Episodes

  • Phlebotomy Exam Prep 23, Geriatric and Hard-Stick Patient

    Phlebotomy Exam Prep 23, Geriatric and Hard-Stick Patient
    May 20 2026
    This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - Always anchor geriatric veins firmly below the puncture site to prevent rolling due to decreased subcutaneous tissue. - Use a reduced angle of insertion, typically 10-15 degrees, to avoid puncturing through fragile vein walls. - Select a smaller needle, like a 22G or 23G butterfly needle, to minimize trauma to delicate veins. - Prioritize skin integrity by using gentle adhesive removal techniques or non-adhesive wraps to prevent tears. - Adapt communication strategies for potential hearing or visual impairments to ensure patient understanding and cooperation. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
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    2 mins
  • Phlebotomy Exam Prep 22, Pediatric Phlebotomy Considerations

    Phlebotomy Exam Prep 22, Pediatric Phlebotomy Considerations
    May 19 2026
    This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The principles of atraumatic care, including parental presence and distraction techniques. - Proper application and timing for topical anesthetics like EMLA cream to minimize pain. - How to calculate maximum allowable blood draw volumes based on a child's weight to prevent complications. - The importance of using appropriate equipment, such as smaller microtainer tubes, for pediatric draws. - The risk and causes of iatrogenic anemia, especially in the NICU, from repeated blood collections. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
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    3 mins
  • Phlebotomy Exam Prep 21, Capillary Order of Draw

    Phlebotomy Exam Prep 21, Capillary Order of Draw
    May 18 2026
    This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The critical differences between the capillary and venipuncture orders of draw. - Why EDTA (lavender/pink top) tubes are collected first after blood gases in a capillary draw to prevent platelet clumping. - How an incorrect capillary draw order can lead to falsely low platelet counts and inaccurate CBC results. - That serum (red/gold top) tubes are always collected last in a capillary puncture because they are designed for clotted blood. - A mnemonic to remember the correct order: "Good Exams Always Score" (Gases, EDTA, Additives, Serum). For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
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    3 mins
  • Phlebotomy Exam Prep 20, Heel Stick — Newborn and Infant

    Phlebotomy Exam Prep 20, Heel Stick — Newborn and Infant
    May 17 2026
    This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The only acceptable puncture sites for an infant heel stick are the medial and lateral plantar surfaces of the heel. - Puncturing the center of an infant's heel carries a high risk of injuring the calcaneus bone, potentially causing osteomyelitis. - Warming the heel for 3-5 minutes prior to puncture is a crucial step to increase blood flow and ensure a viable sample. - The first drop of blood must be wiped away because it is contaminated with tissue fluid that can invalidate test results. - Excessive squeezing or 'milking' of the foot can cause hemolysis and specimen contamination, a common reason for sample rejection. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
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    2 mins
  • Phlebotomy Exam Prep 19, Capillary Puncture — Fingerstick Procedure

    Phlebotomy Exam Prep 19, Capillary Puncture — Fingerstick Procedure
    May 16 2026
    This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - Why the middle and ring fingers are the required sites for an adult capillary puncture and the risks associated with using other fingers. - The critical importance of wiping away the first drop of blood to prevent contamination from tissue fluid and alcohol residue. - The maximum standard lancet depth for an adult fingerstick (2.0 mm) and its role in preventing bone injury and osteomyelitis. - How excessive squeezing or 'milking' the finger causes hemolysis and specimen contamination, leading to inaccurate lab results. - The correct technique of puncturing perpendicular to the fingerprint lines to ensure a well-formed blood drop for easier collection. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
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    3 mins
  • Phlebotomy Exam Prep 18, Syringe Technique and Tube Transfer

    Phlebotomy Exam Prep 18, Syringe Technique and Tube Transfer
    May 15 2026
    This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - Syringe draws are the preferred method for patients with small, fragile, or easily collapsible veins. - A safety transfer device is mandatory for moving blood from a syringe to evacuated tubes to prevent needlestick injuries. - Never push the syringe plunger during transfer; allow the tube's vacuum to pull the blood to prevent hemolysis and aerosolization. - The standard order of draw must be followed when filling tubes from a syringe to prevent additive cross-contamination. - Exam questions frequently test the proper transfer procedure as a key safety and specimen integrity checkpoint.
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    2 mins
  • Phlebotomy Exam Prep 17, Butterfly (Winged) Collection Set

    Phlebotomy Exam Prep 17, Butterfly (Winged) Collection Set
    May 14 2026
    This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - A butterfly (winged) set is the preferred device for patients with small, fragile, or difficult-to-access veins, such as in pediatric and geriatric draws. - A discard tube is mandatory before collecting a light blue top (coagulation) tube to purge the air from the set's tubing. - Failure to use a discard tube will cause the coagulation tube to underfill, altering the 9:1 blood-to-additive ratio and invalidating test results. - The risk of hemolysis increases if a syringe plunger is pulled back too forcefully, due to the pressure exerted on red blood cells passing through the small-gauge needle. - The typical needle gauge for a butterfly set is 23G, which results in a slower blood flow compared to a standard straight needle. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
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    3 mins
  • Phlebotomy Exam Prep 16, Discard Tube Requirements

    Phlebotomy Exam Prep 16, Discard Tube Requirements
    May 13 2026
    This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - A discard tube is required for a light blue (coagulation) top tube when it is the first or only tube drawn with a straight needle to clear tissue thromboplastin. - When using a winged (butterfly) collection set, a discard tube must be drawn before a light blue top tube if it is the first tube in the sequence. - The purpose of the discard tube with a butterfly needle is to purge the air from the tubing, ensuring a proper 9-to-1 blood-to-anticoagulant ratio. - Discard tubes are generally not required for routine chemistry or hematology tubes when they are drawn first. - Remember the mnemonic: "Blue needs a buddy when it's first in line or using a butterfly" to recall the two key scenarios requiring a discard tube. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
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    3 mins