman who had a spontaneous abortion at 2 months
of pregnancy, 3 months previously would be acceptable.
A donor is acceptable if she has not been pregnant in the
previous 6 weeks.
Below are the results of the history obtained from a
prospective female blood donor:
Age: 16
Temperature: 99.0"F (37.2°C)
Hct: 36%
History: tetanus toxoid immunization 1 week previously
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, 4 | Page
How many of the above results excludes this donor from
giving blood for a routine transfusion?
a. none
b. 1
c. 2
d. 3 Ans: b. The Hct must be >38%, A donor may be l6
unless state law differs. Temperature must not exceed
99.5°C/37.5°C, blood pressure must be <180 mmHg
systolic and <100 mmHg diastolic, pulse 50-100 unless
an athlete (which can be lower). Toxoids and vaccines
from synthetic or killed sources have no deferral.
For apheresis donors who donate platelets more
frequently than every 4 weeks, a platelet count must be
performed prior to the procedure and be at least:
a. 150 x 10^3 / µL (150 x 10^9 / L)
b. 200 x 10^3/ µL (200 x 10^9/ L)
c. 250 x 10^3 / µL (250 x 10^9 / L)
d. 300 x 10^3 / µL (300 x 10^9 / L) Ans: a. The minimum
platelet count required for frequent repeat donors is 150
x 10^3/µL (150 x 10^9/L). A platelet count is not
required prior to the first donation or if the interval
between donations is at least 4 weeks.
© 2025 All rights reserved
