NHA Certified Phlebotomy Technician CPT
Exam National Healthcareer Association
Actual Exam 2026/2027 with Detailed
Rationales | Complete Exam-Style Questions
| Pass Guaranteed – A+ Graded
Section 1: Safety, Infection Control, & Standard Precautions
Q1: According to OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, which body substances must be treated
as potentially infectious under Standard Precautions?
A. Blood, saliva, and sweat only
B. All blood, body fluids, non-intact skin, and mucous membranes
C. Blood and semen only
D. Only fluids visibly containing blood
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The best answer is B. Under Standard Precautions, you treat all blood, body fluids,
non-intact skin, and mucous membranes as potentially infectious, which is why we use gloves and
other PPE for every patient interaction.
Q2: A patient in the emergency department has a productive cough and is suspected of having active
tuberculosis. What combination of precautions and PPE is required before entering the room to
perform a blood draw?
A. Droplet precautions with a surgical mask
B. Airborne precautions with an N95 respirator
C. Contact precautions with a gown and gloves
D. Standard precautions only with gloves
Correct Answer: B
,Rationale: The best answer is B. Tuberculosis requires Airborne precautions, so you need an N95
respirator or higher-level respiratory protection, along with Standard Precautions, before entering the
room.
Q3: What is the minimum recommended duration for handwashing with soap and water?
A. 10 seconds
B. 15 seconds
C. 20 seconds
D. 30 seconds
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The best answer is C. You should lather and scrub all hand surfaces for at least 20
seconds to effectively remove microorganisms, making sure to get between fingers, under nails, and
around the thumbs and wrists.
Q4: During a blood draw, you accidentally drop a tube, and blood spills onto the floor. What is the
correct first step in cleaning the spill?
A. Wipe the spill immediately with a paper towel
B. Cover the spill with paper towels and pour a 1:10 bleach solution over it
C. Spray disinfectant and immediately scrub the area
D. Call housekeeping and wait for them to arrive
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The best answer is B. You should first put on gloves, cover the spill with paper towels, and
then pour an EPA-registered disinfectant like a 1:10 bleach solution over the towels, letting it sit for
about 10 minutes before wiping up.
Q5: A sharps container should be disposed of and replaced when it reaches what level of fullness?
A. Completely full
B. One-half full
C. Three-quarters full
D. One-quarter full
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The best answer is C. Never let a sharps container get completely full; you should dispose
of it when it reaches three-quarters full to prevent needlestick injuries from overfilling.
, Q6: A patient has been diagnosed with Clostridioides difficile (C. diff). Which type of
Transmission-Based Precautions is required, and what is the most important PPE addition beyond
Standard Precautions?
A. Contact precautions with a gown and gloves
B. Droplet precautions with a surgical mask
C. Airborne precautions with an N95 respirator
D. Protective environment with a powered air-purifying respirator
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The best answer is A. C. diff requires Contact precautions because it spreads through
contact with contaminated surfaces and fecal matter, so you need a gown and gloves, and you must
perform hand hygiene with soap and water since alcohol-based rubs are not effective against C. diff
spores.
Q7: Which of the following is an acceptable exception to the "never recap a needle" rule?
A. Recapping using the two-handed scoop method when no sharps container is nearby
B. Recapping is never permitted under any circumstances
C. Using a one-handed scoop technique or a mechanical recapping device if required by facility policy
D. Recapping if the needle will be used again on the same patient
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The best answer is C. The general rule is never recap, but if your facility policy specifically
requires it for certain procedures, you must use a one-handed scoop method or a mechanical device
to minimize needlestick risk.
Q8: You are about to draw blood from a patient who is coughing frequently and has suspected
influenza. Which PPE should you wear in addition to gloves?
A. Only a face shield
B. A surgical mask and eye protection if splashing is anticipated
C. Only a gown
D. An N95 respirator alone
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The best answer is B. Influenza spreads by droplets, so you need a surgical mask to
protect against respiratory droplets, and you should add eye protection like goggles or a face shield if
there is any chance of blood splashing or spraying.
Q9: What is the primary difference between disinfection and sterilization?
A. Disinfection kills all microorganisms including spores, while sterilization kills only bacteria
Exam National Healthcareer Association
Actual Exam 2026/2027 with Detailed
Rationales | Complete Exam-Style Questions
| Pass Guaranteed – A+ Graded
Section 1: Safety, Infection Control, & Standard Precautions
Q1: According to OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, which body substances must be treated
as potentially infectious under Standard Precautions?
A. Blood, saliva, and sweat only
B. All blood, body fluids, non-intact skin, and mucous membranes
C. Blood and semen only
D. Only fluids visibly containing blood
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The best answer is B. Under Standard Precautions, you treat all blood, body fluids,
non-intact skin, and mucous membranes as potentially infectious, which is why we use gloves and
other PPE for every patient interaction.
Q2: A patient in the emergency department has a productive cough and is suspected of having active
tuberculosis. What combination of precautions and PPE is required before entering the room to
perform a blood draw?
A. Droplet precautions with a surgical mask
B. Airborne precautions with an N95 respirator
C. Contact precautions with a gown and gloves
D. Standard precautions only with gloves
Correct Answer: B
,Rationale: The best answer is B. Tuberculosis requires Airborne precautions, so you need an N95
respirator or higher-level respiratory protection, along with Standard Precautions, before entering the
room.
Q3: What is the minimum recommended duration for handwashing with soap and water?
A. 10 seconds
B. 15 seconds
C. 20 seconds
D. 30 seconds
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The best answer is C. You should lather and scrub all hand surfaces for at least 20
seconds to effectively remove microorganisms, making sure to get between fingers, under nails, and
around the thumbs and wrists.
Q4: During a blood draw, you accidentally drop a tube, and blood spills onto the floor. What is the
correct first step in cleaning the spill?
A. Wipe the spill immediately with a paper towel
B. Cover the spill with paper towels and pour a 1:10 bleach solution over it
C. Spray disinfectant and immediately scrub the area
D. Call housekeeping and wait for them to arrive
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The best answer is B. You should first put on gloves, cover the spill with paper towels, and
then pour an EPA-registered disinfectant like a 1:10 bleach solution over the towels, letting it sit for
about 10 minutes before wiping up.
Q5: A sharps container should be disposed of and replaced when it reaches what level of fullness?
A. Completely full
B. One-half full
C. Three-quarters full
D. One-quarter full
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The best answer is C. Never let a sharps container get completely full; you should dispose
of it when it reaches three-quarters full to prevent needlestick injuries from overfilling.
, Q6: A patient has been diagnosed with Clostridioides difficile (C. diff). Which type of
Transmission-Based Precautions is required, and what is the most important PPE addition beyond
Standard Precautions?
A. Contact precautions with a gown and gloves
B. Droplet precautions with a surgical mask
C. Airborne precautions with an N95 respirator
D. Protective environment with a powered air-purifying respirator
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The best answer is A. C. diff requires Contact precautions because it spreads through
contact with contaminated surfaces and fecal matter, so you need a gown and gloves, and you must
perform hand hygiene with soap and water since alcohol-based rubs are not effective against C. diff
spores.
Q7: Which of the following is an acceptable exception to the "never recap a needle" rule?
A. Recapping using the two-handed scoop method when no sharps container is nearby
B. Recapping is never permitted under any circumstances
C. Using a one-handed scoop technique or a mechanical recapping device if required by facility policy
D. Recapping if the needle will be used again on the same patient
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The best answer is C. The general rule is never recap, but if your facility policy specifically
requires it for certain procedures, you must use a one-handed scoop method or a mechanical device
to minimize needlestick risk.
Q8: You are about to draw blood from a patient who is coughing frequently and has suspected
influenza. Which PPE should you wear in addition to gloves?
A. Only a face shield
B. A surgical mask and eye protection if splashing is anticipated
C. Only a gown
D. An N95 respirator alone
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The best answer is B. Influenza spreads by droplets, so you need a surgical mask to
protect against respiratory droplets, and you should add eye protection like goggles or a face shield if
there is any chance of blood splashing or spraying.
Q9: What is the primary difference between disinfection and sterilization?
A. Disinfection kills all microorganisms including spores, while sterilization kills only bacteria
