ASCP MLS BLOOD BANK EXAMS WITH
CORRECT ANSWERS
1. 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) - ANSWER-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.
2. 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 - ANSWER-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.
3. 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 - ANSWER-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.
4. 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
d. confirmed positive test for HBsAg 10 years previously - ANSWER-
d. A positive test for HbsAg at any time is an indefinite deferral.
5. 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 - ANSWER-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.
,6. 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
7. How many of the above results excludes this donor from giving blood
for a routine transfusion?
a. none
b. 1
c. 2
d. 3 - ANSWER-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.
8. 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) - ANSWER-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.
, 9. Prior to blood donation, the intended venipuncture site must be
cleaned with a scrub' solution containing:
a. hypochlorite
b. isopropyl alcohol
c. 10% acetone
d. PVP iodine complex - ANSWER-d. The scrub must use iodine, eg,
PVP iodine complex. Donors who are sensitive to iodine can have
the area cleaned with a preparation of 2% chlorhexidine and 70%
isopropyl alcohol.
10. All donor blood testing must include:
a. complete Rh phenotyping
b. anti-CMV testing
c. direct antiglobulin test
d. serological test for syphilis - ANSWER-d. Testing for syphilis was
the first mandated donor screening test for infectious disease
and is still part of donor screening.
11. During the preparation of Platelet Concentrates from Whole
Blood, the blood should be:
a. cooled towards 6°C
b. cooled towards 20°-24°C
c. warmed to 37°C
d. heated to 57°C - ANSWER-b. Platelets are prepared and stored at
20°-24°C for optimum function.
12. The most common cause of post-transfusion hepatitis can be
detected in donors by testing for:
a. anti-HCV
CORRECT ANSWERS
1. 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) - ANSWER-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.
2. 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 - ANSWER-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.
3. 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 - ANSWER-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.
4. 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
d. confirmed positive test for HBsAg 10 years previously - ANSWER-
d. A positive test for HbsAg at any time is an indefinite deferral.
5. 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 - ANSWER-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.
,6. 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
7. How many of the above results excludes this donor from giving blood
for a routine transfusion?
a. none
b. 1
c. 2
d. 3 - ANSWER-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.
8. 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) - ANSWER-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.
, 9. Prior to blood donation, the intended venipuncture site must be
cleaned with a scrub' solution containing:
a. hypochlorite
b. isopropyl alcohol
c. 10% acetone
d. PVP iodine complex - ANSWER-d. The scrub must use iodine, eg,
PVP iodine complex. Donors who are sensitive to iodine can have
the area cleaned with a preparation of 2% chlorhexidine and 70%
isopropyl alcohol.
10. All donor blood testing must include:
a. complete Rh phenotyping
b. anti-CMV testing
c. direct antiglobulin test
d. serological test for syphilis - ANSWER-d. Testing for syphilis was
the first mandated donor screening test for infectious disease
and is still part of donor screening.
11. During the preparation of Platelet Concentrates from Whole
Blood, the blood should be:
a. cooled towards 6°C
b. cooled towards 20°-24°C
c. warmed to 37°C
d. heated to 57°C - ANSWER-b. Platelets are prepared and stored at
20°-24°C for optimum function.
12. The most common cause of post-transfusion hepatitis can be
detected in donors by testing for:
a. anti-HCV
