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CSMLS MLT Certification Exam: Practice Test 1

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CSMLS MLT Certification Exam: Practice Test 1

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300
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About these practice questions

These practice questions will help you prepare for the CSMLS MLT exam.

This practice test contains 300 practice questions covering the eight sections of the CSMLS MLT exam:

  1. Safe Work Practices
  2. Data and Specimen Collection and Handling
  3. Analytical Processes
  4. Interpretation and Reporting of Results
  5. Quality Management
  6. Critical Thinking
  7. Communication and Interaction
  8. Professional Practice

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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Section 1: Safe Work Practices

1) What is the term for the process of reducing the impact or likelihood of risks?
  1. Risk implementation
  2. Risk improvement
  3. Risk mitigation
    Risk mitigation (also known as risk reduction) is the process of reducing the likelihood or impact of a risk.
  4. Risk retention
2) Which of these practices is dangerous and should be avoided?
  1. Immediately performing first aid on someone who has been exposed to blood
  2. Recapping used needles using both hands
    Never recap a needle with two hands (using one hand to hold the cap and the other to hold the needle). You could slip and accidentally puncture yourself.
  3. Securing used sharps containers during transport
  4. Using plasticware instead of glass
3) What packaging is used to ship Category A infectious substances?
  1. A610
  2. A630
  3. P620
    There are two types of packaging for shipping infectious materials: P620 and P650.
    • Type P620 packaging is the highest integrity packaging. It is the only packaging allowed for shipping Category A infectious substances (substances that pose the highest risk of serious disease or death)
    • Type P650 packaging is less secure than P620. It is used to transport Category B infectious substances. It cannot be used to transport Category A infectious substances.
  4. P650
4) What is the national standard for the handling and storage of pathogens and toxins?
  1. Canadian Biosafety Standard
    The Canadian Biosafety Standard (CBS) is a national standard for the handling and storage of pathogens and toxins in Canada. It is a set of rules for dealing with dangerous biological materials. The rules include requirements for physical containment and operational practice.
  2. Canadian Environmental Protection Act
  3. Controlled Substances Act
  4. Hazardous Products Act
5) Which Canadian standard outlines the communication requirements for hazardous chemicals used in laboratories?
  1. Canadian Biosafety Standard
  2. Occupational Health and Safety Regulations
  3. Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations
  4. Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System
    The Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) is Canada's national hazard communication standard for hazardous chemicals used in the workplace. Its goal is to protect workers by requiring health and safety information for hazardous chemicals.
6) Where should stock ethanol solutions be stored?
  1. Flammable safety cabinet
    Ethanol is a flammable substance and should be stored in a flammable safety cabinet to reduce the risk of fire.
  2. Freezer
  3. Fume hood
  4. Refrigerator
7) Under WHMIS 2015, supplier labels must:
  1. be in English and French
    Under WHMIS 2015, supplier labels must be in both English and French. This ensures that all workers, regardless of their primary language, can understand the hazard information provided on the label.
  2. contain a photo of the hazardous product
  3. follow a set format
    While supplier labels must adhere to certain guidelines, there is no specific set format that they must follow. The label must include required elements, but the layout and design can vary.
  4. have a hatched border
    The hatched border was required under WHMIS 1988, but is no longer required under WHMIS 2015.
8) Which chemical is used to decontaminate equipment exposed to prions?
  1. Alcohol
  2. Formaldehyde
  3. Hydrogen peroxide
  4. Sodium hydroxide
    Prions are proteins that cause rare and fatal brain diseases. They are extremely resistant to standard sterilization methods, including heat, radiation, and standard disinfectants such as alcohol and formalin. To neutralize prions, the infected material should be soaked in concentrated sodium hydroxide or sodium hypochlorite and then autoclaved.
9) In the NFPA hazard diamond, which quadrant is for special hazards?
  1. Blue
  2. Red
  3. White
    The NFPA hazard diamond is for hazardous chemicals and materials. It is divided into four quadrants: white (special hazards), blue (health hazards), red (fire hazards), and yellow (reactivity hazards).
  4. Yellow
10) Which of these must be worn when visiting a patient in enteric isolation?
  1. Gown
    Enteric isolation prevents infections transmitted primarily by fecal material. It is used for patients with infectious diarrhea or gastroenteritis. When visiting a patient in enteric isolation, staff should wear a gown (or apron) and gloves. Wearing a gown prevents contamination of the healthcare worker's clothing and skin with feces from the patient.
  2. Hazard suit
  3. Lead apron
  4. Shoe covers
11) What should be your first action if a patient's body fluid splashes into your eyes?
  1. Call 911
  2. Determine whether the patient has an infectious disease
  3. Flush your eyes with water
    If a patient's body fluid gets in your eyes, you should immediately flush your eyes with water to reduce the risk of catching a disease.
  4. Make an entry in the accident logbook
12) What should be your first action in the event of an acid burn?
  1. Cover the burn with gauze moistened in sterile saline
  2. Flush the burn with water
    If acid or another chemical touches your skin, you should rinse it off with water immediately.
  3. Go to the emergency department
  4. Neutralize the acid with sodium bicarbonate
13) You find a person lying on the floor. You suspect they have received an electric shock. What is the first thing you must do before treating them?
  1. Check if the person is breathing
  2. Check if the person is still in contact with the electrical current
    If you suspect someone has received an electric shock, you must ensure they are no longer in contact with the electrical current before you can treat them. If it is possible to do so safely, turn off the source of electricity. DO NOT touch the casualty if you have been unable to isolate them from the source of the electrical shock or turn off the electricity, or you will receive a shock yourself.
  3. Check the person's pulse
  4. Make a note in the incident logbook
14) On what principle are universal precautions based?
  1. All chemicals may be carcinogenic
  2. All specimens are potentially infectious
    Universal precautions are based on the assumption that all patients, regardless of their medical condition, may be infected with a bloodborne pathogen or other infectious agent. Therefore, all blood is considered potentially infectious.
  3. Handwashing is the best way to prevent the spread of infection
  4. Not all equipment is sterile
15) What does this pictogram mean?
  1. Flammable
  2. Oxidizing
    The flame over circle pictogram is used for oxidizing materials. The circle is an "O" for "oxygen".
  3. Self-heating
  4. Self-reactive
16) What does this sign mean?
  1. Biohazard
    The image depicts the biohazard symbol. A biohazard is a biological substance that harms human health, such as bacteria, viruses, or toxins.
  2. Laser beam hazard
  3. Poisonous
  4. Toxic
17) Which of these actions helps prevent the release of aerosols in the laboratory?
  1. Filling centrifuge tubes to the brim
    Filling centrifuge tubes to the brim can cause liquid to spill out of the tubes. For this reason, most centrifuge tubes are designed to be filled no more than 75–80% of their capacity.
  2. Forcibly expelling hazardous materials from pipettes
    Forcibly expelling hazardous materials from pipettes can create dangerous aerosols. Pipettes should be left to drain instead.
  3. Opening aerosol containment devices immediately after removing them from the centrifuge
    Aerosol containment devices must be opened inside a biological safety cabinet. If no cabinet is available, wait at least 10 minutes before opening them.
  4. Routinely inspecting the centrifuge to ensure there is no leakage
    If a centrifuge leaks, dangerous aerosols may escape into the laboratory air. Therefore, laboratories should inspect centrifuges regularly to ensure there is no leakage.
18) Which of these actions reduces the risk of repetitive strain injury?
  1. Repeating the same movement many times
    Repeating the same movement many times increases the risk of repetitive strain injury.
  2. Resting your arms on a hard surface
    Resting a body part on a hard surface is dangerous because it can constrict blood flow.
  3. Sitting in the same position for a long period of time
    Sitting in the same position for a long time can lead to pain, stiffness, and muscle weakness.
  4. Taking frequent breaks
    Taking breaks helps to prevent repetitive strain injuries.

Section 2: Data and Specimen Collection and Handling

1) A urine sample, an oral swab, and a blood culture arrive in the laboratory at the same time. In which order should they be processed?
  1. Blood culture, oral swab, urine sample
  2. Blood culture, urine sample, oral swab
    The blood culture should be prioritized because it is time-sensitive and has the potential to indicate a life-threatening infection. Urine samples should be given the next priority because they can indicate urinary tract infections, which can cause serious health problems if left untreated. The oral swab has the lowest priority.
  3. Oral swab, blood culture, urine sample
  4. Oral swab, urine sample, blood culture
2) What may happen if a needle angle of 45 degrees is used when performing venipuncture?
  1. The needle may go completely through the vein
    The correct angle for venipuncture is 15 to 30 degrees. If the angle is too steep (like 45 degrees), the needle may go completely through the vein.
  2. The needle may miss the vein completely
  3. The needle will enter above the vein
  4. The sample may be rejected due to hemolysis

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About the CSMLS MLT exam

What is the CSMLS MLT exam?

The CSMLS MLT Certification Exam is an examination for laboratory technologists in Canada. The exam is set by the CSMLS (Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science).

When is the CSMLS MLT exam?

The CSMLS MLT exam is held several times each year, typically in February, June, and October. The deadline for registration is two months before each exam. Check the current exam schedule on the CSMLS website, www.csmls.org.

How much does the CSMLS MLT exam cost?

The fee for the CSMLS MLT exam is based on your CSMLS membership status and whether you live in Canada. The exam fees are as follows:

Canadian resident Non-resident
CSMLS member $999 $1,910
Non-member $1,285 $2,210
(These fees are correct for the 2026 exams. See www.csmls.org for the latest fees.)

There is a late fee if you book the exam within the last two weeks of registration. The late fee is $180 for CSMLS members and $185 for non-members.

CSMLS Medical Laboratory Technologist Student Membership costs just $26 and reduces the cost of the CSMLS MLT exam by $286.

What are the competencies on the exam?

The CSMLS MLT exam has 210 multiple-choice questions that cover eight competencies. These competencies are:

  1. Safe Work Practices
  2. Data and Specimen Collection and Handling
  3. Analytical Processes
  4. Interpretation and Reporting of Results
  5. Quality Management
  6. Critical Thinking
  7. Communication and Interaction
  8. Professional Practice
Some competencies on the CSMLS MLT exam are weighted more heavily than others. In fact, just three competencies — Analytical Processes, Interpretation and Reporting of Results, and Quality Management — are together worth 60-75% of the exam. Therefore, these three competencies should be the focus of your studies.

The following table shows the percentage distribution of the competencies assessed in the CSMLS MLT exam.

Percentage distribution of the competencies in the CSMLS MLT exam.
Competency Percentage of exam
1. Safe Work Practices 5–7%
2. Data and Specimen Collection and Handling 5–7%
3. Analytical Processes 30–35%
4. Interpretation and Reporting of Results 20–25%
5. Quality Management 20–25%
6. Critical Thinking 5–10%
7. Communication and Interaction 3–5%
8. Professional Practice 5–7%