Most Missed Phlebotomy Questions
These are the Phlebotomy practice questions that people on Tigertest get wrong most often, from the answers of 22 people. Each one shows the share who missed it, the right answer and why.
Updated by the Tigertest team. Weighted to the NHA CPT test plan. Order of draw and technique follow CLSI GP41 and GP42.
50% of people missed this (52 answers)
1. A phlebotomist asks which federal agency enforces the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard that requires employers to protect workers from blood exposure. Which agency is it?
- A.Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- B.Occupational Safety and Health Administration
- C.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- D.Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI)
Answer: B. OSHA enforces workplace safety law, including the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030). The CDC publishes infection control guidelines but does not enforce workplace regulations.
48% of people missed this (50 answers)
2. A hospital surveyor checks whether phlebotomists use two patient identifiers, as required by the National Patient Safety Goals. Which organization publishes these goals?
- A.College of American Pathologists
- B.Food and Drug Administration
- C.National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
- D.The Joint Commission
Answer: D. The Joint Commission accredits hospitals and publishes the National Patient Safety Goals, which include using two identifiers and reporting critical results promptly. CAP accredits laboratories but does not issue these goals.
49% of people missed this (49 answers)
3. Which agency researches workplace hazards such as needlestick injuries and certifies N95 respirators but does not enforce workplace regulations?
- A.NIOSH
- B.The Joint Commission
- C.OSHA
- D.CMS
Answer: A. NIOSH, part of the CDC, conducts research, makes safety recommendations and certifies respirators. OSHA is the agency that enforces workplace rules.
42% of people missed this (53 answers)
4. A phlebotomist collects blood for a CBC. Why is EDTA the additive used for this test?
- A.It inhibits glycolysis to stabilize cell counts
- B.It forms a gel barrier
- C.It preserves blood cell morphology
- D.It speeds clotting so serum separates
Answer: C. EDTA chelates calcium to prevent clotting while preserving blood cell morphology, which hematology counts and smears require. Inhibiting glycolysis is the job of sodium fluoride in the gray tube.
44% of people missed this (48 answers)
5. What is the purpose of the rubber sleeve over the back end of a multisample needle?
- A.It keeps the front bevel sterile until insertion
- B.It controls the vacuum strength inside each tube
- C.It prevents leaks between tubes
- D.It locks the needle into the holder
Answer: C. The sleeve slides back when a tube is pushed on and closes over the needle when the tube is removed, so blood does not leak while tubes are changed. The vacuum is set by the tube itself, not by the sleeve.
Tigertest tracks the 50 most-missed Phlebotomy questions. These are the top 5; the full list is the Common Mistakes tab of your stats page.
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