National Certified Phlebotomy Technician Exam Prep
Free practice questions

Free NCPT Practice Questions

10 exam-style questions with answers and explanations, straight from our 1,030-question bank. Tap an answer to check yourself. When you're ready, take the scored version in the free practice test.

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The NCPT exam has 125 questions and runs 3 hours.

These 10 free NCPT questions are organized by exam domain, so you can see how each part of the National Certified Phlebotomy Technician blueprint is tested. Reveal the answer and explanation under each question.

Domain 1: Infection Control and Safety

Question 1

A phlebotomist completes a draw on a patient in airborne isolation. In which order should personal protective equipment be removed?

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Correct answer: B - Gloves, goggles, gown, then respirator

Question 2

Under the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, which of the following is an example of an engineering control?

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Correct answer: C - A puncture-resistant sharps disposal container

Question 3

After removing gloves used to collect a specimen from a patient with Clostridioides difficile infection, an alcohol-based hand rub provides adequate hand hygiene.

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Correct answer: B - False

Domain 2: Preparing for Specimen Collection

Question 4

A blood specimen is ordered for a legal blood alcohol determination. Which antiseptic should be used to cleanse the venipuncture site?

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Correct answer: D - Aqueous benzalkonium chloride

Question 5

An alert outpatient arrives for a scheduled blood draw. Which action correctly identifies the patient before collection?

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Correct answer: A - Have the patient state their full name and date of birth

Question 6

The median cubital vein cannot be palpated in either arm. The most prominent vessel is on the medial aspect of the antecubital fossa. What should the phlebotomist do?

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Correct answer: B - Locate the cephalic vein on the lateral aspect of the arm

Question 7

A CBC must be collected from a 4-year-old child whose only accessible veins are on the dorsum of the hand. Which device is MOST appropriate?

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Correct answer: C - 23-gauge winged infusion set

Question 8

Which additive prevents coagulation by binding calcium and best preserves cell morphology for a complete blood count?

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Correct answer: D - K2EDTA

Domain 3: Specimen Collection

Question 9

A patient requires a blood culture, a PT/INR, a basic metabolic panel (gold SST), and a CBC. In which order should the tubes be collected?

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Correct answer: A - Blood culture, light blue, gold SST, lavender

Question 10

During a capillary puncture, the EDTA microcollection container is filled before the other additive and serum containers. Why?

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Correct answer: B - Capillary blood clots rapidly, and delay causes platelet clumping

The rest of the NCPT blueprint

The NCPT exam also covers these domains. Drill them in the full free practice test:

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