Phlebotomy Plan

Patient Preparation: practice questions

4 original questions · 4 editor-approved · every choice explained.

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Blueprint-mapped questions with full rationales for every choice.

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Patient PreparationDifficulty 3/5

What is the correct way to positively identify an inpatient before a draw?

  1. AConfirm the room and bed number against the requisition before approaching
  2. BAsk the nurse on duty to confirm the identity of the patient being drawn
  3. CAsk the patient to state their identifiers and match them to the requisition
  4. DRead the name from the wristband and ask the patient to confirm it is correct
Show answer and rationale

Correct: C. The patient states their own identifiers and you match them; that is what makes the identification positive. Reading a name and inviting agreement lets a confused or hard-of-hearing patient assent to the wrong one.

  • D — Asking a patient to confirm a name you supplied invites a false yes rather than testing identity.
  • A — Room and bed numbers change and are not patient identifiers.
  • B — Delegating identification does not satisfy the phlebotomist's own verification obligation.
Patient PreparationDifficulty 3/5

A patient with dementia cannot give verbal or expressed consent. What does the test plan require?

  1. AProceed on the basis of implied consent because the patient is hospitalised
  2. BAsk another member of staff to witness and countersign the requisition
  3. CPostpone the draw indefinitely until the patient regains full capacity
  4. DObtain permission from the legal guardian before proceeding with the draw
Show answer and rationale

Correct: D. Task 2G requires obtaining permission from a legal guardian when the patient cannot give verbal or expressed consent, naming children and patients with dementia or mental disabilities.

  • A — Implied consent does not substitute for guardian permission where capacity is absent.
  • B — A staff witness does not supply the consent that the guardian is required to give.
  • C — Postponing indefinitely denies necessary care rather than following the consent pathway.
Patient PreparationDifficulty 3/5

A patient has an arteriovenous fistula in the left arm. How does this affect site selection?

  1. AThe fistula arm is avoided and an alternative site is assessed instead
  2. BThe fistula arm is used below the fistula to avoid disturbing it directly
  3. CThe fistula arm is used with a smaller gauge needle than would be usual
  4. DThe fistula arm is used only when the tourniquet is applied above it
Show answer and rationale

Correct: A. Knowledge statement k49 lists the presence of fistulas among the special considerations affecting collection, and task 2O requires site determination against CLSI standards to minimise patient risk.

  • B — Drawing anywhere in the fistula limb risks the access the patient depends on.
  • C — Needle gauge does not make the fistula limb an acceptable site.
  • D — Applying a tourniquet to a fistula limb is itself contraindicated.
Patient PreparationDifficulty 2/5

A patient scheduled for a fasting test admits to eating breakfast. What does task 2K require?

  1. AAsk the patient to wait two hours and then draw the fasting specimen
  2. BVerify the non-compliance and proceed accordingly, including reporting it
  3. CDraw the specimen as ordered and allow the laboratory to interpret it
  4. DReschedule the patient without recording the reason for the change
Show answer and rationale

Correct: B. Task 2K is to verify compliance with testing requirements and proceed accordingly. Drawing silently, or rescheduling silently, both remove information the interpreting clinician needs.

  • C — Drawing without flagging it leaves the result to be read as though the patient had fasted.
  • D — Rescheduling without recording the reason loses the same information.
  • A — A two-hour wait does not restore a basal state and is not the prescribed response.

Primary references

  1. NHA Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) — Test Plan for the CPT Exam — National Healthcareer Association (NHA) · primary · retrieved 2026-09-22, verified 2026-09-22