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Phlebotomy Technician Practice Test

Safety and infection control, anatomy, order of draw, venipuncture and capillary procedures, specimen handling and patient identification.

173 questions · 7 topics · free, no sign-up

Mixed practice test

10 questions, graded as you go, with the reason for every answer. No sign-up.

Timed mock exam

50 questions in 60 minutes, drawn from every topic. No answers shown until the end, then a score, your weakest topics and a review of what you missed.

Practise by topic

Sample questions

Which structural feature is found in veins but not in arteries?

  1. A thick muscular middle layer
  2. A wall only one cell thick
  3. A pulse that can be felt
  4. Valves that prevent backflow
Show the answer

D. Valves that prevent backflow

Veins work at low pressure and have valves that keep blood moving toward the heart. A thick muscular wall and a palpable pulse belong to arteries, and a one-cell wall describes capillaries.

Reference: Circulatory system anatomy: vessel structure

During a draw, swelling begins to form around the needle. What should the phlebotomist do?

  1. Release the tourniquet, remove the needle and apply firm pressure
  2. Finish filling the tubes quickly and then apply a firm pressure bandage
  3. Push the needle slightly deeper to get back into the vein
  4. Tighten the tourniquet to slow the bleeding into the tissue
Show the answer

A. Release the tourniquet, remove the needle and apply firm pressure

Swelling means blood is leaking into the tissue, so the draw is stopped at once: tourniquet off, needle out, pressure on. Carrying on enlarges the hematoma, can compress nerves and gives a specimen of doubtful quality.

Reference: CLSI GP41: complications, hematoma

Which needle gauge is the usual choice for routine adult venipuncture with an evacuated tube system?

  1. 16 gauge
  2. 25 gauge
  3. 21 gauge
  4. 27 gauge
Show the answer

C. 21 gauge

A 21-gauge needle gives good flow without undue damage to the vein and is the standard for routine adult draws. A 16-gauge needle is used for blood donation, and very fine needles slow the flow and can damage red cells.

Reference: Venipuncture equipment: needle selection

A phlebotomist's neighbor is a patient on the unit, and another neighbor asks how the patient is doing. What is the appropriate response?

  1. Share only the good news about how the patient is
  2. Confirm the admission but give no details
  3. Suggest that they ask a nurse on the unit
  4. Say that patient information cannot be discussed
Show the answer

D. Say that patient information cannot be discussed

Even confirming that a person is a patient discloses protected health information without authorization. Information is shared only with those who need it to provide care or who are otherwise authorized.

Reference: HIPAA Privacy Rule: permitted uses and disclosures

What is the correct way to confirm the identity of an alert adult patient?

  1. Ask "Are you Mrs. Garcia?" and wait for the patient to nod
  2. Read the name on the door card and compare it to the order
  3. Ask the patient to state their full name and date of birth
  4. Ask the patient's roommate to confirm who the patient is
Show the answer

C. Ask the patient to state their full name and date of birth

The patient states the information and the phlebotomist compares it with the requisition and wristband. A yes or no question is unsafe because a confused, sleepy or hard-of-hearing patient may agree to any name.

Reference: CLSI GP41: patient identification

Exams this helps with

ExamWho runs itWhere
Phlebotomy technician (CPT) readyNHA, ASCPUnited States

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