Taking your phlebotomy exam can definitely be intimidating, but properpreparation will give you the confidence you need to do well on the test. You can sharpen your ability to recall phlebotomy terminology and procedures with the right type ofstudy techniques. Below is a brief phlebotomy study guide that will offer you some helpful tips on how toproperly prepare for your phlebotomy exam.
Create Flash Cards
One of the most useful study tools ever invented is the flash card. You can use card stock paper and black markers to create the flash cards, with the question or term on the front and the answer on the back. Make sure that you choose a paper that is thick and opaque enough so that the marker doesn't bleed through on the other side. You may need to categorize the questions by color, using one color of paper for strict definitions (i.e., what PTT stands for) and another color of paper for questions that deal with selecting the right course of action (i.e., naming the correct order of draw for a BCX). As you're creating the cards, you will find that writing the questions and answers down willactually help you to log them into your memory. Once you have finishedcreating an entire set, go through them at least twice a day (three times or more the closer you get to the exam), making sure not to peek or cheat.
Focus More on the Unknowns Than the Knowns
As you go through the flash cards over and over, you will begin to notice certain cards that seem to stump you every time. Make a separate pile of these particular cards, and begin to really drill yourself on those items. This may seem like common knowledge, but a lot of students fail because they're dividing their energy up among the things they already know and the things they still haven't permanently retained in their memory yet.
They will go through a pile of flash cards, quite honestly wasting time byincluding the terms that they can recite without even blinking an eye, but then struggling with other cards. It is better to devote all of your focus to the cards that you haven't yet mastered, working with them until you master them. In this way, you will eliminate your weaknesses and quite possibly turn them into strengths.
The Internet is Your Friend
There are tons of websites out there that allow you to take practice phlebotomy exams at the click of a mouse. A simple Google search for"phlebotomy exam prep" or"phlebotomy test preparation" will yield a plethora of websites that simulate actual standardized phlebotomy exams, allowing you to not only test your knowledge but seethe answers you got wrong. Make sure to take full advantage of these websites.
Watch What You Eat
It is also recommended that you eat only a light meal before taking the exam; research has shown that if your stomach is too full, it will pull blood from the brain in order to facilitate digestion, leaving less blood available to carry oxygen to your brain, which is what you will greatly need when taking an intensive exam. This is part of the reason why we can sometimes feel"foggy-headed" after eating a big meal. Eat light foods such as fruits or vegetables beforehand, and you will be better physically prepared for the exam as well.
At the end of the day, preparation will always be the key to your confidence. Dedication, commitment and hard work in your study habits will put you in the best position to dowell on your phlebotomy exam.
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