Lab Tech: Common Tests & Values
Covers which tube pairs with which test, what BMP and CMP panels include, what A1C reflects, how critical values must be handled, and fasting requirements for common chemistry tests.
- 10 questions
- 15 min
- 70% to pass
Instant score · Full answer review · Study guide
What's covered
A full syllabus, not a mystery quiz.
What's covered
6 topics
01Tube-to-Test Pairing
Lavender (EDTA) is used for CBC and hematology; light blue (sodium citrate) for coagulation studies (PT/INR, PTT); red/gold SST for most serum chemistry and serology; gray (fluoride/oxalate) for glucose or lactate when a delay in processing is expected.
02Basic vs. Comprehensive Metabolic Panel
A BMP is 8 tests: glucose, calcium, sodium, potassium, chloride, CO2 (bicarbonate), BUN, and creatinine. A CMP is those same 8 plus 6 liver-related tests: ALT, AST, alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin, total protein, and albumin — 14 tests total.
03Hemoglobin A1C
A1C reflects average blood glucose over roughly the past 2-3 months, because it measures glucose bound to hemoglobin across the ~120-day lifespan of a red blood cell. Unlike fasting glucose, A1C does not require the patient to fast.
04Critical (Panic) Values
A critical value is a result so far outside normal range it is considered immediately life-threatening. It must be reported right away to the ordering provider or a member of the care team authorized to act on it — not simply released to the chart — and the notification (who was told, when) must be documented.
05Fasting Requirements
A standard fasting glucose test typically requires at least 8 hours without food. For lipid panels, current ACC/AHA guidance accepts non-fasting samples for routine screening; when a fasting lipid panel is specifically ordered (e.g., for high triglycerides), the fast is typically 9-12 hours. Plain water is allowed during any fasting window.
06Coagulation Basics
Coagulation tubes (light blue, sodium citrate) must be filled to the correct volume — the citrate-to-blood ratio matters — and are among the most volume-sensitive tubes; underfilling skews PT/INR and PTT results.
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Questions before you start
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Is this test free?
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What happens after I finish?
You get a graded breakdown immediately: your score, which questions you missed, and the correct answers, alongside the study guide above.
Can I retake it?
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Do I need to study first?
Not necessarily — the study guide above covers all 6 topics on the test, so you can skim it first or just dive in.