ASCP BOC LATEST EXAM EVALUATION TEST
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔4) Preanalytical variables in laboratory testing include:
a. result accuracy
b. report delivery to the ordering physician
c. test turnaround time
d. specimen acceptability - ✔✔d (Preanalytical [i.e. pre-examination] variables include
all steps in the process prior to the analytic phase of testing, starting with the physician's
order. Examples include accuracy of transmission of physicians' orders, specimen
transport and preparation, requisition accuracy, quality of phlebotomy services,
specimen acceptability rates, etc. This list is neither all-inclusive nor exclusive. The
variables chosen should be appropriate to the laboratory's scope of care.)
✔✔5) The first procedure to be followed if the blood gas instrument is out-of-control for
all parameters is:
a. recalibrate, then repeat control
b. repeat control on the next shift
c. replace electrodes, then repeat control
d. report patient results after duplicate testing - ✔✔a (If multiple controls are out of
range and the instrument and reagents are verified, recalibration or calibration
verification is required before subsequent control analysis.)
,✔✔10) The mean value of a series of hemoglobin controls was found to be 15.2 g/dL,
and the standard deviation was calculated at 0.20. Acceptable control range for the
laboratory is +/- 2 standard deviations. Which of the following represents the allowable
limits for the control?
a. 14.5 - 15.5 g/dL
b. 15.0 - 15.4 g/dL
c. 15.2 - 15.6 g/dL
d. 14.8 - 15.6 g.dL - ✔✔d (Standard deviation is a measure of the dispersion of data
around the mean.)
✔✔12) Upon completion of a run of cholesterol tests, the technician recognizes that the
controls are not within the 2 standard deviations confidence range. What is the
appropriate course of action?
a. report the results without any other action
b. run a new set of controls
c. run a new set of controls and repeat specimens
d. recalibrate instrument and run controls - ✔✔c (Repeating a QC measurement on a
new sample of QC material may establish that the alert was caused by a deteriorated
QC material rather than a method problem.)
✔✔13) The following data was calculated on a series of 30 determinations of serum uric
acid control:
mean=5.8 mg/dL, 1 standard deviation = 0.15 mg/dL. If the confidence limits are set at
=-2 standard deviations, which of the following represents the allowable limits for the
control?
a. 5.65 - 5.95 mg/dL
b. 5.35 - 6.25 mg/dL
c. 5.50 - 6.10 mg/dL
d. 5.70 - 5.90 mg/dL - ✔✔c (Standard deviation is a measure of the dispersion of data
around the mean.)
✔✔14) An index of precision is statistically known as the:
a. median
b. mean
c. standard deviation
d. coefficient of variation - ✔✔d (Precision is the closeness of agreement among
replicate measurements, or reproducibility. The coefficient of variation, a more useful
measure of reproducibility, is the measure of relative random error expressed as a
percentage.)
✔✔15) The term used to describe reproducibility is:
a. sensitivity
b. specificity
c. accuracy
,d. precision - ✔✔d (Precision is the reproducibility of analytical results, or the degree to
which results of multiple analyses of the same specimen agree.)
✔✔16) The ability of a procedure to measure only the component it claims to measure
is called:
a. specificity
b. sensitivity
c. precision
d. reproducibility - ✔✔a (Specificity is defined as negativity in the absence of disease.)
✔✔17) The extent to which measurements agree with the true value of the quantity
being measured is known as:
a. reliability
b. accuracy
c. reproducibility
d. precision - ✔✔b (Accuracy or trueness is the closeness of agreement with the true
value.)
✔✔18) Diagnostic specificity is defined as the percentage of individuals:
a. with a given disease who have a positive result by a given test
b. without a given disease who have a negative result by a give test.
c. with a given disease who have a negative result by a given test
d. without a given disease who have a positive result by a given test - ✔✔b (Specificity
is defined as negativity in the absence of disease.)
✔✔20) Employees are guaranteed the right to engage in self-organization and
collection bargaining through representatives of their choice, or to refrain from these
activities by which of the following?
a. Civil Rights Act
b. Freedom of Information Act
c. Clinical Laboratory Improvements Act
d. National Labor Relations Act - ✔✔d (National Labor Relations Act [NLRA] includes
the right to form or join unions, freedom to bargain collectively with the employer and
the right to engage in group activity.)
✔✔21) Which of the following organizations was formed to encourage the voluntary
attainment of uniformly high standards in institutional medical care?
a. Centers for Disease Control
b. Health Care Finance Administration
c. The Joint Commission
d. Federal Drug Administration - ✔✔c (JCAHO sets standards by which healthcare is
measured and accredits institutions and laboratories worldwide.)
✔✔22) The process by which an agency or organization uses predetermined standards
to evaluate and recognize a program of study in an institution is called:
, a. regulation
b. licensure
c. accreditation
d. credentialing - ✔✔c (Accreditation is the approval of an institution or program based
on a review by one or more independent examiners that specific requirements or
predetermined standards are met.)
✔✔23) CLIA was established to provide oversight to:
a. research labs
b. point of care testing by nonlaboratory personnel
c. CAP-accredited labs
d. any lab performing patient testing - ✔✔d (CLIA was established to ensure quality
standards for laboratory testing.)
✔✔27) CAP requires refrigerator temperature to be recorded:
a. daily
b. weekly
c. monthly
d. periodically - ✔✔a ("GEN 41042: Are refrigerator/freezer temperatures checked and
recorded daily?")
✔✔28) A paper or electronic report of lab results must include:
a. the name of the person who collected the specimen
b. the test price
c. a pathologist's signature
d. the name and address of the testing laboratory - ✔✔d ("GEN 41096: Does the paper
or electronic report include the following elements? 1. Name and address of testing
laboratory[see note below] 2. Patient name and identification number, or unique patient
identifier 3. Name of physician of record, or legally authorized person ordering test, as
appropriate 4. Date and time of specimen collection, when appropriate 5. Date of
release of report [if not on the report, this information should be readily accessible] 6.
Time of release of report, if applicable [if not on the report, this information should be
readily accessible] 7. Specimen source, when applicable 8. Test result[s] [and units of
measurement, when applicable] 9. Reference intervals, as applicable [see note below]
10. Conditions of specimen that may limit adequacy of testing.")
✔✔29) CAP requires that glassware cleaning practices include periodic testing for:
a. chemical residues
b. silicates
c. detergents
d. heavy metals - ✔✔c ("GEN 41770: Are there appropriate documented procedures for
handling and cleaning glassware, including methods for testing for detergent removal?")
✔✔31) HIPAA is a federal law that requires:
a. confidentiality of patient's health care information between 2 organizations
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔4) Preanalytical variables in laboratory testing include:
a. result accuracy
b. report delivery to the ordering physician
c. test turnaround time
d. specimen acceptability - ✔✔d (Preanalytical [i.e. pre-examination] variables include
all steps in the process prior to the analytic phase of testing, starting with the physician's
order. Examples include accuracy of transmission of physicians' orders, specimen
transport and preparation, requisition accuracy, quality of phlebotomy services,
specimen acceptability rates, etc. This list is neither all-inclusive nor exclusive. The
variables chosen should be appropriate to the laboratory's scope of care.)
✔✔5) The first procedure to be followed if the blood gas instrument is out-of-control for
all parameters is:
a. recalibrate, then repeat control
b. repeat control on the next shift
c. replace electrodes, then repeat control
d. report patient results after duplicate testing - ✔✔a (If multiple controls are out of
range and the instrument and reagents are verified, recalibration or calibration
verification is required before subsequent control analysis.)
,✔✔10) The mean value of a series of hemoglobin controls was found to be 15.2 g/dL,
and the standard deviation was calculated at 0.20. Acceptable control range for the
laboratory is +/- 2 standard deviations. Which of the following represents the allowable
limits for the control?
a. 14.5 - 15.5 g/dL
b. 15.0 - 15.4 g/dL
c. 15.2 - 15.6 g/dL
d. 14.8 - 15.6 g.dL - ✔✔d (Standard deviation is a measure of the dispersion of data
around the mean.)
✔✔12) Upon completion of a run of cholesterol tests, the technician recognizes that the
controls are not within the 2 standard deviations confidence range. What is the
appropriate course of action?
a. report the results without any other action
b. run a new set of controls
c. run a new set of controls and repeat specimens
d. recalibrate instrument and run controls - ✔✔c (Repeating a QC measurement on a
new sample of QC material may establish that the alert was caused by a deteriorated
QC material rather than a method problem.)
✔✔13) The following data was calculated on a series of 30 determinations of serum uric
acid control:
mean=5.8 mg/dL, 1 standard deviation = 0.15 mg/dL. If the confidence limits are set at
=-2 standard deviations, which of the following represents the allowable limits for the
control?
a. 5.65 - 5.95 mg/dL
b. 5.35 - 6.25 mg/dL
c. 5.50 - 6.10 mg/dL
d. 5.70 - 5.90 mg/dL - ✔✔c (Standard deviation is a measure of the dispersion of data
around the mean.)
✔✔14) An index of precision is statistically known as the:
a. median
b. mean
c. standard deviation
d. coefficient of variation - ✔✔d (Precision is the closeness of agreement among
replicate measurements, or reproducibility. The coefficient of variation, a more useful
measure of reproducibility, is the measure of relative random error expressed as a
percentage.)
✔✔15) The term used to describe reproducibility is:
a. sensitivity
b. specificity
c. accuracy
,d. precision - ✔✔d (Precision is the reproducibility of analytical results, or the degree to
which results of multiple analyses of the same specimen agree.)
✔✔16) The ability of a procedure to measure only the component it claims to measure
is called:
a. specificity
b. sensitivity
c. precision
d. reproducibility - ✔✔a (Specificity is defined as negativity in the absence of disease.)
✔✔17) The extent to which measurements agree with the true value of the quantity
being measured is known as:
a. reliability
b. accuracy
c. reproducibility
d. precision - ✔✔b (Accuracy or trueness is the closeness of agreement with the true
value.)
✔✔18) Diagnostic specificity is defined as the percentage of individuals:
a. with a given disease who have a positive result by a given test
b. without a given disease who have a negative result by a give test.
c. with a given disease who have a negative result by a given test
d. without a given disease who have a positive result by a given test - ✔✔b (Specificity
is defined as negativity in the absence of disease.)
✔✔20) Employees are guaranteed the right to engage in self-organization and
collection bargaining through representatives of their choice, or to refrain from these
activities by which of the following?
a. Civil Rights Act
b. Freedom of Information Act
c. Clinical Laboratory Improvements Act
d. National Labor Relations Act - ✔✔d (National Labor Relations Act [NLRA] includes
the right to form or join unions, freedom to bargain collectively with the employer and
the right to engage in group activity.)
✔✔21) Which of the following organizations was formed to encourage the voluntary
attainment of uniformly high standards in institutional medical care?
a. Centers for Disease Control
b. Health Care Finance Administration
c. The Joint Commission
d. Federal Drug Administration - ✔✔c (JCAHO sets standards by which healthcare is
measured and accredits institutions and laboratories worldwide.)
✔✔22) The process by which an agency or organization uses predetermined standards
to evaluate and recognize a program of study in an institution is called:
, a. regulation
b. licensure
c. accreditation
d. credentialing - ✔✔c (Accreditation is the approval of an institution or program based
on a review by one or more independent examiners that specific requirements or
predetermined standards are met.)
✔✔23) CLIA was established to provide oversight to:
a. research labs
b. point of care testing by nonlaboratory personnel
c. CAP-accredited labs
d. any lab performing patient testing - ✔✔d (CLIA was established to ensure quality
standards for laboratory testing.)
✔✔27) CAP requires refrigerator temperature to be recorded:
a. daily
b. weekly
c. monthly
d. periodically - ✔✔a ("GEN 41042: Are refrigerator/freezer temperatures checked and
recorded daily?")
✔✔28) A paper or electronic report of lab results must include:
a. the name of the person who collected the specimen
b. the test price
c. a pathologist's signature
d. the name and address of the testing laboratory - ✔✔d ("GEN 41096: Does the paper
or electronic report include the following elements? 1. Name and address of testing
laboratory[see note below] 2. Patient name and identification number, or unique patient
identifier 3. Name of physician of record, or legally authorized person ordering test, as
appropriate 4. Date and time of specimen collection, when appropriate 5. Date of
release of report [if not on the report, this information should be readily accessible] 6.
Time of release of report, if applicable [if not on the report, this information should be
readily accessible] 7. Specimen source, when applicable 8. Test result[s] [and units of
measurement, when applicable] 9. Reference intervals, as applicable [see note below]
10. Conditions of specimen that may limit adequacy of testing.")
✔✔29) CAP requires that glassware cleaning practices include periodic testing for:
a. chemical residues
b. silicates
c. detergents
d. heavy metals - ✔✔c ("GEN 41770: Are there appropriate documented procedures for
handling and cleaning glassware, including methods for testing for detergent removal?")
✔✔31) HIPAA is a federal law that requires:
a. confidentiality of patient's health care information between 2 organizations
