NHA Phlebotomy (CPT) Cheat Sheet.
The night-before summary, built like the exam.
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Fast-reference facts, must-know rules, and formulas for the NHA CPT certification exam. Bold items are the numbers to memorize cold.
The Exam at a Glance
- 100 scored questions
- 120 minutes (2-hour) time limit
- Passing = scaled score of 390
- Pace: ~1.2 min/question — flag-and-move, don't stall
Order of Draw (memorize — most-tested rule)
Sterile blood cultures first, then tubes in additive order to prevent cross-contamination:
- Blood cultures (yellow / sterile)
- Light blue — sodium citrate (coagulation; must fill completely for 9:1 ratio)
- Red / gold / tiger (SST) — clot activator / serum
- Green — heparin (plasma)
- Lavender / purple — EDTA (whole blood, CBC)
- Gray — sodium fluoride / potassium oxalate (glucose, lactate)
Mnemonic: "Boys Love Ravishing Girls, Longing Gently" or "Stop Light Red Stay Put Green Light Go."
Coagulation Tube Fill Rule
Light-blue (citrate) tubes require a 9:1 blood-to-anticoagulant ratio. Underfilled or overfilled tubes = rejected specimen.
Must-Remember Safety & Compliance Rules
- Two patient identifiers before every draw (name + DOB); never rely on room/bed number.
- Never recap a used needle; activate safety device and dispose in the sharps container immediately.
- Standard Precautions: treat all blood/body fluids as infectious.
- Tourniquet time: ≤ 1 minute to avoid hemoconcentration.
- Antiseptic order for routine venipuncture: alcohol; for blood cultures use chlorhexidine and let it dry fully.
Site Selection
- Preferred vein: median cubital, then cephalic, then basilic (basilic last — near the brachial artery and median nerve).
- Avoid: mastectomy-side arm, hematoma, IV/infusion arm, scarred/burned sites.
Common Errors & Fixes
- Hemolysis: vigorous mixing, small-gauge needle, drawing from a line — redraw.
- Hematoma: needle through the vein — release tourniquet, remove, apply pressure.
- Missed vein: reposition slightly; limit to 2 attempts before escalating.
Test-Taking Formula
- Budget checkpoints: ~50 questions by the 60-minute mark to stay on pace.
- Answer every question — no penalty for guessing on a scaled-score exam; eliminate two distractors first.
Frequently asked questions
What are the must-know numbers for the NHA CPT exam?
Start with the exam's own numbers: 100 scored questions, a 120-minute time limit, and a passing scaled score of 390. Beyond that, memorize the high-yield phlebotomy facts the exam loves — the order of draw, tube additive and color pairings, needle gauge ranges, and tourniquet time limits. Those recall items are exactly what a one-page summary is built to lock in.
What are the most common traps on the NHA CPT exam?
The classic traps are mixing up the order of draw, confusing tube stopper colors with their additives, and picking an answer that is technically possible but not the best first action. Watch for questions that hinge on one word, like "first," "next," or "most appropriate" — they test procedure sequence, not just knowledge. Safety and patient-identification questions also punish shortcuts: the by-the-book answer is almost always the correct one.
How should I use the cheat sheet the night before the exam?
Use it as a final review, not a first read — skim the whole sheet once, then quiz yourself on the pure-recall items like order of draw and tube colors until you can recite them cold. Do not try to learn new material the night before; reinforce what you already know and get a full night's sleep. A quick pass over the sheet the morning of the exam is a good way to warm up your memory.
Is a cheat sheet enough to pass the NHA CPT exam?
No — a cheat sheet condenses the must-memorize facts, but the exam also tests judgment, like handling a difficult draw or responding to a patient who feels faint, which you only build through full study and practice questions. Use the sheet alongside practice tests: drill questions to expose weak spots, then use the summary to lock in the facts those questions revealed you were missing. Together they cover both recall and application.
Can I print the CPT cheat sheet and can I bring it into the exam?
You can print the cheat sheet and use it anywhere you study, but you cannot bring any notes or reference materials into the actual NHA CPT exam — it is closed book and proctored. That is exactly why the sheet focuses on memorization: everything on it needs to be in your head by test day. Check NHA's candidate rules for the full list of what is and is not allowed at your testing site.
Sources
- 1.NHA CPT Certification — NHA (accessed Jul 6, 2026)
- 2.About the NCLEX — NCSBN
- 3.NCLEX Statistics & Publications — NCSBN
- 4.NCLEX Scheduling (Pearson VUE) — Pearson VUE
Official sources
Primary documents used to verify the exam details shown on this page.
- NHA Candidate HandbookNHAnhanow.com
- NHA Renew / Reinstate CertificationNHAnhanow.com
- NHA Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) Program PageNHAnhanow.com
- NHA CPT CertificationNHAnhanow.com
- NHA Certifications OverviewNHAnhanow.com
- Pass Rates for NHA Examinations Administered in 2025NHAnhanow.comeffective December 31, 2025
- NHA Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) CertificationNHAnhanow.com
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