After a difficult draw, a phlebotomist removes their gloves and finds blood visibly on their hands. How should they clean their hands?

Alcohol-based hand rub for about 20 seconds

An antiseptic wipe, then a fresh pair of gloves

In the chain of infection, which link does hand hygiene between patients mainly break?

The reservoir, where the organism lives

A phlebotomist must draw a patient on Airborne Precautions for suspected tuberculosis. What respiratory protection is required?

A fit-tested N95 or higher-level respirator

None, as long as the patient is wearing a mask

A patient with MRSA in a wound is on Contact Precautions. What PPE does the phlebotomist wear for the draw?

A surgical mask and goggles only

For which patients should a phlebotomist use Standard Precautions?

Every patient, whatever the diagnosis

Only patients with a known infection

Only patients with HIV or hepatitis

Only patients in isolation rooms

A tube leaks and leaves a small blood spill on the drawing-station counter. What is the correct cleanup?

Wear gloves, absorb it, then apply an EPA-registered disinfectant

Wipe it up with a dry paper towel and throw the towel in the trash

Spray it with hand sanitizer and let it dry

Leave it to dry, then scrape it off later

Which item from a blood draw belongs in a red biohazard (regulated waste) bag rather than the regular trash?

Gauze so soaked with blood it would drip if squeezed

The paper wrapper from a bandage

Under OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, what color must biohazard warning labels be?

Fluorescent orange or orange-red

Any color, as long as the word BIOHAZARD appears

A coworker keeps her lunch in the refrigerator where specimens wait for courier pickup. What does OSHA say?

Food may not be kept where specimens are stored

It is fine if the lunch is in a sealed container

It is fine if the lunch is on its own shelf

It is fine if the specimens are in biohazard bags

A small spot of dried blood is found on a phlebotomy tray from the day before. Why must it still be cleaned and disinfected?

Hepatitis B virus can survive on surfaces for at least 7 days

Dried blood stains the tray permanently

Dried blood is only a cosmetic problem

Bacteria in the spot multiply into dangerous colonies overnight

Phlebotomy Infection Control Quiz: 12 Free Questions

Twelve questions on infection control and safety: the order to put on and take off PPE, when soap and water beat hand rub, Standard, Contact and Airborne Precautions, blood spills, regulated waste and OSHA's bloodborne pathogens rules. Each answer is explained against CDC or OSHA, wrong options included. Review the infection control guide first, or take the quiz cold and see where you stand. No account needed.

Written by Benjamin Tibbs, a phlebotomy studentChecked against CLSI, OSHA, CDC and The Joint CommissionUpdated October 2026

Question 1 · Hand Hygiene & PPE
Following CDC's sequence for putting on PPE before entering an isolation room, which item goes on LAST?
A. GownB. Mask or respiratorC. GlovesD. Goggles or face shield
Show answer
Answer: C. Gloves
CDC's donning sequence is gown, mask or respirator, goggles or face shield, then gloves, pulled up over the gown's cuffs. Gloves go on last so they are clean when care begins and cover the gown's wrists.
Review: Infection Control
Why the other choices are wrong
- A. The gown goes on first.
- B. The mask or respirator goes on second, after the gown.
- D. Eye protection goes on third, before the gloves.
Question 2 · Hand Hygiene & PPE
Leaving an isolation room, which PPE item does CDC's standard removal sequence take off FIRST?
A. GlovesB. Mask or respiratorC. Goggles or face shieldD. Gown
Show answer
Answer: A. Gloves
In CDC's removal sequence the gloves come off first, because they are the most contaminated item, and the mask or respirator comes off last, by its ties or straps; a respirator is removed after leaving the room. Hand hygiene follows immediately after all PPE is removed, and between steps if hands become contaminated.
Review: Infection Control
Why the other choices are wrong
- B. The mask or respirator is removed last, touching only the ties or straps.
- C. Eye protection comes off after the gloves, handled by the headband or earpieces.
- D. In CDC's standard sequence the gown comes off after the gloves.
Question 3 · Hand Hygiene & PPE
After a difficult draw, a phlebotomist removes their gloves and finds blood visibly on their hands. How should they clean their hands?
A. Alcohol-based hand rub for about 20 secondsB. An antiseptic wipe, then a fresh pair of glovesC. A rinse with plain waterD. Soap and water
Show answer
Answer: D. Soap and water
CDC prefers alcohol-based hand rub for most hand hygiene, but when hands are visibly soiled, as with blood, they are washed with soap and water, rubbing all surfaces for at least 15 seconds. Then report the possible exposure if the skin was not intact.
Review: Infection Control
Why the other choices are wrong
- A. Hand rub is not used on visibly soiled hands. Soap and water physically remove the soil.
- B. A wipe does not reliably remove visible blood, and gloves do not replace hand hygiene.
- C. Water alone does not adequately remove contamination.
Question 4 · Standard & Isolation Precautions
In the chain of infection, which link does hand hygiene between patients mainly break?
A. The reservoir, where the organism livesB. Mode of transmissionC. Susceptible hostD. Infectious agent
Show answer
Answer: B. Mode of transmission
CDC describes the chain of infection as the infectious agent, its reservoir, a portal of exit, a mode of transmission, a portal of entry and a susceptible host. Hands are a main way organisms travel from patient to patient by contact, so hand hygiene interrupts the mode of transmission.
Review: Infection Control
Why the other choices are wrong
- A. The reservoir is where the organism lives, such as a person or surface. Hand hygiene does not remove it.
- C. The susceptible host is protected by measures such as vaccination, not by the phlebotomist's hand hygiene.
- D. Hand hygiene does not eliminate the agent at its source; it stops the agent from traveling.
Question 5 · Standard & Isolation Precautions
A phlebotomist must draw a patient on Airborne Precautions for suspected tuberculosis. What respiratory protection is required?
A. A surgical maskB. None, as long as the patient is wearing a maskC. A fit-tested N95 or higher-level respiratorD. Goggles, with no mask needed
Show answer
Answer: C. A fit-tested N95 or higher-level respirator
Under CDC Airborne Precautions the patient is in an airborne infection isolation room (negative pressure, door kept closed), and staff put on a fit-tested N95 or higher-level respirator before entering. A surgical mask does not protect the wearer from airborne particles such as those carrying tuberculosis.
Review: Infection Control
Why the other choices are wrong
- A. Surgical masks protect against droplets, not airborne particles such as TB.
- B. The patient masks for source control when outside the room. Staff entering the room still need a respirator.
- D. Eye protection does not protect the airway.
Question 6 · Standard & Isolation Precautions
A patient with MRSA in a wound is on Contact Precautions. What PPE does the phlebotomist wear for the draw?
A. Gown and glovesB. An N95 respirator onlyC. Gloves, with no gownD. A surgical mask and goggles only
Show answer
Answer: A. Gown and gloves
CDC Contact Precautions call for a gown and gloves for any contact with the patient or the room, put on before entering and removed before leaving. Equipment such as the tourniquet is dedicated to the patient or disinfected, and the phlebotomy tray stays outside the room.
Review: Infection Control
Why the other choices are wrong
- B. Respirators are for airborne diseases. MRSA spreads by contact.
- C. Contact Precautions add a gown because clothing touches the patient and the room's surfaces.
- D. A mask and goggles are not what Contact Precautions add; a gown and gloves are.
Question 7 · Standard & Isolation Precautions
For which patients should a phlebotomist use Standard Precautions?
A. Only patients with a known infectionB. Only patients with HIV or hepatitisC. Only patients in isolation roomsD. Every patient, whatever the diagnosis
Show answer
Answer: D. Every patient, whatever the diagnosis
CDC Standard Precautions apply to the care of all patients, whether or not an infection is suspected or confirmed, because many infections are unknown at the time of care. Transmission-based precautions (Contact, Droplet, Airborne) are added on top for specific infections.
Review: Infection Control
Why the other choices are wrong
- A. Many infections are not yet diagnosed, which is why Standard Precautions apply to everyone.
- B. A patient's testing status does not change the precautions; bloodborne infections are often unknown.
- C. Isolation adds transmission-based precautions on top of Standard Precautions; it does not replace them.
Question 8 · Bloodborne Pathogens, Spills & Waste
A tube leaks and leaves a small blood spill on the drawing-station counter. What is the correct cleanup?
A. Wipe it up with a dry paper towel and throw the towel in the trashB. Wear gloves, absorb it, then apply an EPA-registered disinfectantC. Spray it with hand sanitizer and let it dryD. Leave it to dry, then scrape it off later
Show answer
Answer: B. Wear gloves, absorb it, then apply an EPA-registered disinfectant
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1030(d)(4)(ii) requires contaminated work surfaces to be decontaminated with an appropriate disinfectant after any spill of blood. Wearing gloves, absorb the blood with paper towels and discard them appropriately, then apply an EPA-registered hospital disinfectant (or freshly diluted bleach) for the contact time on its label, as CDC's environmental infection control guideline describes.
Review: Infection Control
Why the other choices are wrong
- A. Wiping without disinfecting leaves infectious material on the surface.
- C. Hand sanitizer is not a surface disinfectant registered for blood spills.
- D. Dried blood can still carry hepatitis B. The spill is cleaned and disinfected promptly.
Question 9 · Bloodborne Pathogens, Spills & Waste
Which item from a blood draw belongs in a red biohazard (regulated waste) bag rather than the regular trash?
A. The paper wrapper from a bandageB. A clean alcohol-pad wrapperC. Gauze so soaked with blood it would drip if squeezedD. Gloves with no blood on them
Show answer
Answer: C. Gauze so soaked with blood it would drip if squeezed
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1030(b) defines regulated waste to include items that would release blood in a liquid or semi-liquid state if compressed, and items caked with dried blood that could release it during handling. Blood-soaked gauze goes in a closable, labeled or red bag; wrappers and items not saturated with blood are not regulated waste, though facility policy may be stricter. Sharps always go in a sharps container.
Review: Infection Control
Why the other choices are wrong
- A. A paper wrapper carries no blood.
- B. A clean wrapper is ordinary trash.
- D. Gloves with no blood that could be released are not regulated waste under OSHA's definition, although some facilities treat all used gloves as biohazardous.
Question 10 · Bloodborne Pathogens, Spills & Waste
Under OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, what color must biohazard warning labels be?
A. Fluorescent orange or orange-redB. Bright yellowC. Blue, with white letteringD. Any color, as long as the word BIOHAZARD appears
Show answer
Answer: A. Fluorescent orange or orange-red
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1030(g)(1)(i)(C) requires labels that are fluorescent orange or orange-red, or predominantly so, with lettering and symbols in a contrasting color, and they carry the biohazard symbol. Red bags or red containers may be used in place of labels.
Review: Infection Control
Why the other choices are wrong
- B. Yellow is not the OSHA biohazard label color.
- C. Blue is not the OSHA biohazard label color.
- D. Both the color and the biohazard symbol are required.
Question 11 · Bloodborne Pathogens, Spills & Waste
A coworker keeps her lunch in the refrigerator where specimens wait for courier pickup. What does OSHA say?
A. It is fine if the lunch is in a sealed containerB. It is fine if the lunch is on its own shelfC. It is fine if the specimens are in biohazard bagsD. Food may not be kept where specimens are stored
Show answer
Answer: D. Food may not be kept where specimens are stored
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1030(d)(2)(x) states that food and drink shall not be kept in refrigerators, freezers, shelves, cabinets, or on countertops or benchtops where blood or other potentially infectious materials are present. Lunch goes in a refrigerator used only for food.
Review: Infection Control
Why the other choices are wrong
- A. A sealed container does not change the rule.
- B. A separate shelf is still in the refrigerator where specimens are kept.
- C. Bagging the specimens does not make the refrigerator acceptable for food.
Question 12 · Bloodborne Pathogens, Spills & Waste
A small spot of dried blood is found on a phlebotomy tray from the day before. Why must it still be cleaned and disinfected?
A. Dried blood stains the tray permanentlyB. Hepatitis B virus can survive on surfaces for at least 7 daysC. Dried blood is only a cosmetic problemD. Bacteria in the spot multiply into dangerous colonies overnight
Show answer
Answer: B. Hepatitis B virus can survive on surfaces for at least 7 days
CDC notes that hepatitis B virus can survive outside the body for at least 7 days and still cause infection. Dried blood is therefore treated as infectious: wearing gloves, clean the spot and disinfect the surface (OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1030(d)(4)(ii)).
Review: Infection Control
Why the other choices are wrong
- A. Appearance is not the reason; infectious virus may remain in the spot.
- C. Dried blood can still transmit hepatitis B.
- D. The concern is viruses that survive drying, not overnight bacterial growth.

Where these answers come from

Each question was checked against the standard named in its explanation. The sources used in this set:

CDC, 2007 Guideline for Isolation Precautions (Standard Precautions)
CDC, Hand Hygiene in Healthcare Settings (clinical safety)
CDC, Hepatitis B questions and answers for health professionals; OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1030(d)(4)(ii)
CDC, Principles of Epidemiology in Public Health Practice, Lesson 1 (chain of infection)
CDC, Sequence for Putting On Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
CDC, Sequence for Removing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
CDC, Transmission-Based Precautions (Airborne Precautions); CDC 2007 Guideline for Isolation Precautions
CDC, Transmission-Based Precautions (Contact Precautions)
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1030(b) (definition of regulated waste) and (d)(4)(iii)(B)
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1030(d)(2)(x)
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1030(d)(4)(ii); CDC Guidelines for Environmental Infection Control in Health-Care Facilities (2003)
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1030(g)(1)(i)

More free practice tests

Every set has different questions, each with an explanation and your score by domain. No account needed.

By certification exam

General phlebotomy practice tests

Topic quizzes

The three phlebotomy certification exams

Question counts, time limits and passing scores from each certifying body's own documents, checked October 6, 2026.

Exam	Questions	Time	Passing score	Practice
NHA CPTNational Healthcareer Association	120 questions: 100 scored and 20 unscored pretest items	2 hours	390 (scaled score from 200 to 500)	NHA CPT practice exam
ASCP PBTAmerican Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification	80 multiple-choice questions	2 hours	400 (scaled score)	ASCP PBT practice exam
AMT RPTAmerican Medical Technologists	200 scored questions (AMT exams may also include unscored pretest items)	2.5 hours	70 (scaled score from 0 to 100)	AMT RPT practice exam

More detail: how each exam is scored · retake rules · NHA vs ASCP vs AMT · all exam facts with sources

Clinical References

CLSI PRE02-Ed8 — Collection of Diagnostic Venous Blood Specimens (8th ed., 2025)
NHA CPT Exam Content Outline (2024)
ASCP Board of Certification Content Guidelines
OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030)
CDC Guidelines for Infection Control in Healthcare Settings