PassPath
Exam guides that get you certified
Phlebotomy
The Complete Study Guide
NHA CPT Exam Prep • 2026
A friendly, plain-English walk-through — not a dry textbook
Color-coded tube cards & order-of-draw maps
Real anatomy diagrams + needle-angle & heel-stick guides
Tips, exam traps & real-world scenarios on every topic
6-week study plan and a night-before cram sheet
50 practice questions in 2 exams, every answer explained
Cut-out flashcards
Independent study aid. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
,PASSPATH • PHLEBOTOMY NHA CPT
Part 1 · Let's get you ready
Part 1 of 4
Welcome — here's how this works
You're about to learn everything the NHA CPT exam throws at you, minus the dense
textbook feel. We'll go topic by topic in plain English, point out the exact things examiners
love to test, and give you a practice exam to prove you're ready. Work through it once start
to finish, then come back to the cram sheet and flashcards in your final week.
START HERE
Work through Parts 1 and 2 once — about 60–75 minutes total, and totally fine to do in 5–10 minute bursts. Each
section shows how long it'll take, so you can always grab a quick win.
Then drill the cram sheet and flashcards, and finish with the two practice exams. Tick the boxes as you go —
momentum is the whole point.
What the exam looks like
Knowing the shape of the test takes a lot of the nerves away. Here's the quick version:
100 2 hrs ~75% ~32%
questions (80 scored + 20 to finish — about 70 typical first-time pass rate is venipuncture — the
unscored) seconds each biggest topic
TIP
You won't know which 20 questions are unscored practice items, so treat every single one like it counts. Never leave
a blank — there's no penalty for guessing.
Where the questions come from
Roughly how the exam splits its attention — study the big bars hardest:
Venipuncture ~32%
Processing ~18%
Safety & compliance ~17%
Capillary collection ~17%
Patient prep ~16%
Weightings are grouped and approximate — always glance at the current official NHA outline before test day.
© 2026 PassPath Page 1
, PASSPATH • PHLEBOTOMY NHA CPT
Your 6-week game plan
Week Focus By the end you can…
1 Tubes, additives & both orders of draw recite the order of draw without looking
2 Vein anatomy & the venipuncture steps talk through a full draw out loud
3 Capillary / heel sticks & special patients nail the heel-stick rules
4 Safety, infection control & compliance handle any sharps/PPE question
5 Handling, complications & errors take Practice Exam A
6 Review + cram sheet + flashcards score 80%+ on Practice Exam B
Part 2 · The stuff you need to know
Part 2 of 4
SECTION 1 OF 9 · ~4 MIN READ
Tubes & what's inside them
Every blood tube has a colored stopper that tells you what additive is inside — and the additive
decides what tests it can run. Get comfortable with these and a huge chunk of the exam takes
care of itself. Here they are as quick cards:
Light blue Red (plain)
Additive: Sodium citrate (3.2%) Additive: None / clot activator
Gives: Plasma Gives: Serum
Use it for: Coagulation — PT/INR, PTT Use it for: General chemistry, serology
Gold / SST Green
Additive: Clot activator + gel Additive: Heparin (Li/Na)
Gives: Serum Gives: Plasma
Use it for: Most chemistries, hormones Use it for: STAT electrolytes, ammonia
© 2026 PassPath Page 2
Exam guides that get you certified
Phlebotomy
The Complete Study Guide
NHA CPT Exam Prep • 2026
A friendly, plain-English walk-through — not a dry textbook
Color-coded tube cards & order-of-draw maps
Real anatomy diagrams + needle-angle & heel-stick guides
Tips, exam traps & real-world scenarios on every topic
6-week study plan and a night-before cram sheet
50 practice questions in 2 exams, every answer explained
Cut-out flashcards
Independent study aid. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
,PASSPATH • PHLEBOTOMY NHA CPT
Part 1 · Let's get you ready
Part 1 of 4
Welcome — here's how this works
You're about to learn everything the NHA CPT exam throws at you, minus the dense
textbook feel. We'll go topic by topic in plain English, point out the exact things examiners
love to test, and give you a practice exam to prove you're ready. Work through it once start
to finish, then come back to the cram sheet and flashcards in your final week.
START HERE
Work through Parts 1 and 2 once — about 60–75 minutes total, and totally fine to do in 5–10 minute bursts. Each
section shows how long it'll take, so you can always grab a quick win.
Then drill the cram sheet and flashcards, and finish with the two practice exams. Tick the boxes as you go —
momentum is the whole point.
What the exam looks like
Knowing the shape of the test takes a lot of the nerves away. Here's the quick version:
100 2 hrs ~75% ~32%
questions (80 scored + 20 to finish — about 70 typical first-time pass rate is venipuncture — the
unscored) seconds each biggest topic
TIP
You won't know which 20 questions are unscored practice items, so treat every single one like it counts. Never leave
a blank — there's no penalty for guessing.
Where the questions come from
Roughly how the exam splits its attention — study the big bars hardest:
Venipuncture ~32%
Processing ~18%
Safety & compliance ~17%
Capillary collection ~17%
Patient prep ~16%
Weightings are grouped and approximate — always glance at the current official NHA outline before test day.
© 2026 PassPath Page 1
, PASSPATH • PHLEBOTOMY NHA CPT
Your 6-week game plan
Week Focus By the end you can…
1 Tubes, additives & both orders of draw recite the order of draw without looking
2 Vein anatomy & the venipuncture steps talk through a full draw out loud
3 Capillary / heel sticks & special patients nail the heel-stick rules
4 Safety, infection control & compliance handle any sharps/PPE question
5 Handling, complications & errors take Practice Exam A
6 Review + cram sheet + flashcards score 80%+ on Practice Exam B
Part 2 · The stuff you need to know
Part 2 of 4
SECTION 1 OF 9 · ~4 MIN READ
Tubes & what's inside them
Every blood tube has a colored stopper that tells you what additive is inside — and the additive
decides what tests it can run. Get comfortable with these and a huge chunk of the exam takes
care of itself. Here they are as quick cards:
Light blue Red (plain)
Additive: Sodium citrate (3.2%) Additive: None / clot activator
Gives: Plasma Gives: Serum
Use it for: Coagulation — PT/INR, PTT Use it for: General chemistry, serology
Gold / SST Green
Additive: Clot activator + gel Additive: Heparin (Li/Na)
Gives: Serum Gives: Plasma
Use it for: Most chemistries, hormones Use it for: STAT electrolytes, ammonia
© 2026 PassPath Page 2
