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NHA CPCT/A study guide

NHA CPCT/A, administered by National Healthcareer Association (NHA), is mapped here as 5 topic areas; the heaviest are Patient Care (45%), Compliance, Safety & Professional Responsibility (20%) and Phlebotomy (14%).

About this course: Review patient care, safety, infection control, phlebotomy and EKG knowledge for your CPCT/A exam edition.

Topic areas and weights

Topic areaWeightConceptsGuide
Patient Care45%19Topic page
Compliance, Safety & Professional Responsibility20%12Section below
Phlebotomy14%9Section below
Infection Control11%8Section below
EKG10%6Section below

Topic guides at a glance

Patient Care

45% of the course blueprint, 19 concepts. Emphasized: What is the normal pulse for an adult at rest?, What is a normal oxygen saturation for an adult? and When you measure a vital sign that is outside the normal range, what is your responsibility?.

Study plan in this course

  1. Vital Signs — Normal Ranges — 11 cards · free
  2. Mobility, Transfers & Fall Prevention — 14 cards · free
  3. ADLs, Aspiration & Intake/Output — 18 cards · free
  4. Observe, Report, Skin & Specialty Care — 31 cards · full course
  5. Scope of Practice & Chain of Command — 10 cards · full course
  6. Patient Rights, HIPAA & Reporting — 5 cards · full course
  7. Safety & Emergency Response — 8 cards · full course
  8. Order of Draw & Tube Colors — 8 cards · full course
  9. Draw Technique, Sites & Safety — 12 cards · full course
  10. PPE Don & Doff Order — 5 cards · full course
  11. Chain of Infection & Precautions — 7 cards · full course
  12. EKG Leads & Machine Setup — 9 cards · full course
  13. Tracing Quality & Lethal Rhythms — 5 cards · full course

Compliance, Safety & Professional Responsibility

Compliance, Safety & Professional Responsibility carries 20% of the NHA CPCT/A blueprint used in this course, the second-largest of its 5 weighted areas. It spans 12 concepts. The course teaches it in 3 study units: Scope of Practice & Chain of Command, Patient Rights, HIPAA & Reporting and Safety & Emergency Response.

What Compliance, Safety & Professional Responsibility covers

  • What tasks are OUTSIDE a patient care technician’s scope of practice? — NHA CPCT/A Test Plan
  • A patient asks you to explain their diagnosis or change a treatment. What do you do? — NHA CPCT/A Test Plan
  • What is the chain of command, and why follow it? — NHA CPCT/A Test Plan
  • What makes documentation correct and legal? — NHA CPCT/A Test Plan
  • What is HIPAA and what does it require of you? — NHA CPCT/A Test Plan
  • Name key patient rights you must protect. — NHA CPCT/A Test Plan
  • What is your duty if you suspect abuse or neglect? — NHA CPCT/A Test Plan
  • How should you adapt communication for a patient who is hard of hearing, confused, or speaks another language? — NHA CPCT/A Test Plan
  • What does RACE stand for in a fire emergency? — NFPA / facility fire-safety standard
  • What does PASS stand for when using a fire extinguisher? — NFPA / facility fire-safety standard
  • What are the rules for using restraints? — NHA CPCT/A Test Plan
  • What do you do for a conscious adult who is choking? — American Heart Association

Official references for Compliance, Safety & Professional Responsibility

  • NHA CPCT/A Test Plan
  • NFPA / facility fire-safety standard
  • American Heart Association

In the app this area comes with 23 memory cards and 27 module-quiz questions in the full course.

Phlebotomy

Phlebotomy carries 14% of the NHA CPCT/A blueprint used in this course, the third-largest of its 5 weighted areas. It spans 9 concepts. The course teaches it in 2 study units: Order of Draw & Tube Colors and Draw Technique, Sites & Safety.

What Phlebotomy covers

  • What is the CLSI order of draw for blood collection tubes? — CLSI GP41
  • Why does the order of draw matter? — CLSI GP41
  • What additive and test go with the light-blue tube? — CLSI GP41
  • What additive and test go with the lavender/purple tube? — CLSI GP41
  • What additive and test go with the gray tube? — CLSI GP41
  • Which vein is the first choice for a routine venipuncture, and why? — NHA CPCT/A Test Plan
  • When and where do you label a blood specimen? — NHA CPCT/A Test Plan
  • What are common venipuncture complications and what do you watch for? — NHA CPCT/A Test Plan
  • What are the needle-safety rules after a blood draw? — OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1030

Official references for Phlebotomy

  • CLSI: GP41
  • NHA CPCT/A Test Plan
  • OSHA 29 CFR: 1910.1030

In the app this area comes with 20 memory cards and 22 module-quiz questions in the full course.

Infection Control

Infection Control carries 11% of the NHA CPCT/A blueprint used in this course, the 4th-largest of its 5 weighted areas. It spans 8 concepts. The course teaches it in 2 study units: PPE Don & Doff Order and Chain of Infection & Precautions.

What Infection Control covers

  • What is the correct order to PUT ON PPE? — CDC
  • What is the correct order to TAKE OFF PPE? — CDC
  • Which PPE is needed for each type of transmission-based precaution? — CDC
  • When must you wear gloves, and what do you do after removing them? — CDC
  • What is the single most important way to prevent the spread of infection? — CDC
  • What are standard precautions? — CDC
  • What is the chain of infection? — CDC
  • How do the three transmission-based precaution types differ? — CDC

Official references for Infection Control

  • CDC

In the app this area comes with 12 memory cards and 13 module-quiz questions in the full course.

EKG

EKG carries 10% of the NHA CPCT/A blueprint used in this course, the 5th-largest of its 5 weighted areas. It spans 6 concepts. The course teaches it in 2 study units: EKG Leads & Machine Setup and Tracing Quality & Lethal Rhythms.

What EKG covers

  • How are the four limb electrodes placed and remembered? — NHA CPCT/A Test Plan
  • Where do the precordial leads V1 and V6 go? — NHA CPCT/A Test Plan
  • What are the standard EKG paper speed and gain settings? — NHA CPCT/A Test Plan
  • What is EKG artifact, and what causes it? — NHA CPCT/A Test Plan
  • What is the basic shape of a normal heartbeat on an EKG? — NHA CPCT/A Test Plan
  • Which EKG rhythms are life-threatening and what do you do? — American Heart Association

Official references for EKG

  • NHA CPCT/A Test Plan
  • American Heart Association

In the app this area comes with 14 memory cards and 16 module-quiz questions in the full course.

Official references

  • MedlinePlus / NIH
  • American Heart Association
  • NHA CPCT/A Test Plan
  • CDC
  • NFPA / facility fire-safety standard
  • CLSI: GP41
  • OSHA 29 CFR: 1910.1030

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