American Medical Certification Association (AMCA) Phlebotomy Practice Exam

What can be assessed at the bedside using a Point of Care instrument?

1. Blood glucose level

2. PTT and INR

3. Complete blood count

4. Electrolytes

The correct answer is: PTT and INR

Point of Care (POC) testing refers to medical diagnostic testing that occurs at or near the site of patient care. This allows for immediate results, facilitating rapid clinical decision-making and treatment. In this context, the option that can be effectively assessed at the bedside using a Point of Care instrument is the Prothrombin Time (PTT) and International Normalized Ratio (INR). These tests are essential for monitoring patients who are on anticoagulant therapy, particularly for those taking warfarin. POC devices can quickly measure the coagulation status, guiding clinicians in making timely adjustments to medication doses based on the current therapeutic needs. While blood glucose levels and electrolytes can also be measured at the bedside with POC devices, the distinction with PTT and INR is that they are specifically utilized for monitoring blood coagulation in an acute setting. A complete blood count (CBC) is typically conducted in a laboratory setting due to its complexity and the need for multiple components to be analyzed, which may not be suitable for POC testing.