Certified Patient Care Technician/Assistant (CPCT/A) Practice Test

The correct choice involves documenting the time and type of specimen collected, which is crucial for several reasons. Accurate documentation is essential in the laboratory process to ensure that the specimen is processed correctly and within the appropriate time frame. Recording the time when the specimen is collected can affect the interpretation of test results; for instance, certain tests may have specific timing requirements.

Moreover, documenting the type of specimen — whether it’s blood drawn from a vein, capillary, or via another method — helps in ensuring that laboratory personnel understand how the sample was obtained, which can be an essential factor in diagnosing and treating patients effectively. Properly identifying these elements in documentation helps maintain the integrity of the testing process and supports communication among healthcare team members.

The other choices do not represent necessary or appropriate documentation for a technician collecting a blood specimen. For instance, documenting only the patient’s name lacks critical context about the procedure performed. While results of laboratory tests and details of the medical history are important, they are typically not the responsibility of the patient care technician immediately after specimen collection. The technician's role primarily involves the collection and initial documentation of specific procedural details rather than test outcomes or comprehensive medical histories.