NCCT National Certified Phlebotomy Technician Exam

Obtaining a phlebotomy career requires a considerable amount of specialized training. Because of this, aspiring phlebotomists all across the country must first prove they have attained all the necessary competencies before receiving their official licenses.

In this article, you’ll find out what the NCPT Test is all about, what you can expect from the test content, how you can register to take the test, and how the test is scored so you can achieve your phlebotomist license.

What is the NCPT Certification Test?

The National Certified Phlebotomy Technician (NCPT) Certification Test is a test administered by the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT). Upon passing this test, a professional phlebotomist will receive a license proving their competency in the field.

According to the NCCT, test takers who pass the NCPT will be counted among qualified phlebotomy technicians. As a licensed phlebotomy technician, you will be qualified to perform tasks such as venipuncture, micro-collection, and specimen processing and handling. You will also be expected to uphold professional standards for patient safety and confidentiality.

The National Phlebotomy Association (NPA) lists that those who should consider getting a phlebotomy license and certification include Certified Nursing Assistants, Medical Assistants, Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, and Emergency Medical Technicians.

There are three routes of eligibility for people looking to take the exam. These are:

1. Current students of a phlebotomy technician program or a graduate thereof within the past five years
2. A person with one year of verifiable full-time experience as a Phlebotomy Technician practitioner within the past five years
3. Those who have completed training or a year of experience in the military

Each eligibility route asks you to submit different requirements for your application. For those with experience, you will be asked to fill in a Phlebotomy Technician Certification Qualification by Experience and Critical Skill form. Once you have submitted your requirements, you may proceed with taking the test on your scheduled date.

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NCPT Exam Outline

As someone taking the exam, it is expected that you will apply a working understanding of the integrated concepts involved in this field. More specifically, these include:

• Infection Control
• Anatomy and Physiology
• Pathology and Disorders
• Pre-analytical Errors
• Blood Collection Procedures
• Non-Blood Collection Procedures
• Order of Draw
• Patient Identification
• Patient Assessment, Education, and Preparation
• Specimen Handling and Transporting Procedures
• Quality Assurance
• Patient Safety and First Aid
• Clinical Laboratory Departments

The exam features exactly six content categories, each of which pertains to different aspects of phlebotomist training and education. These categories are, specifically, Problems and Correction, Quality and Professional Issues, Collections, Infection Control and Safety, Patient ID and Site Preparation, and Orders and Equipment Selection.

Further details about each of these categories can be found below.

• Problems and Correction is the smallest category to feature on the exam, with only 14 questions. Questions under the category will assess the test taker’s knowledge of how to fix certain common errors, such as labeling a blood sample incorrectly or a patient developing health side effects to having their blood drawn. Test takers must also evaluate what to do if a patient suffers from certain health conditions that make it harder to collect blood samples from them.

• Quality and Professional Issues accounts for approximately 20 of the exam’s questions. It deals specifically with the myriad of duties, rules, and codes phlebotomists must adhere to while on the job. Questions under this content category will involve how to check the blood one has collected to make sure it is of good quality; the various laws dealing with what incidents should be reported, and patient confidentiality and records; AABB, CLIA, COLA, and CAP regulations; how to address highly specific job duties, such as collecting blood for paternity cases and caring for patients with special needs; and related responsibilities.

• Collections is the largest content category to feature on the exam, at a total of 36 questions. It centers on the proper procedures phlebotomists must follow during and after drawing blood from a patient. Test-takers must display their knowledge of each step of drawing blood, as well as how to manage the specimens within a laboratory setting and make the proper recordings.

• Infection Control and Safety takes up 21 test questions. As the name implies, this section of the exam addresses on-the-job hygiene and how to limit the risk of infection and similar hazards. Questions will focus on how to sterilize and clean work environments and equipment after use; official regulations as mandated by NFPA, MSDS, and OSHA; what steps to take should the phlebotomist be exposed to contaminants; how to deal with emergencies; how to best use pieces of phlebotomy equipment; and different safety measures to take to avoid risks to oneself and the patient.

• With just 17 questions total, the Patient ID and Site Preparation is one of the exam’s smaller content categories. This category’s questions address the process of drawing blood and recognizing one’s patients. Test takers must know how to best approach toward readying a patient for a blood draw, as well as how to interact with one’s patients before, during, and after the process.

• Orders and Equipment Selection is another of the test’s smaller categories. Like the “Patient ID and Site Preparation” category, this portion of the exam only encompasses 17 exam questions. The category encompasses all knowledge a professional phlebotomist will need to know concerning how to choose, recognize, and evaluate the various types of tools necessary for one’s duties. Said tools include bandages, venipunctures, anticoagulants, capillary punctures, additives, etc.

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By Kate Nockunas

Kate has been Mometrix’s Nursing and Medical Editor for over four years. She has a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Vanderbilt University, a bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Marymount University, and a master’s degree in Education from Johns Hopkins. Kate is a critical care registered nurse who still works occasionally in the ICU and PACU.