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The precise rules that recur on the CPT. Skim before test day, then prove it with practice.
Exam facts
- 120 questions (100 scored), 2 hours
- Biggest areas: Routine Blood Collections (28%), Safety and Compliance (26%)
Order of draw
- Blood culture (sterile)
- Light blue — sodium citrate (coagulation)
- Red / gold (SST) — serum
- Green — heparin
- Lavender — EDTA
- Gray — fluoride/oxalate (glucose)
Technique essentials
- Identify the patient with two identifiers first
- Tourniquet on no more than 1 minute; needle angle ~15–30°
- First-choice vein: median cubital, then cephalic, then basilic (more risk)
- Mix additive tubes by gentle inversion — never shake (causes hemolysis)
Safety
- Standard precautions for every patient; activate the safety device and dispose of sharps immediately
- Never recap a needle
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Sources & references
The exam facts on this page are drawn from official certifying-body materials, reviewed 2026-06-18 by the DrCertifications exam-prep team (10+ years in exam preparation and publishing).