1. A patient is scheduled for a 3hr glucose tolerance test at an outpatient laboratory After verifying the patients identity which of the following actions should the phlebotomist take
A. Instruct the patient to finish drinking the glucose within 30 min
B. Prepare the patients middle finger for capillary collection
C. Confirm the patient fasted for the proper length of time Correct
D. Obtain the patients current vitals
Explanation
Confirming the patient fasted for the proper length of time (typically 8-12 hours for a 3-hour GTT) is essential because fasting ensures accurate baseline glucose levels before the glucose load is administered; without proper fasting, the test results will be invalid due to elevated glucose from recent food intake, leading to false positives for diabetes or glucose intolerance. Instructing to finish glucose within 30 min is correct for administration but comes after fasting confirmation. Capillary collection is not standard for GTT (venous blood is used). Vitals are not required for GTT preparation.
2. Which of the following must a phlebotomist perform to demonstrate proficiency in aseptic technique
A. Proper needle insertion angle
B. Proper disposal of contaminated materials Correct
C. Correct tube selection and order of collection
D. Correct vein anchoring
Explanation
Proper disposal of contaminated materials (e.g., needles, gauze in sharps/biohazard containers) is a core aseptic technique to prevent microbial contamination and cross-infection between patient and phlebotomist/environment. Needle angle, tube order, and vein anchoring are venipuncture skills but not primarily aseptic; they relate more to successful collection than sterility. Aseptic technique focuses on breaking infection transmission chain via hand hygiene, site disinfection, and waste handling.
3. Which of the following is essential when performing quality control for CLIA waived testing
A. Ensuring the sterility of the testing medium
B. Transporting specimens
C. Confirming the requisition order
D. Verifying date of expiration Correct
Explanation
Verifying date of expiration on QC materials, test kits, and controls is essential for CLIA-waived tests (e.g., glucose, pregnancy) because expired reagents degrade, leading to inaccurate results, false negatives/positives, and regulatory non-compliance during inspections. Sterility is not typically required for waived tests (non-sterile like urine dipsticks). Transport and requisitions are pre-analytical, not QC-specific.
4. A phlebotomist should report a critical value for point of care testing to which of the following
A. Patient
B. Physician Correct
C. Insurance company
D. Office manager
Explanation
Critical values (e.g., glucose <50 or >400 mg/dL, potassium >6.0 mEq/L) from POCT must be immediately reported to the physician or ordered provider per lab policy/CLIA to enable timely intervention and prevent patient harm; phlebotomists are often responsible for verbal notification followed by documentation. Reporting to patient risks alarm without context. Insurance/office manager irrelevant to clinical urgency.
5. Which of the following information must a phlebotomist include on the label of a venipuncture specimen
A. Phlebotomists credentials
B. Ordering providers NPI number
C. Time of the venipuncture Correct
D. Location of the venipuncture
Explanation
Time of venipuncture is required on labels for timed studies (e.g., glucose tolerance, drug levels, ammonia) to calculate intervals accurately; without collection time, results may be rejected or misinterpreted. Phlebotomist credentials not needed (signature/ID optional). NPI/location not standard label elements (patient ID, DOB, date essential).