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MLPAO MLA/T Certification Exam: Practice Test 2

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MLPAO MLA/T Certification Exam: Practice Test 2

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Questions
500
Format
Multiple choice
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2 years
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$39.99
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About these practice questions

These practice questions will help you prepare for the MLPAO MLA/T exam.

This practice test contains 500 practice questions covering the thirteen sections of the MLPAO MLA/T exam:

  1. Standards of Practice
  2. Medical Terminology
  3. Basic Biology, Anatomy and Physiology
  4. Laboratory Mathematics and Quality Management
  5. Specimen Procurement, Processing and Data Collection
  6. Laboratory Safety
  7. Laboratory Equipment
  8. Histology and Cytology
  9. Clinical Microbiology
  10. Clinical Chemistry
  11. Clinical Hematology
  12. Transfusion Medicine
  13. Electrocardiograms

All questions have been carefully designed to reflect the questions on the real exam, to help you prepare and get a passing grade.

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Sample practice questions

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Section 1: Standards of Practice

1) Which of these specimens has the lowest priority?
  1. Postop complete blood count
  2. Preop pregnancy test
  3. Routine urinalysis
    Routine specimens have the lowest priority as no urgency or time requirement is involved. In general, the priority of specimens (from highest priority to lowest priority) is:
    1. Stat
    2. Urgent
    3. Timed
    4. Preop
    5. Postop
    6. Fasting
    7. Routine
  4. Stat troponin
  5. Timed glucose
2) When should a stat glucose test be performed?
  1. Immediately
    All tests marked stat should be performed immediately.
  2. Within 1 hour
  3. 2 hours after the last meal
  4. Within 4 hours
  5. 24 hours after the last meal
3) A phlebotomist arrives to collect a trough level but discovers the nurse has already administered the medication. What is the best action?
  1. Ask the nurse to administer the medication again
  2. Document the error and notify the supervisor
    A trough level is the lowest concentration of a drug in the patient's bloodstream, and should be measured just before the next dose is administered. If the dose has already been administered, then it is too late to draw a trough level, and you should notify your supervisor, who will probably tell you to take the draw before the following dose.
  3. Draw the specimen anyway
  4. Draw the trough level from a different patient
  5. Wait 30 minutes before drawing the trough level
4) A patient is hesitant about providing a blood sample. How should the phlebotomist respond?
  1. Ask a family member to convince the patient to cooperate
  2. Listen respectfully and answer the patient's questions
    The phlebotomist should listen to the patient and answer their questions. A patient always has the right to ask questions about a procedure or to refuse it.
  3. Proceed with the blood draw anyway
  4. Reassure the patient that it won't hurt
  5. Tell the patient that a blood sample is mandatory
5) Which principle of the Canada Health Act is not patient-focused but rather the means of achieving the other four principles?
  1. Accessibility
  2. Comprehensiveness
  3. Portability
  4. Public administration
    Public administration is a principle of the Canada Health Act that requires provincial and territorial health care insurance plans to be operated on a non-profit basis by a public authority. While this principle is not directly patient-focused, it ensures the other four principles (universality, comprehensiveness, accessibility, and portability) are achieved through a publicly managed system.
  5. Universality
6) Which of these actions shows accountability?
  1. Blaming a mistake on someone else
  2. Completing an incident form for an error you made
    Accountability means taking responsibility for your actions. Completing an incident form for your own mistake is an example of accountability. You admit what happened, record it, and start the process to prevent it from happening again.
  3. Giving constructive feedback to a colleague
  4. Reporting a colleague's mistake to a supervisor
  5. Thanking a colleague for helping you with a task
7) Which of these is the responsibility of a laboratory assistant?
  1. Disciplining workers
  2. Giving results to patients
  3. Performing tests that require judgment
  4. Preparing chemical solutions
    Preparing chemical solutions is the task of a laboratory assistant. Laboratory assistants perform basic tasks such as preparing solutions, handling specimens, and maintaining equipment. Supervising workers, giving results to patients, and performing tests requiring judgment are typical responsibilities of more advanced laboratory personnel, such as technicians, technologists, and managers.
  5. Supervising other workers
8) A supervisor asks a lab assistant to perform a test on an analyzer they have never used before. What should the lab assistant do?
  1. Ask a colleague to enter the results
  2. Perform the test
  3. Perform the test only if the sample is marked as a "STAT"
  4. Read the analyzer's quick-start guide
  5. Request training
    Using equipment you're unfamiliar with can be dangerous and lead to incorrect results. You should request training first.
9) A coworker asks you about a patient’s biopsy result, but they are not involved in the patient’s care. What should you do?
  1. Refer the worker to the patient’s primary physician
  2. Refuse to discuss the patient’s information
    Workers should only have access to information if they are directly involved in the patient’s care. Therefore, in this situation, you must keep the patient's information private.
  3. Share the result but omit the patient's name
  4. Share the result only if the worker signs a confidentiality report
  5. Show the coworker how to find the result on the computer
10) A patient looks confused after you explain a procedure. What is the best next step?
  1. Call the patient's doctor and ask them to explain
  2. Continue because you already obtained consent
  3. Document that the patient appeared confused
  4. Explain it again using simpler language
    Explaining it again using simpler language can help the patient understand. For example, use "taking blood" instead of "venipuncture", and "not eating" instead of "fasting".
  5. Speak louder and more slowly
11) Which of these is a barrier to effective written communication?
  1. Clear subject headings
  2. Concise sentences
  3. Logical structure
  4. Professional tone
  5. Technical jargon
    A communication barrier is anything that stops the other person from clearly understanding your message. Using technical jargon or specialist words is one example. When you speak to people who are not experts, technical words can confuse them and make the message unclear.
12) How can you show empathy to a nervous patient?
  1. Distract the patient by talking about your life
    Distracting the patient by talking about your life shifts the focus away from the patient's feelings and can make the patient feel like their concerns are unimportant.
  2. Explain the procedure in simple terms
    Explaining the procedure is simple terms can help to reduce anxiety, but does not show empathy.
  3. Listen to their concerns
    Listening to their concerns is the correct answer because listening shows you care about the patient's feelings. Empathy is about understanding and sharing the feelings of another person.
  4. Tell the patient not to worry
    Telling the patient not to worry is dismissive and can make the patient feel like their concerns are invalid.
  5. Tell the patient you need to hurry up
13) A patient is hard of hearing and speaks limited English. What is the best action?
  1. Ask a family member to help
    Asking a family member to help translate can violate patient privacy and can lead to mistakes because family members aren't trained in medical language.
  2. Find an interpreter
    In this situation, the best action is to find an interpreter. Professional interpreters are trained in conveying information accurately.
  3. Proceed with the procedure anyway
  4. Refuse to collect the specimen
  5. Use gestures to convey information
14) After a difficult interaction with a patient, a lab technician reviews what happened and considers how to improve next time. What is this an example of?
  1. Authority
  2. Communication
  3. Compliance
  4. Reflection
    Reflection means analyzing past actions and experiences to understand what is working and what needs improvement.
  5. Role clarification
15) A patient asks a lab assistant whether they can go home. What should the lab assistant do?
  1. Contact hospital security
  2. Ignore the question
  3. Provide an estimate of when they can go home
    Giving an estimate of when they can go home sounds helpful, but giving a wrong estimate can make the patient frustrated if they have to stay longer than expected.
  4. Refer the patient to the nurse or physician
    A lab assistant should not give discharge advice. Whether a patient can go home is a decision that the nurse or physician should make.
  5. Tell the patient to stay until all tests are complete
    Telling the patient to stay until all tests are complete is incorrect because the lab assistant does not know why the patient is in the hospital.
16) The “need-to-know” principle in information security means access to information based on:
  1. job duties
    The need-to-know principle means workers should only have access to the information they need for their specific duties or tasks.
  2. organizational hierarchy
    Higher-ranking workers should not necessarily have more access to patient information than lower-ranking workers. The need-to-know means access to information is restricted to workers who need it to complete a task, regardless of how high up the person is in the company chain of command.
  3. patient consent
  4. seniority
  5. time
17) A manager tells you to skip a required QC step to save time. What is the most professional response?
  1. Agree, but perform the QC step anyway in secret
  2. Ask another coworker to do it instead
  3. Refuse to skip the QC step and escalate the issue if necessary
    Quality control (QC) helps ensure the accuracy of results. Performing tests without the required QC therefore jeopardises patient safety and violates professional standards. The professional response is to explain that QC is required, refuse to bypass it, and escalate the concern if needed.
  4. Report the manager to the police
    Skipping a quality control step is a compliance issue, not a criminal matter handled by the police.
  5. Skip the QC step
18) A lab assistant overhears coworkers discussing a patient’s transfusion history in the cafeteria. What is the best action?
  1. File an incident report
    Filing an incident report might be necessary later, but the immediate priority is to stop the public conversation from continuing.
  2. Ignore the discussion
  3. Record the conversation using your smartphone
  4. Remind the coworkers of patient privacy
    Discussing patients in a public space, such as a cafeteria, violates patient confidentiality. You should remind the coworkers of the patient's right to privacy.
  5. Report the incident to the patient's family
19) A patient’s family member asks a lab assistant for the patient's biopsy results. What should the lab assistant do?
  1. Ask the family member to sign a Release of Information form
  2. Give the result to the family member
  3. Refer the family member to the pathologist
  4. Refuse to release results without proper authorization
    Biopsy results are confidential. Family members do not have a right to receive biopsy results unless they are legally authorized or the patient has given permission.
  5. Tell the family member the results look normal
20) Which social media action violates professional ethics?
  1. Complaining about a commute to work
  2. Discussing a patient case
    Patient confidentiality is the most important ethical rule in healthcare. Discussing a patient case online violates patient confidentiality, privacy laws, and professional ethics. Healthcare workers should never post about specific patients or clinical situations on social media.
  3. Posting workplace selfies
  4. Sharing health education articles
  5. Using privacy settings

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About the MLPAO MLA/T exam

What is the MLPAO MLA/T exam?

The MLPAO MLA/T Certification Exam, or simply the MLPAO MLA/T exam, is an exam for medical laboratory assistants/technicians (MLA/Ts) in Ontario, Canada. It tests the basic knowledge and skills needed to work as a lab assistant or lab technician.

If you pass the exam, you become certified by the MLPAO. This can help show employers that you have the knowledge to work as an MLA or MLT. The exam is not required by law, but many employers in Ontario may ask for it or prefer it.

The exam is administered by the Medical Laboratory Professionals Association of Ontario (MLPAO).

Who can take the MLPAO MLA/T exam?

You can register for the MLPAO MLA/T exam if you meet one of these criteria:

  • You graduated from an MLA/T program at an MLPAO-approved school in Ontario in the last five years.
  • You are enrolled in an MLA/T program at an MLPAO-approved school in Ontario, and you will graduate before the exam date.

What schools are MLPAO-approved?

The following schools offer MLPAO-approved MLA/T programs:

  • Algonquin Careers Academy (Ottawa)
  • Anderson College of Business, Health and Technology (Hamilton, Kitchener, London, Mississauga, North York, Toronto)
  • Centennial College (Scarborough)
  • Confederation College (Thunder Bay)
  • CTS Canadian Career College (Barrie, North Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury)
  • Georgian College (Barrie)
  • Hart College of Cardiac Sonography & Health Care (Toronto)
  • Health and Beauty Canadian College (Thornhill)
  • Humber Polytechnic (Toronto)
  • Medix College of Healthcare (Brampton, Scarborough, Toronto)
  • Mohawk College (Hamilton)
  • Northern College of Applied Arts and Technology (Timmins)
  • Oxford College of Arts, Business & Technology (Barrie, Burlington, Mississauga, Peterborough, Scarborough Accredited, Toronto)
  • Pharma-Medical Science College of Canada (North York)
  • Trillium College (Oshawa, Kingston, St. Catharines, Sudbury)

What if I don't meet the eligibility criteria for the MLPAO MLA/T exam?

If you don't meet the eligibility criteria for the MLPAO MLA/T exam (for example, you took an MLA/T program outside of Ontario), you may still be able to take the exam through the Special Consideration process. You'll need to email documents proving your relevant education or work experience (such as a resume, a letter from an employer, diplomas, and degrees) to exam@mlpao.org. The MLPAO will decide if you have enough academic and clinical experience to take the exam.

When is the MLPAO MLA/T exam?

The MLPAO MLA/T exam is held four times per year: in March, June, September, and November. Registration opens 4–5 months before the exam and closes around two months before the exam.

For the latest exam dates, visit www.mlpao.org/mla-t-certification-exam.

How do I apply for the MLPAO MLA/T exam?

To register for the MLPAO MLA/T exam:

  1. Go to mlpao.org/mla-t-certification-exam, scroll down, and click the REGISTER button below "Registration Fees".
  2. Enter your contact information.
  3. Choose the applicable exam fee.
  4. Choose whether you want to take the exam at home or at a testing centre.
  5. Pay the exam fee by credit or debit card.
  6. Email your supporting documents to exam@mlpao.org. In most cases, this is your MLA/T diploma. The MLPAO will also accept a letter from your school confirming your completion date.

How much is the MLPAO MLA/T exam?

The following table shows the exam fees. The fee varies based on whether:

  • you're a member of the MLPAO
  • you're taking the exam at home or at a testing centre
  • you're a student or graduate
  • you register for the exam early

For more information on the exam fees, visit www.mlpao.org/mla-t-certification-exam.

Registration fees for the MLPAO MLA/T exam
Category Home Testing centre
Students (MLPAO members) $310 +HST $330 +HST
Students (non-members) and graduates $475 +HST $515 +HST
Re-writes $275 +HST $315 +HST
Apply for the exam early (3–5 months before the exam date) for an early registration discount of $100. If you are a student in an MLPAO-approved program, join the MLPAO to reduce the exam fee by $165. Student membership to the MLPAO costs just $24. To join the MLPAO, visit mlpao.org/membership. The discount only applies to students.

How can I take the MLPAO MLA/T exam?

There are two ways to take the MLPAO exam:

  1. At home
  2. At a testing centre in Ontario

The advantage of taking the exam at home is that you don't need to travel anywhere, and the exam fee is lower. The advantage of taking the exam at a testing centre is that testing centres have reliable equipment and internet, so there’s less chance of technical problems. Plus, you don’t have to worry about setting up your room for the exam. You simply show up and sit down at a computer.

Taking the MLPAO MLA/T exam at a testing centre

There are testing centres across Ontario. The locations are in Ajax, Barrie, Belleville, Brampton, Brantford, Etobicoke, Hamilton, Kingston, London, Mississauga, North Bay, North York, Oshawa, Ottawa, Owen Sound, Peterborough, Scarborough, St. Catharines, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Toronto, Vaughan, Whitby, and Windsor. The testing centres have limited availability, so book the exam early to guarantee your preferred location.

Two weeks before the exam, the MLPAO will send you your testing centre and start time by email.

On exam day, ensure you have:

  • your government-issued photo ID
  • your unique MLPAO exam ID

The following items are not allowed during the exam:

  • Calculators (you will have access to a virtual calculator during the exam)
  • Paper
  • Pens or pencils
  • Notes
  • Phones
  • Smart watches

Drinks are allowed, but food is generally not permitted.

Taking the MLPAO MLA/T exam at home

If you decide to take the exam at home, the MLPAO will email you instructions on how to book your exam around three weeks before the exam date. This email will also contain your exam login information.

Before your exam day, you should make sure your computer meets the minimum requirements. You will need:

  • a computer or laptop (not a tablet, smartphone, or Chromebook) with a microphone, speakers, and webcam
  • a reliable internet connection
  • Windows 8 or higher or macOS 10.13 or higher (Linux is not supported)
  • the Guardian Secure Proctoring Browser (which you can download from guardian.meazurelearning.com)

On exam day, you’ll need to be in a private, well-lit room with a clear workspace. Make sure to close all programs on your computer except for your web browser. You’ll then be assigned an online proctor who will verify your room setup via webcam. Once everything is set, your proctor will unlock the exam, and you’ll be ready to begin. The proctor will monitor you throughout the exam.

What score do I need to pass the MLPAO MLA/T exam?

The MLPAO MLA/T exam has 200 multiple-choice questions. You will need to correctly answer at least 60% of the questions to pass.

What if I fail the MLPAO MLA/T exam?

If you fail the MLPAO MLA/T exam on your first attempt, you can retake it within 1 year.

If you fail the exam on your second attempt, the MLPAO will send you instructions on how to become eligible to retake the exam. This will include doing refresher coursework.

You can attempt the exam a maximum of three times.

How do I cancel my MLPAO MLA/T exam?

If you need to cancel your exam, email mlpao@mlpao.org to get a refund of the exam fee, minus the application fee and a $50 administrative fee.

Make sure you cancel at least 30 days before the exam date. Otherwise, you won't get a refund.