NHA CPT study guide
NHA CPT · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) credential from the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) is a nationally recognized certification for people who draw blood from patients and blood donors. NHA describes phlebotomy technicians as critical team members in hospitals, diagnostic laboratories and blood donor centers, with duties that include drawing blood, explaining the procedure and answering patient questions, performing basic point-of-care testing such as reading blood glucose levels, preparing blood, urine and other specimens for testing, and maintaining equipment such as needles, test tubes and blood vials. The credential is aimed at people who have completed a phlebotomy technician training or education program within the last 5 years, or who hold a high school diploma or equivalent plus supervised phlebotomy work experience, and who can document at least 30 venipunctures and 10 capillary or finger sticks on live individuals. The exam is two hours long and is taken at your school, at a PSI testing center, or through live remote proctoring. The NHA CPT study guide has 4 sections and about 1,338 words.
01Safety and Compliance
The Safety and Compliance domain tests your command of the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030), CDC standard precautions, regulated medical waste, chemical and fire safety, and HIPAA privacy in patient care. Questions often describe a realistic breach and ask for the first or best action.
349 words, about 2 min02Patient Preparation
Patient Preparation tests whether you can verify the right patient and test, confirm fasting and consent, position the patient safely, and choose a suitable venipuncture site. Many items are scenario questions about preventing misidentification, inaccurate results, and syncope.
346 words, about 2 min03Specimen Collection
Specimen Collection tests order of draw, tube additives, needle and device selection, venipuncture and capillary technique, and prevention of contamination and hemolysis. Expect questions that show a collection sequence or a poorly filled tube and ask what is wrong.
322 words, about 2 min04Specimen Handling, Transport, and Processing
Handling, Transport, and Processing tests what happens after collection: bedside labeling, tube stabilization, centrifugation, temperature control, timely separation, chain of custody, and rejection criteria. These steps decide whether a technically good draw becomes a valid result.
321 words, about 2 min