ASCP MLS Blood Bank UPDATED
ACTUAL Exam Questions and CORRECT
Answers
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) - CORRECT 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.
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 - CORRECT 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.
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 - CORRECT 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.
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 - CORRECT ANSWER - 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 - CORRECT 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.
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
How many of the above results excludes this donor from giving blood for a routine transfusion?
a. none
b. 1
c. 2
d. 3 - CORRECT 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.
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) - CORRECT 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.
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 - CORRECT 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.
All donor blood testing must include:
a. complete Rh phenotyping
b. anti-CMV testing
c. direct antiglobulin test
d. serological test for syphilis - CORRECT ANSWER - d. Testing for syphilis was the first
mandated donor screening test for infectious disease and is still part of donor screening.
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 - CORRECT ANSWER - b. Platelets are prepared and stored at
20°-24°C for optimum function.
The most common cause of post-transfusion hepatitis can be detected in donors by testing for:
a. anti-HCV
b. HBsAg
c. anti-HAV IgM
d. anti-HBe - CORRECT ANSWER - b. The most common post-transfusion hepatitis is
hepatitis B. The estimated risk of transmission is 1:220,000 units transfused . The risk of
hepatitis C transmission is 1:1,800,000 units. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) is a required
donor test for detection of acute or chronic HBV infection.
ACTUAL Exam Questions and CORRECT
Answers
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) - CORRECT 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.
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 - CORRECT 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.
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 - CORRECT 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.
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 - CORRECT ANSWER - 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 - CORRECT 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.
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
How many of the above results excludes this donor from giving blood for a routine transfusion?
a. none
b. 1
c. 2
d. 3 - CORRECT 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.
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) - CORRECT 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.
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 - CORRECT 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.
All donor blood testing must include:
a. complete Rh phenotyping
b. anti-CMV testing
c. direct antiglobulin test
d. serological test for syphilis - CORRECT ANSWER - d. Testing for syphilis was the first
mandated donor screening test for infectious disease and is still part of donor screening.
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 - CORRECT ANSWER - b. Platelets are prepared and stored at
20°-24°C for optimum function.
The most common cause of post-transfusion hepatitis can be detected in donors by testing for:
a. anti-HCV
b. HBsAg
c. anti-HAV IgM
d. anti-HBe - CORRECT ANSWER - b. The most common post-transfusion hepatitis is
hepatitis B. The estimated risk of transmission is 1:220,000 units transfused . The risk of
hepatitis C transmission is 1:1,800,000 units. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) is a required
donor test for detection of acute or chronic HBV infection.
