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Free Phlebotomy practice · Updated October 2026

Phlebotomy urine and non-blood specimens practice questions, with every answer explained

Special Collections is 12 of the 100 scored items on the NHA CPT exam. Answer 10 exam style questions on urine and non-blood specimens and see exactly which concepts would cost you points on test day.

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Where the NHA CPT points are100 scored items
Routine Blood Collections
28
Safety and Compliance
26
Patient Preparation
20
Processing
14
Special Collections
12
Source: NHA CPT test plan (2025)You are here ↑
Score 0/0
Q1Timed urine

How does a 24-hour urine collection usually begin?

What these urine and non-blood specimens questions test

These questions cover timed urine, urine culture, urine collection, semen and stool. Each one shows the correct answer and why every other option is wrong, so a miss tells you exactly what to review before the NHA CPT.

Timed urineUrine cultureUrine collectionSemenStoolPinwormCSFSweat testBreath testBuccal swab

All 10 questions with answers explained

Prefer to read first? Every question from the practice set above, with the correct answer and why each wrong option is wrong.

Q1How does a 24-hour urine collection usually begin?
  1. The first morning void is collected into the container and the clock starts then
  2. The patient empties the bladder, discards it, and notes the time
  3. The patient drinks a liter of water first
  4. The container is filled with tap water

Answer: B. The first void is discarded because it was produced before the test period. Every void afterward, including the final void at the end time, is collected.

Why not A: The first void was produced before the timed period began.

Why not C: Extra fluid intake is not the standard start.

Why not D: Adding water dilutes and ruins the specimen.

Exam tactic: Discard the first, keep the rest.

Q2A urine specimen for culture cannot reach the lab promptly. How should it generally be kept?
  1. Refrigerated, or in a preservative tube per the lab
  2. At room temperature in a sunny window
  3. Frozen solid in a standard freezer until the courier arrives
  4. In an incubator at body temperature

Answer: A. Bacteria multiply in urine at room temperature and can give falsely high counts. Refrigeration or a preservative tube keeps the count stable.

Why not B: Warm conditions let bacteria multiply.

Why not C: Freezing is not the standard for urine culture.

Why not D: Body temperature encourages bacterial growth.

Exam tactic: Culture delay: refrigerate.

Q3How should a male patient be instructed for a clean catch urine?
  1. Clean the tip, begin voiding, then collect midstream
  2. Collect the very first drops only
  3. Skip cleaning if showered today
  4. Collect the sample from the toilet bowl right after voiding

Answer: A. Clean catch instructions for males include cleaning the tip of the penis, starting to void into the toilet, collecting the midstream portion in the sterile cup, and finishing in the toilet.

Why not B: The first portion flushes out contaminants and is discarded.

Why not C: Cleaning is still required before the collection.

Why not D: Toilet collection is contaminated.

Exam tactic: Clean, start, catch the middle.

Q4How should a semen specimen for fertility testing be handled?
  1. Left at the front desk overnight
  2. Refrigerated right after collection
  3. Kept warm, delivered within an hour
  4. Frozen for analysis later in the week

Answer: C. Semen is kept near body temperature and delivered promptly, usually within an hour, because sperm motility declines with time and cold.

Why not A: Delays invalidate motility results.

Why not B: Cold reduces motility.

Why not D: Freezing is not used for routine analysis.

Exam tactic: Semen: warm and fast.

Q5Why should a stool sample for ova and parasites not be collected soon after a barium study?
  1. Barium changes blood type
  2. Barium can interfere with finding parasites
  3. Barium makes stool sterile
  4. Barium dissolves the plastic specimen container

Answer: B. Barium and some medications can obscure or interfere with parasite detection, so collection is delayed for a period after barium studies per lab instructions.

Why not A: Blood type is unrelated.

Why not C: Barium does not sterilize stool.

Why not D: Barium does not damage the container.

Exam tactic: Recent barium: delay the O&P.

Q6When is a pinworm tape test best collected?
  1. After a hot shower
  2. In the late evening, right after dinner and before bed
  3. First thing in the morning before bathing
  4. Only after a bowel movement

Answer: C. Pinworms lay eggs around the anus at night, so the tape is applied first thing in the morning, before bathing or using the toilet.

Why not A: Bathing removes the eggs.

Why not B: Evening collection misses the overnight egg laying.

Why not D: A bowel movement can remove eggs.

Exam tactic: Pinworm: morning, before washing.

Q7How is a cerebrospinal fluid specimen handled after collection?
  1. Refrigerated until the end of the day
  2. Delivered to the lab immediately as STAT
  3. Batched with routine urine samples for the next courier run
  4. Left at room temperature overnight

Answer: B. CSF is irreplaceable and often collected for urgent diagnosis, so it is delivered to the lab immediately. Microbiology tubes are not refrigerated.

Why not A: Refrigeration can kill some organisms.

Why not C: CSF is never batched as routine; it goes to the lab immediately.

Why not D: Delays compromise results.

Exam tactic: CSF: STAT, hand carried.

Q8The sweat chloride test is used mainly to help diagnose which condition?
  1. Kidney stones
  2. Diabetes
  3. Cystic fibrosis
  4. Anemia

Answer: C. Sweat chloride testing, using pilocarpine iontophoresis to stimulate sweating, is the standard test to help diagnose cystic fibrosis.

Why not A: Kidney stones are evaluated differently.

Why not B: Diabetes is diagnosed with glucose or A1c.

Why not D: Anemia is diagnosed with blood counts.

Exam tactic: Sweat chloride = cystic fibrosis.

Q9A urea breath test is commonly used to detect which organism?
  1. Candida albicans
  2. Streptococcus pyogenes
  3. Staphylococcus aureus
  4. Helicobacter pylori

Answer: D. The urea breath test detects Helicobacter pylori infection of the stomach, which is linked to ulcers.

Why not A: Candida is usually diagnosed from swabs or scrapings.

Why not B: Strep throat is tested with a throat swab.

Why not C: Staph is diagnosed with culture.

Exam tactic: Urea breath test = H. pylori.

Q10Where is a buccal swab collected for DNA testing?
  1. Inside the nostril
  2. Under the tongue for saliva
  3. Back of the throat
  4. Inside of the cheek

Answer: D. A buccal swab is rubbed firmly on the inside of the cheek to collect cells for DNA testing.

Why not A: Nasal swabs are for respiratory testing.

Why not B: Saliva collection is a different specimen.

Why not C: Throat swabs are for infections such as strep.

Exam tactic: Buccal = cheek.

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More about the NHA CPT

PassPulse is an independent exam preparation tool. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA), the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT) or American Medical Technologists (AMT). Exam, credential and product names mentioned on this page are trademarks of their respective owners and are used only to identify the exams described.

These practice questions are written by PassPulse to reflect the published exam content outline. They are not actual exam questions. Questions, answers and explanations may contain errors or be out of date, and they are for exam study only, not for clinical or professional practice: always check facts against the certifying body's official materials, current standards and your employer's policies. Scores and projections on this page are estimates based on a small number of questions and do not predict your result on the real exam. Area weights come from the official outline as of the date shown; always confirm current exam details with the certifying body.
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