MEDCA PHLEBOTOMY EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Work duties of a phlebotomist technician can be categorized into 4 categories - Answer
-Equipment
Procedure
Patient Care
Patient Information
Equipment - Answer -- phlebotomists must ensure that all equipment and areas used
are sterile
- equipment includes needles, bandages, gauzes, tubes, other
collection devices, as well as labels for tubes
- tracking supplies to ensure that proper amounts are always present - disposal of
needles and other used supplies
Procedure - Answer -- correct puncture or incision of patient's skin
- collecting the correct amount of blood or other fluids - correct labeling of collection
tubes/devices
- completing and submitting documents needed to lab
Patient Care - Answer -- reassuring patients, as some may have fear of needles
- being able to answer questions that patients may have
- verifying patient information to ensure accuracy of tests or procedure - monitoring
patient during procedure to prevent movement or fainting
Patient Information - Answer -- patients' rights must be respected
- keeping patients' medical records confidential
- accurate documentation of collection, ordered tests, and test results - providing
accurate documentation to the laboratory to ensure
performance of tests ordered by physician
Quality Improvement Methods - Answer -Include the use of data-based methods in
order to reach improvement
Include flow charts and pareto charts
,Flowchart - Answer -- used to break out components into diagrams in order to
understand a process
Pareto Chart - Answer -- bar charts are made that show the frequency of problems
What does quality improvement for specimen collection involve? - Answer -Technique
of Phlebotomist
Frequency of hematoma
Recollection Rates
What is included in quality control records - Answer -Expiration Date
Stability Information
Storage Information
Proper Use
Precision of testing supplies/reagents
Accuracy of testing supplies/reagents
Where can phlebotomists work? - Answer -Hospital
Clinic
Doctor's office
Laboratories
Blood Banks
Research Firms
Pharmaceutical Firms
Hospital - Answer -institution which provides medical and surgical treatment
Clinic - Answer -institution or hospital department focusing on diagnosis and care of
outpatients
Doctor's Office - Answer -suite/office where doctors receive and treat patients
Laboratory - Answer -building or room where tests are performed to evaluate specimens
in order to diagnose medical conditions
Blood Bank - Answer -institution where blood is collected from donors, and then stored
and prepared for transfusion
Research Firm - Answer -institution equipped for scientific/medical research that may
specialize in basic research or on specific areas
Pharmaceutical Firm - Answer -institution that develops and markets drugs for use as
medications
How must all needles be discarded? - Answer -intact
, What does it mean if an infection is classified as nosocomical - Answer -A patient
developed the infection while they were in the hospital that was not present before
entering the hospital
What is included in the chain of infection - Answer -source
susceptible host
poor isolation technique
Hygiene - Answer -wash hands with soap and water if they are visibly dirty
good hand-hygiene techniques reduce number of outbreaks of infections
hand washing is the single most important way to prevent spread of infection
Equipment used to control infections - Answer -gloves, masks, goggles, gowns, or coats
autoclaves (instruments for sterilizing under pressure)
Emergency Needle Stick Information - Answer -if exposed to blood due to a needle stick
or other sharp object, wash needle stick and cut with soap and water
flush mouth, eyes, and skin with water
report the incident to a supervisor
seek medical treatment
Blood Pressure - Answer -pressure exerted by circulating blood upon the walls of blood
vessels
Usually refers to the arterial pressure of systemic circulation
When does blood pressure decrease - Answer -decreases as the circulating blood
moves away from the heart through the arteries
Where does blood pressure drop most rapidly - Answer -along the small arteries and
arterioles
Decreases continuously as it moves through capillaries and back through veins to the
heart
What other factors can influence blood pressure in the body - Answer -valves in veins
Gravity
Pumping from contraction of skeletal muscles
How is blood pressure measured - Answer -Systolic (maximum) over diastolic (diastolic)
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Work duties of a phlebotomist technician can be categorized into 4 categories - Answer
-Equipment
Procedure
Patient Care
Patient Information
Equipment - Answer -- phlebotomists must ensure that all equipment and areas used
are sterile
- equipment includes needles, bandages, gauzes, tubes, other
collection devices, as well as labels for tubes
- tracking supplies to ensure that proper amounts are always present - disposal of
needles and other used supplies
Procedure - Answer -- correct puncture or incision of patient's skin
- collecting the correct amount of blood or other fluids - correct labeling of collection
tubes/devices
- completing and submitting documents needed to lab
Patient Care - Answer -- reassuring patients, as some may have fear of needles
- being able to answer questions that patients may have
- verifying patient information to ensure accuracy of tests or procedure - monitoring
patient during procedure to prevent movement or fainting
Patient Information - Answer -- patients' rights must be respected
- keeping patients' medical records confidential
- accurate documentation of collection, ordered tests, and test results - providing
accurate documentation to the laboratory to ensure
performance of tests ordered by physician
Quality Improvement Methods - Answer -Include the use of data-based methods in
order to reach improvement
Include flow charts and pareto charts
,Flowchart - Answer -- used to break out components into diagrams in order to
understand a process
Pareto Chart - Answer -- bar charts are made that show the frequency of problems
What does quality improvement for specimen collection involve? - Answer -Technique
of Phlebotomist
Frequency of hematoma
Recollection Rates
What is included in quality control records - Answer -Expiration Date
Stability Information
Storage Information
Proper Use
Precision of testing supplies/reagents
Accuracy of testing supplies/reagents
Where can phlebotomists work? - Answer -Hospital
Clinic
Doctor's office
Laboratories
Blood Banks
Research Firms
Pharmaceutical Firms
Hospital - Answer -institution which provides medical and surgical treatment
Clinic - Answer -institution or hospital department focusing on diagnosis and care of
outpatients
Doctor's Office - Answer -suite/office where doctors receive and treat patients
Laboratory - Answer -building or room where tests are performed to evaluate specimens
in order to diagnose medical conditions
Blood Bank - Answer -institution where blood is collected from donors, and then stored
and prepared for transfusion
Research Firm - Answer -institution equipped for scientific/medical research that may
specialize in basic research or on specific areas
Pharmaceutical Firm - Answer -institution that develops and markets drugs for use as
medications
How must all needles be discarded? - Answer -intact
, What does it mean if an infection is classified as nosocomical - Answer -A patient
developed the infection while they were in the hospital that was not present before
entering the hospital
What is included in the chain of infection - Answer -source
susceptible host
poor isolation technique
Hygiene - Answer -wash hands with soap and water if they are visibly dirty
good hand-hygiene techniques reduce number of outbreaks of infections
hand washing is the single most important way to prevent spread of infection
Equipment used to control infections - Answer -gloves, masks, goggles, gowns, or coats
autoclaves (instruments for sterilizing under pressure)
Emergency Needle Stick Information - Answer -if exposed to blood due to a needle stick
or other sharp object, wash needle stick and cut with soap and water
flush mouth, eyes, and skin with water
report the incident to a supervisor
seek medical treatment
Blood Pressure - Answer -pressure exerted by circulating blood upon the walls of blood
vessels
Usually refers to the arterial pressure of systemic circulation
When does blood pressure decrease - Answer -decreases as the circulating blood
moves away from the heart through the arteries
Where does blood pressure drop most rapidly - Answer -along the small arteries and
arterioles
Decreases continuously as it moves through capillaries and back through veins to the
heart
What other factors can influence blood pressure in the body - Answer -valves in veins
Gravity
Pumping from contraction of skeletal muscles
How is blood pressure measured - Answer -Systolic (maximum) over diastolic (diastolic)
