CLT Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield CLT facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. What is the primary purpose of conducting a comprehensive patient assessment in Certified Laser Therapist practice? → To establish baseline measurements and identify treatment needs
2. A hemocytometer is used to manually count cells. The accepted standard dilution for a WBC count using a hemocytometer is: → 1:20 with acetic acid solution
3. When a critical value is called to a nurse, what information must be documented? → The result, date/time, name of the person notified, and who reported it
4. What is the purpose of laboratory safety protocols? → To protect workers, prevent contamination, and ensure safety
5. Why is laboratory safety crucial in clinical laboratory settings? → To prevent workplace injuries and contamination
6. What is the significance of obtaining a thorough patient history? → It reveals relevant conditions that may affect treatment planning
7. Which white blood cell is the most abundant in a normal adult differential count? → Neutrophils
8. Which entity typically has authority to establish practice standards? → State licensing boards and professional regulatory bodies
9. How should laboratory personnel handle infectious waste? → By following biohazardous waste protocols for safe disposal
10. What is the primary purpose of running a calibration curve in clinical chemistry assays? → To establish the relationship between signal and analyte concentration
11. Which plasma protein is produced exclusively by the liver and accounts for approximately 60% of total plasma protein? → Albumin
12. Which standard requires laboratories to establish and document calibration verification at least every 6 months? → CLIA 42 CFR 493.1255
13. Which CLIA-defined test complexity category includes urine dipstick, blood glucose monitoring, and urine pregnancy tests? → Waived
14. A laboratory technologist accidentally splashes a chemical into their eyes. What is the first and most critical action? → Flush eyes with water for at least 15 minutes
15. A patient undergoing chemotherapy develops a platelet count of 8,000/μL. Under which clinical condition would platelet transfusion be MOST indicated? → All of the above
16. Which blood component is the MOST appropriate for a patient with isolated factor VIII deficiency (hemophilia A)? → Cryoprecipitate
17. When calibrating a laboratory balance, certified calibration weights must be: → Handled with forceps or gloves to prevent oils from altering their mass
18. Which type of biological safety cabinet provides both product and personnel protection and is appropriate for BSL-2 and BSL-3 work? → Class II BSC
19. When reviewing a patient's CBC, you notice a left shift with toxic granulation in neutrophils. This finding is most associated with: → Severe bacterial sepsis
20. A patient sample is collected but the requisition lacks a specimen type. Which action best supports proper documentation? → Contact the ordering provider and document the clarification in the record
21. During electrophoresis of serum proteins on cellulose acetate, the band that migrates the farthest toward the anode at pH 8.6 is: → Albumin
22. Why should laboratory tests be documented accurately? → To ensure traceability, compliance, and accuracy
23. Which electrolyte abnormality is most commonly associated with prolonged QT interval on ECG and increased risk of cardiac arrhythmia? → Hypocalcemia
24. Gas chromatography (GC) column efficiency is expressed as the number of theoretical plates (N). A higher N value indicates: → Greater separation resolution between closely eluting peaks
25. What should a practitioner do when regulations conflict with employer policies? → Follow the regulation, as legal requirements supersede employer policies
26. A laboratory technologist notices a clot in an EDTA tube collected for a CBC. What is the most appropriate action? → Recollect the specimen from the patient
27. Which laboratory finding would most likely be seen in a patient experiencing syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH)? → Hyponatremia with high urine osmolality
28. Which of the following scenarios represents a breach of laboratory record integrity? → Using correction fluid (white-out) to cover an error in a paper record
29. Which international symbol on a chemical label indicates an acute toxic hazard? → Skull and crossbones
30. A laboratory's QC program uses three levels of control: low, normal, and high. The PRIMARY reason for using multiple QC levels is to: → Detect errors across the entire analytical measurement range