2026 Actual NHA Phlebotomy-Technician Dumps, Updated Exam Questions for Guaranteed Pass

Phlebotomy-Technician free sample questions and answers

NHA Phlebotomy-Technician practice quiz with correct answers for search indexing.

1. Question 1

   A phlebotomist is collecting blood from a patient with small fragile veins. Which of the following devices is most appropriate?

   AWinged infusion set
   

   B16-gauge needle
   

   CBlood culture bottle adapter only
   

   DLancet for venous collection
   

   Correct answer: A

   A winged infusion set is most appropriate for a patient with small fragile veins. Butterfly devices provide better control, flexible tubing, and a shallower insertion angle, making them useful for hand veins, pediatric patients, geriatric patients, or difficult venous access. A 16-gauge needle is too large for routine diagnostic venipuncture and would likely damage fragile veins. A blood culture bottle adapter is used for blood culture collection but does not solve the problem of fragile vein access by itself. A lancet is used for dermal puncture, not venous collection, and may not provide the volume or specimen type required for ordered venipuncture tests. When using a winged infusion set, the phlebotomist should anchor the vein carefully, insert bevel up at a low angle, stabilize the device, monitor for infiltration, and activate the safety mechanism immediately after withdrawal. Equipment selection is a clinical safety decision, not a convenience choice. Reference topics: Routine Blood Collections; winged infusion set; fragile veins; equipment selection; venipuncture technique.

   
   

2. Question 2

   Which of the following is the life span of an erythrocyte?

   A160 days
   

   B14 days
   

   C80 days
   

   D120 days
   

   Correct answer: D

   The life span of an erythrocyte, or red blood cell, is approximately 120 days. Erythrocytes are specialized cells that transport oxygen through hemoglobin and support carbon dioxide transport from tissues back to the lungs. Because mature erythrocytes lack nuclei and many organelles, they cannot repair themselves indefinitely; they gradually lose membrane flexibility and are removed primarily by the spleen and reticuloendothelial system. A 14-day lifespan is far too short for normal red blood cells and is more consistent with certain abnormal disease states or other cellular turnover concepts. Eighty days and 160 days are not the standard lifespan used in basic hematology. This knowledge matters in phlebotomy because blood collection, CBC interpretation context, hemolysis awareness, and specimen quality all depend on understanding blood components. The phlebotomist is not diagnosing anemia or hemolytic disease, but must understand formed elements and their general characteristics. Reference topics: Phlebotomy Fundamentals; blood composition; erythrocytes; hematology basics; CBC-related concepts. MedlinePlus states that red blood cells live about 120 days.

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3. Question 3

   A phlebotomist notices that an outpatient appears confused and cannot state their date of birth. Which of the following actions should the phlebotomist take?

   AProceed using the requisition only.
   

   BAsk the patient to guess their date of birth.
   

   CUse an approved alternate identification process.
   

   DLabel the specimen after returning to the laboratory.
   

   Correct answer: C

   The phlebotomist should use an approved alternate identification process. If a patient cannot reliably state their date of birth because of confusion, cognitive impairment, language barrier, or illness, the technician must follow facility policy for identification. This may involve a caregiver, legal guardian, identification band, photo identification, nurse verification, or other approved method depending on the setting. Proceeding using the requisition only is unsafe because the requisition is not the patient. Asking the patient to guess is obviously unreliable and creates wrong-patient risk. Labeling the specimen later in the laboratory is also unsafe because labeling must occur immediately after collection in the patient's presence or according to strict facility procedure. Accurate patient identification is the first major defense against specimen mislabeling, wrong diagnosis, wrong treatment, and patient harm. The phlebotomist must not improvise identity verification just to keep workflow moving. Reference topics: Patient Preparation; patient identification; alternate identification; outpatient collection; specimen labeling.

   
   

4. Question 4

   A phlebotomist is preparing to collect a CBC and a basic metabolic panel using evacuated tubes. Which of the following tubes should the phlebotomist collect first?

   ALavender-top tube
   

   BGreen-top tube
   

   CGray-top tube
   

   DYellow SPS tube
   

   Correct answer: B

   For a CBC and basic metabolic panel, the green-top tube should be collected before the lavender-top tube when following the standard order of draw after sterile/blood culture tubes and coagulation tubes. A basic metabolic panel is commonly collected in a green-top heparin tube or serum tube depending on facility protocol, while a CBC requires a lavender-top EDTA tube. Additive carryover is the key concept. EDTA from a lavender tube can contaminate later specimens and falsely elevate potassium while lowering calcium because EDTA binds calcium. This makes lavender-top collection before chemistry specimens technically unsafe when chemistry testing is also ordered. Gray-top tubes are generally used for glucose or lactate testing and are collected later. Yellow SPS tubes are used for blood cultures and would be collected first only if blood cultures were ordered. The phlebotomist must know order of draw, tube additives, and the clinical consequence of additive contamination. Reference topics: Routine Blood Collections; order of draw; tube additives; CBC; chemistry specimen collection.

   
   

5. Question 5

   Which of the following should a phlebotomist do if a specimen must remain warm during transport?

   APlace it directly on ice.
   

   BUse a heel warmer or approved warming device according to policy.
   

   CRefrigerate it immediately.
   

   DLeave it near a sunny window.
   

   Correct answer: B

   If a specimen must remain warm during transport, the phlebotomist should use an approved warming device according to facility policy. Some tests, such as cold agglutinin-related specimens or specific specialized assays, may require warm handling to prevent analyte or cellular changes. Placing the specimen on ice or refrigerating it would violate warm-transport requirements and could compromise results. Leaving it near a sunny window is uncontrolled, unsafe, and may expose the specimen to light or excessive heat. Temperature requirements must be controlled and documented when required. The phlebotomist should not improvise with unapproved heat sources because overheating can also damage specimens. Proper specimen handling means knowing whether the specimen should be transported at room temperature, chilled, frozen, protected from light, or kept warm. Failure to follow special handling instructions creates preanalytical error and may require recollection. Reference topics: Processing Specimens; warm specimens; transport requirements; temperature control; specimen integrity.