Patient Preparation — Phlebotomy Technician Practice Test

This Phlebotomy Technician Patient Preparation practice set has 60 practice questions based on the official exam materials, each with an instant explanation.

Sample questions

Three questions from the Patient Preparation bank with the correct answer and an explanation. The practice quiz above draws 30 questions at random from the same bank.

1. A test order marked "STAT" means the specimen must be:

   • Collected and processed immediately, ahead of routine orders — Correct answer
   • Collected at a specific pre-scheduled time only
   • Collected only after the patient has fasted 12 hours
   • Collected whenever the phlebotomist has free time

   Explanation: STAT (from Latin "statim," meaning immediately) orders are life-threatening or urgent and must be prioritized ahead of routine and timed orders. (Source: standard phlebotomy practice, order-priority conventions)

   Handbook: Patient Preparation — Orders and Requisitions

2. A "timed" test order (for example, a 2-hour postprandial glucose) differs from a routine order because:

   • It must be collected at a specific clock time related to an event — Correct answer
   • It never requires patient identification
   • It can be collected any time within 24 hours
   • It does not need to be documented on the requisition

   Explanation: Timed orders are tied to a specific clock time (e.g., 2 hours after a meal, or a medication peak/trough), so collecting outside that window produces an inaccurate result. (Source: standard phlebotomy practice, timed-specimen collection principles)

   Handbook: Patient Preparation — Orders and Requisitions

3. Which of the following is a REQUIRED field on a laboratory test requisition?

   • Patient full name and date of birth — Correct answer
   • Patient's employer
   • Patient's marital status
   • Patient's preferred pharmacy

   Explanation: A valid requisition must include patient demographics (name, date of birth), the ordering physician, the tests ordered, the date/time, and priority level so the specimen can be correctly matched to the patient and the order. (Source: standard phlebotomy practice, requisition-content requirements)

   Handbook: Patient Preparation — Orders and Requisitions