How to Pass the NHA® Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) Certification Test the First Time: The Ultimate NHA CPT® Study Guide

 Table of Contents

1. Why you should take the NHA CPT® certification?
2. Eligibility Requirements Before Taking the Exam
3. Understanding the NHA CPT® Exam Structure
4. Must know topics (direct from test takers)
5. The three most common studying mistakes while using an NHA CPT Study Guide (and how to avoid them)
6. Retaking the Certified Phlebotomy Technician Exam
7. You Can Use Your CPT Credentials By Following Ways
8. FAQs

Why you should take the NHA CPT® certification?

A phlebotomy technician certification test is a test that assesses the knowledge of a potential phlebotomy technician who wants to become certified. If you pass the test, you’ll receive a phlebotomy technician certification (similar to how a physician has an MD certification).

Getting certified as a phlebotomy technician opens up career opportunities in the healthcare field. 

Certification demonstrates to employers that you have the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to perform the job successfully. It also shows your commitment to professional development and excellence. 

With certification, you are more competitive in the job market and have access to higher wages and better benefits. 

Ultimately, certification will give you the confidence and recognition needed to excel in your career as a phlebotomy technician.

Eligibility Requirements Before Taking the Exam

• Eligibility requirements:
  
  • Category 1: Completed a phlebotomy technician training or education program within the last 5 years
    
  • Category 2: 1 year of supervised work experience in a phlebotomy technician field within the last 3 years; or 2 years of supervised work experience in a phlebotomy technician field within the last 5 years

Understanding the NHA CPT® Exam Structure

If you’re preparing to take the NHA-certified phlebotomy technician exam, it’s essential to comprehend its unique structure and content. The exam consists of five topics, each focusing on specific aspects crucial for a phlebotomy technician’s competency.

1. Safety and Compliance

The first section of the phlebotomy technician certification test is safety and compliance, which makes up 25% of the exam. This topic is all about safe practice and complying with the various guidelines and standards that are established for phlebotomists.

2. Patient Preparation

The second section is patient preparation, which makes up 23% of the exam. And this really is about all of the patient preparation steps that come prior to performing blood collection, like patient identification and pre-procedure instructions.

3. Routine Blood Collections

This section represents 30% of the exam and is the most extensive section. It focuses on routine blood collections, addressing various collection methods, sites, and equipment. This topic is all about the steps, procedures, and protocols associated with venipuncture as well as capillary puncture, which are the two main forms of blood collection.

4. Special Collections

This section represents 7% of the exam and is about special types of blood collections, like peripheral blood smears or blood cultures, and the collection of non-blood specimens like semen or urine collection.

5. Processing

The final section is 15% of the exam. This refers to all of the things that happen after we’ve collected the blood like processing and transportation of the specimen.

• Format of the NHA CPT® test: Multiple choice
• Number of questions: 120 (100 scored, 20 are pre-test and not scored)
• Topics:
  • Safety and Compliance: 25 questions (25% of the exam)
    • Adhere to workplace safety regulations.
    • Follow operational standards.
    • Comply with HIPAA regulations.
    • Maintain ethical standards in phlebotomy.
    • Perform laboratory equipment quality control.
    • Conduct quality control for CLIA-waived tests.
    • Manage sharps and biohazard disposal.
    • Implement exposure control plans.
    • Follow transmission-based precautions.
    • Use personal protective equipment.
    • Apply aseptic and infection control techniques.
    • Practice hand hygiene.
    • Provide first aid and CPR.
    • Comply with documentation and reporting.
  • Patient Preparation: 23 questions (23% of the exam)
    • Introduce self to the patient.
    • Identify the patient following HIPAA guidelines.
    • Obtain patient consent.
    • Review and clarify the requisition form.
    • Verify patient’s compliance with test requirements.
    • Interview patients for special considerations.
    • Explain the phlebotomy procedure.
    • Position the patient for collection.
    • Determine the specimen collection site.
    • Instruct on non-blood specimen collection.
  • Routine Blood Collection: 30 questions (30% of the exam)
    • Select and assemble equipment.
    • Verify equipment quality.
    • Apply and remove the tourniquet.
    • Select the specimen collection site.
    • Apply antiseptic to the collection site.
    • Anchor the venipuncture site.
    • Insert the venipuncture device.
    • Follow the order of draw for venipuncture.
    • Ensure patient safety during collection.
    • Manage complications from the procedure.
    • Remove the venipuncture device.
    • Invert tubes with additives.
    • Perform capillary collection.
    • Follow order of draw for capillary collection.
    • Label specimens.
    • Provide post-procedural care.
  • Special Collection: 7 questions (7% of the exam)
    • Prepare peripheral blood smears.
    • Perform blood culture collections.
    • Assist in specimen collection.
    • Collect samples for metabolic errors.
    • Conduct blood donations.
    • Calculate volume for at-risk patients.
    • Collect non-blood specimens.
  • Processing: 15 questions (15% of the exam)
    • • Prepare specimens for testing or transport.
      • Maintain specimen integrity.
      • Adhere to chain of custody guidelines.
      • Coordinate communication for processing.
      • Manage laboratory information systems.
      • Report critical values for testing.
      • Distribute laboratory results.
• Amount of time to complete the NHA CPT® test: 2 hours
  
• Eligibility requirements:
  
  • Category 1: Completed a phlebotomy technician training or education program within the last 5 years
    
  • Category 2: 1 year of supervised work experience in a phlebotomy technician field within the last 3 years; or 2 years of supervised work experience in a phlebotomy technician field within the last 5 years
    

Must know topics (direct from test takers who have posted this information on Reddit)

Smarter Phlebotomy Pro-Tip: We cover every one of these topics (as well as other high-yield material) in the question banks on Smarter Phlebotomy:

1. Know the tubes, what the additives are, and what those additives do to the blood. Know the steps to drawing blood starting from washing hands, confirming patient information, tourniquet duration, etc. Also know finger stick info and pediatric draw info.
2. The WORST thing a phlebotomist can do is mis-ID the patient!
3. Know the parts of blood (serum, plasma, etc.)
4. What to do with a fainting patient
5. What’s hemoconcentration and hemolysis
6. How long to leave tourniquet on
7. Angle for needle insertion
8. Other specimen collecting
9. OSHA stuff
10. PPE stuff
11. Know your order of draw, additive’s, which tubes are used for which test. know your PPE, hand hygiene, how to identify a patient, how you label a tube, how many inches above site do you put the tourniquet. What do you do if your patient faint’s, what supplies do you need to get together to take blood, OSHA regulations, you can not palpate without glove’s, you can not tare the tip off you glove for finger to palpate a vein.
12. How long do you leave on a tourniquet, study the function of the heart. What is hemoconcentration, what causes hemolysis, know about legal issues, which tubes are inverted how many times.
13. My advice; study the heart and how blood goes through each ventricle and which way. I wish someone had told me. I mean I still passed and all, but when I got to those questions I got super nervous
14. A lot of OSHA and CLSI questions
15. Some questions felt like it could have more than one answer. It was odd 
16. I had a few questions on the following topics: order of draw, additives, inversion rates for tubes, which tubes are used for which tests, which lab (chemistry, microbiology, etc) accepts certain tubes, OSHA, joint commission, CLIA, HIPPA, special handling of specimens (lactic acid and ammonia need to be chilled), patient identification, heel sticks (when and where), how long you place a warmer on a patient, venipunture procedure (like when do you tie the tourniquet or assess the vein), medical terminology (like dorsal, prone and supine), Different types of transmission (airborne, contact, etc), PPE, gauge sizes, when do you inspect the bevel, do you place it downward or upward, butterfly is used at 15 degrees, who gives the phlebotomist a requisition form, what is seen in the requisition form, when do you contact the provider with the results and how do you contact them and chain of custody.
17. The questions were confusing to be honest and I felt like quizlets I used to study had error
18. The test itself had a lot of questions about osha and clia. Know what kind of PPE you need to wear for what scenario (droplet, airborne etc). What to do if there is a large blood spill. Needle gauges for different procedures and veins. Order of draw (capillary too) and what tests go in what tube. Specimen handling (warmed, chilled, light sensitive). What tests require fasting. Choosing draw site with mastectomy/burn patients. How to make blood smears. What’s hipaa violation and what’s not. What’s supposed to be on the requisition form, what information to put on tubes. How to identify patients in inpatient and outpatient. What you can and can’t do as a phlebotomist (eg you can’t turn off IV, give results to pt). What to do if pt goes into shock. What to do if you find an unresponsive bleeding patient.
19. Brush up on clean catch urine method vs midstream, and dip tests. Touch base on fecal information (I got asked how would you properly store a stool sample that a patient collected at home and brought in, and I got asked how you’d instruct a patient how to properly obtain a stool sample at home.) Just to be safe. Special collections would be like bilirubin needing to be put in an aluminum foil sleeve so it’s not exposed to the light, and tests that need to be put in an ice slurry after draw. I’d concentrate on getting order of draw down and the tube additives. 
20. Be careful with Quizlet some of the answers are not correct and/or outdated. Study a lot of infection control and specimen collection.

The three most common studying mistakes while using an NHA CPT Study Guide (and how to avoid them)

1. Not starting early enough

These tests cover a wide range of topics, and require a significant amount of knowledge and understanding. By not starting your studies early enough, you’re going to put yourself under unnecessary pressure to move quickly. 

Rushing through the materials and cramming information will not only lead to ineffective learning, but also to exhaustion and burnout.

2. Not using the right resources

Knowing what to study is as important as how you study. If you’re using a study resource that is outdated, inaccurate to the exam, or is insufficient, you’re setting yourself up for either wasted time and effort, or worse, failure. Resources you use must be up-to-date, relevant and comprehensive. You should also solve practice questions to help you prepare.

3. Doing it alone

Studying for a major test is going to be challenging and overwhelming, no matter what. But if you have support, both from peers and knowledgeable tutors, you’re going to be in much better shape. They can offer you guidance, direction, and help when you’re stuck. It’s critical that you have people in your corner who are available to help you.

Retaking the Certified Phlebotomy Technician Exam

Retaking the Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) exam necessitates a strategic and reflective approach for improved performance. Begin by analyzing exam feedback, comprehending specific areas of weakness highlighted in your previous attempt. Tailor your preparation to address these deficiencies, focusing on a comprehensive review of challenging sections. It’s essential to reevaluate your study materials, introducing supplementary resources like updated textbooks, online courses, or practice exams to diversify your learning sources.

Craft a structured study plan that dedicates sufficient time to each exam section, ensuring consistent and focused preparation. Seek guidance and support from mentors, instructors, or study groups, leveraging their insights to refine your study strategy. By embracing this strategic approach, a retake becomes an opportunity for enhanced learning and mastery, increasing the likelihood of success on the Certified Phlebotomy Technician exam.

FAQs

How to Register for the CPT Exam

Begin by establishing an account on the NHA website as the initial step. Following this, proceed to register for the Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) certification exam. Keep a record of your login details for future access to your scores.

There is a non-refundable registration fee of $117 for the CPT certification exam. However, if you successfully complete MedCerts’ online CPT training course, the exam fee will be included in your course fees.

What to Bring on Test Day?

On test day, remember to bring a current government-issued ID, as it is a mandatory requirement for participation in the Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) certification exam. Your ID serves as crucial verification. Additionally, having this identification ensures a smooth and secure testing process.

How much does the CPT (Certified Phlebotomy Technician) exam cost?

The Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) exam costs $117. 

How long does the CPT (Certified Phlebotomy Technician) exam take?

TYou will be given two hours to complete the NHA CPT certification test. 

How many questions are on the CPT (Certified Phlebotomy Technician) exam?

The exam consists of a total of 120 questions, with 100 questions contributing to the final score, while the remaining 20 questions are not scored (they are pilot questions).

Can you take the CPT (Certified Phlebotomy Technician) exam online?

Yes. The exam can be taken from home with a remote proctored exam.

What score do you need to pass the CPT (Certified Phlebotomy Technician) exam?

390 or higher out of 500. This represents a score of approximately 78%. 

How long does your Phlebotomy Technician certification last once you pass the exam?

Upon passing the exam, your certification remains valid for two years. If you take continuing education (CE) credits, you can renew your certifcation. Or you can take the NHA CPT exam again to renew your certification. 

Smarter Phlebotomy is your secret weapon to pass the NHA CPT® the first time