Certified Phlebotomy Technician Special Specimen Collections Questions and Answers

Question 1

A phlebotomist needs to collect a specimen for a cold agglutinin test. Which of the following represents the correct handling procedure for this type of sample?

Accepted Answer

Collect the specimen in a tube that has been warmed to 37°C and keep it at body temperature until tested.

Answer

Place the specimen on a slurry of ice and water immediately after collection.

Answer

Use a standard red-top tube and allow it to cool to room temperature before transport.

Answer

Wrap the collection tube in aluminum foil to protect it from light.

Question 2

A phlebotomist is collecting a blood specimen for a legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) test. Which of the following is a critical step in this procedure?

Accepted Answer

Follow a strict chain-of-custody documentation protocol.

Answer

Clean the venipuncture site with 70% isopropyl alcohol.

Answer

Use a gray-top tube containing sodium fluoride.

Answer

Ask the patient to sign a consent form after the collection is complete.

Question 3

When performing a blood culture collection, which action is most effective in minimizing the risk of contamination from skin flora?

Accepted Answer

Scrubbing the site with an appropriate antiseptic and allowing it to fully air-dry.

Answer

Inoculating the anaerobic bottle before the aerobic bottle.

Answer

Using a winged infusion set with a discard tube.

Answer

Applying the tourniquet for less than one minute.

Question 4

A phlebotomist is collecting a sample for newborn screening on a filter paper card. Which of the following actions would be grounds for specimen rejection?

Accepted Answer

Applying successive drops of blood to fill a single circle.

Answer

Wiping away the first drop of blood after the heel puncture.

Answer

Allowing the blood spots to air-dry in a horizontal position for three hours.

Answer

Touching the filter paper to a large, free-flowing drop of blood.

Question 5

A patient is scheduled for a glucose tolerance test (GTT). After the fasting blood sample is collected, the patient is given a glucose beverage and instructed to finish it within 5 minutes. What is the phlebotomist's MOST important responsibility regarding the timing of the subsequent draws?

Accepted Answer

Record the time the patient finishes the beverage and collect subsequent samples at the specified intervals from that time.

Answer

Start the timer as soon as the patient begins drinking the glucose beverage.

Answer

Collect the next sample exactly one hour after the fasting draw was completed.

Answer

Adjust the collection times based on how quickly the patient feels the effects of the glucose.

Question 6

Which of the following tests requires the specimen to be protected from light immediately after collection?

Accepted Answer

Bilirubin

Answer

Lactic Acid

Answer

Ammonia

Answer

Cold Agglutinin