CI-CPT study plan
CI-CPT · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Blood Collection & Patient Preparation and Safety
Map the order of draw from memory and state the additive and required inversion count for each tube color
Identify the correct gauge and needle length for routine adult venipuncture versus hand and pediatric draws
List the patient identification and consent steps that must occur before any needle is uncapped
Explain how tourniquet time, fist pumping, and hemoconcentration change specimen results
Your checkpoint
A one-page order-of-draw and tube-selection reference card, self-quizzed to 100% accuracy without notes
Blood Collection & Patient Preparation and Safety
Differentiate venous, capillary, and arterial collection sites and state when each is indicated
Sequence the steps for a capillary puncture including site selection, warming, and first-drop handling
Describe how to recognize and respond to a hematoma, syncope, and arterial puncture during collection
Apply the correct labeling and short-draw rules for tubes that will be rejected
Your checkpoint
A written 10-step capillary puncture procedure with a pass/fail checklist for common technique errors
Specimen Handling and Processing & Blood Collection
Order the handling steps from collection through storage for serum, plasma, and whole-blood specimens
State the centrifugation speed, time, and temperature rules for separating serum and plasma
Identify the preanalytical causes of hemolysis, lipemia, and icterus and the tests each most affects
Describe transport temperature and light-protection requirements for common sensitive analytes
Your checkpoint
A specimen rejection scenario table covering at least 8 rejection causes with the corrective action for each
Specimen Handling and Processing & Point-of-Care Testing
Explain the chain of custody requirements for forensic and legal specimens
Compare the handling rules for specimens that must be tested within minutes at the point of care versus sent to the lab
Describe proper storage and handling of reagents, control materials, and test strips in a point-of-care setting
Identify the stability limits for at least 6 common analytes and state the consequence of exceeding them
Your checkpoint
A timed 25-question mixed quiz on Domains 1 and 2, reviewed item by item with every miss corrected in writing
Point-of-Care Testing & Patient Preparation and Safety
Describe the components of a point-of-care quality control program, including daily controls, proficiency testing, and corrective action
Explain how to perform and document a glucose meter or similar device check before patient testing
List the infection control steps for device cleaning and disinfection between patients
State the reporting and documentation obligations when a point-of-care result is outside the reportable range
Your checkpoint
A point-of-care quality control log template with spaces for controls, calibration, corrective action, and reviewer sign-off
Professionalism and Communication & Patient Preparation and Safety
Demonstrate the steps for explaining a procedure to an anxious or pediatric patient in plain language
Identify barriers to communication such as hearing loss, language, and sedation and select an appropriate accommodation
Describe how to handle a patient refusal, an invasive question, or a request for results you cannot release
Apply the principles of confidentiality and protected health information handling to three realistic scenarios
Your checkpoint
Three role-play scripts of 150 words each covering a refusal, a language barrier, and a distressed parent, each with a self-scored communication checklist
Professionalism and Communication & Point-of-Care Testing
Explain the scope of practice boundaries for a phlebotomist or point-of-care operator and when to escalate
Describe how to document a collection error, a needlestick, or a device malfunction accurately and without blame
State the elements of informed consent and how to verify it before a procedure
Identify ethical issues around test add-ons, leftover specimens, and result release
Your checkpoint
A one-page incident and error documentation guide with a sample completed report for a needlestick exposure
Blood Collection & Specimen Handling and Processing & Patient Preparation and Safety & Point-of-Care Testing & Professionalism and Communication
Complete a full-length timed practice exam and record the score by domain
Re-teach the two weakest domains using the reference cards and logs built in earlier weeks
Recite the order of draw, rejection criteria, and point-of-care quality control steps from memory
Build a one-page formula and terminology sheet for final review
Your checkpoint
A final practice exam score of at least 80% overall with no domain below 70%, plus a completed one-page review sheet
Milestones
Week 2: Score at least 80% on a self-made 20-question quiz on collection technique and patient preparation, with no more than two misses on order of draw
Week 4: Complete the timed 25-question mixed quiz on Domains 1 and 2 with a written correction for every missed item
Week 6: Deliver all three communication role-play scripts and pass the self-scored checklist on at least two of the three
Week 8: Achieve at least 80% overall and at least 70% in every domain on the full-length timed practice exam