How many patient preparation questions are on the CPT?

20. The blueprint in force publishes an item count for every content area, and it gives Patient Preparation 20% of the paper — 20 of the 100 scored questions (20%). The full-length test on this site deals that number rather than an even share.

Is this section timed?

Not on this page. These sets are for learning the material — each answer comes with an explanation straight away. When you want the whole paper, the full-length test runs the published clock. The real sitting is 120 questions in 120 minutes.

Are these real questions from the test?

No. Every question here is original, written to the published format. The real item banks are confidential and nobody outside the publisher has them.

CPT patient preparation questions

Identification, consent, the requisition, and everything asked before a tourniquet is touched.

2 20 of the 100 scored questions (20%)

28 questions in this set Untimed — explanation after each answer

CPT patient preparation 1 of 10

How should a phlebotomist confirm an alert outpatient’s identity?

What this type asks

Twenty questions on the part of the encounter that happens before any equipment comes out, and the part where the errors are hardest to undo. It covers communicating across cultural, language, cognitive and hearing differences; obtaining, reviewing and verifying the order or requisition; introducing yourself; positively identifying the patient against specific identifiers; obtaining implied, informed or expressed consent, and obtaining it from a legal guardian where the patient cannot give it; confirming that testing requirements such as fasting have actually been met; interviewing for the things that change a collection — allergies, medications, recent surgery, a history of fainting; explaining the procedure; positioning the patient; and determining the site against CLSI standards. Two of these carry more weight than their length suggests, because both are unrecoverable: a specimen drawn from the wrong patient, and a specimen drawn under conditions that invalidate the result.

Respect for diversity, cultural sensitivity and empathyCommunicating effectively with patients, colleagues and other professionalsObtaining, reviewing and verifying the order or requisition formIntroducing yourself and providing name, title and departmentPositively identifying the patient using specific identifiersReceiving implied, informed or expressed consent, including from a legal guardianConfirming insurance coverage, copayments, billing and registrationVerifying compliance with testing requirements (fasting, medication, basal state)Interviewing for special considerations that may impact collectionExplaining the procedure and positioning the patientDetermining the venipuncture site against CLSI standardsInstructing patients on collection of non-blood specimens

Now do it with the clock running.

120 questions in 120 minutes — about 1 minutes each, which is the part no amount of untimed practice prepares you for.

Take the full CPT test

The other question types

Safety and compliance Routine blood collections Special collections Processing Full timed test

Frequently asked

How many patient preparation questions are on the CPT?: 20. The blueprint in force publishes an item count for every content area, and it gives Patient Preparation 20% of the paper — 20 of the 100 scored questions (20%). The full-length test on this site deals that number rather than an even share.
Is this section timed?: Not on this page. These sets are for learning the material — each answer comes with an explanation straight away. When you want the whole paper, the full-length test runs the published clock. The real sitting is 120 questions in 120 minutes.
Are these real questions from the test?: No. Every question here is original, written to the published format. The real item banks are confidential and nobody outside the publisher has them.

Sources

Every figure on this page comes from one of the documents below, with the date it was read. Requirements change; if a source has moved on since that date, the source is right and this page is out of date.

National Healthcareer Association — NHA Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) Test Plan for the CPT Exam Read August 29, 2026
National Healthcareer Association — NHA Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) Detailed Test Plan (2016 job analysis) Read August 29, 2026
National Healthcareer Association — Phlebotomy Certification (CPT) programme page Read August 29, 2026

Allied Exam Bank is independent practice material and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or authorized by Credentia, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, or any state nurse aide registry. NNAAP® is a registered trademark of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. Programme and examination names are used only to describe what this material prepares you for. Every question here is original and none is taken from any actual examination. This site is not a nurse aide training programme and does not prepare you for the skills evaluation.