Nursing & Healthcare Exam Prep
byRan Chen, EA, CFP®
EducationCoursesHealthFitness
Nursing & Healthcare Exam Prep is a daily podcast designed to help future nurses and healthcare professionals pass their licensing and admission exams with clarity and confidence. Built and operated by OpenExamPrep, this podcast breaks down major nursing and healthcare exams into focused, easy-to-digest episodes covering NCLEX-RN, NCLEX-PN, CNA certification, and ATI TEAS, across national exam standards and applicable state-level requirements. Each episode targets one key concept, common exam trap, or high-frequency test topic—making it ideal for studying during commutes, workouts, or short study sessions. Created by Ran Chen, EA, CFP®, a financial professional and exam specialist who has personally pas...
Episodes(40 episodes)
Phlebotomy Exam Prep 71, Informed Consent and Refusal
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:
- Implied consent is sufficient for routine venipuncture and is demonstrated by a patient's actions, such as extending their arm.
- Explicit consent, either verbal or written, is mandatory for more invasive procedures like an Arterial Blood Gas (ABG) draw or blood donation.
- A competent patient has the absolute right to r...
Published: Jul 6, 2026Duration: 3m 25s
Phlebotomy Exam Prep 70, HIPAA — Authorized Disclosures
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:
- That Treatment, Payment, and Operations (TPO) are the three primary situations where PHI can be disclosed without specific patient authorization.
- To recognize that disclosures for purposes like marketing, fundraising, or to third parties such as employers require explicit, written patient consent.
- That patients have a right to access their o...
Published: Jul 5, 2026Duration: 2m 53s
Phlebotomy Exam Prep 69, HIPAA — Patient Privacy Basics
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:
- What constitutes Protected Health Information (PHI) and how it's tested on the exam.
- The critical 'minimum necessary' rule and common exam-based violation scenarios.
- How everyday conversations in public spaces like hallways can lead to serious HIPAA breaches.
- Key digital security practices, including computer screen privacy and logging out o...
Published: Jul 4, 2026Duration: 3m 43s
Phlebotomy Exam Prep 68, Isolation Room Phlebotomy Procedure
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 first critical action to take before entering any isolation room.
- The correct sequence for both donning and doffing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
- Why the phlebotomy cart must always remain outside the patient's room.
- A simple mnemonic to remember the correct order for removing PPE to prevent self-contamination.
...
Published: Jul 3, 2026Duration: 3m 0s
Phlebotomy Exam Prep 67, Standard vs Transmission-Based Precautions
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:
- Standard Precautions are the universal baseline applied to every patient, assuming all body fluids are infectious.
- Transmission-Based Precautions (Contact, Droplet, Airborne) are additional measures used for known or suspected infections.
- Contact Precautions, for pathogens like MRSA and C. diff, require a gown and gloves.
- Droplet Precautions, for illnesses l...
Published: Jul 2, 2026Duration: 3m 25s
Phlebotomy Exam Prep 65, Needlestick Injury Protocol
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 first action after a needlestick is always to wash the area thoroughly with soap and water.
- Gently encourage the wound to bleed, but never squeeze the site as this can cause further tissue damage.
- Report the incident to a supervisor immediately, with formal documentation often required within one h...
Published: Jul 1, 2026Duration: 2m 56s
Phlebotomy Exam Prep 64, Sharps Disposal and Safety Devices
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 dispose of sharps in a designated, puncture-resistant container at the immediate point of use.
- The Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act mandates the use of engineered safety devices on all needles.
- Never recap a contaminated needle; instead, activate its safety feature immediately after the draw is complete.
- Sharps c...
Published: Jun 30, 2026Duration: 3m 6s
Phlebotomy Exam Prep 63, Hand Hygiene — When and How
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 five critical moments for hand hygiene in a phlebotomy setting and how they appear on the exam.
- How to distinguish between scenarios requiring alcohol-based sanitizer versus soap and water.
- Why you must wash your hands before donning gloves, a common exam confusion point.
- The critical exception for p...
Published: Jun 29, 2026Duration: 3m 16s
Phlebotomy Exam Prep 62, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
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:
- That a new pair of gloves is mandatory for every single patient encounter without exception.
- How to identify exam scenarios that require additional PPE, like gowns and face shields, based on the risk of splashing.
- The correct sequence for donning PPE: gown, mask, goggles, and then gloves last.
- T...
Published: Jun 28, 2026Duration: 3m 18s
Phlebotomy Exam Prep 61, OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard
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 central role of the written Exposure Control Plan, which must be updated annually, in guiding all safety procedures.
- How to differentiate between engineering controls like safety needles and work practice controls like prohibiting two-handed needle recapping.
- The specific requirement for employers to offer the Hepatitis B vaccine free o...
Published: Jun 27, 2026Duration: 3m 12s
Phlebotomy Exam Prep 60, Skin Antiseptic Drying Time
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 you must let 70% isopropyl alcohol air-dry for approximately 30 seconds without fanning or blowing.
- How puncturing through wet alcohol can cause hemolysis, destroying red blood cells and compromising the specimen.
- The critical exam trap of how wet alcohol can contaminate a sample and create a falsely elevated blood alcohol l...
Published: Jun 26, 2026Duration: 3m 0s
Phlebotomy Exam Prep 59, Diurnal Variation Drug and Hormone Tests
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:
- Cortisol levels peak around 8 AM and are lowest in the evening, a critical timing factor for diagnosing endocrine disorders like Cushing's or Addison's disease.
- Other common tests like ACTH, TSH, and iron also exhibit significant diurnal variation, making morning collections the standard for accurate interpretation.
- Therapeutic drug monitoring requires p...
Published: Jun 25, 2026Duration: 3m 18s
Phlebotomy Exam Prep 58, Fasting Requirements by Test
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 standard 8 to 12-hour fasting requirement for key tests like glucose, lipid panels, and fasting insulin.
- Why the Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT) requires a strict fast for the initial baseline draw.
- The unique requirement for morning fasting for iron studies due to diurnal variation.
- The critical importance of d...
Published: Jun 24, 2026Duration: 3m 58s
Phlebotomy Exam Prep 57, Pre-Analytical Errors — The 60% Problem
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:
- Pre-analytical errors, which occur before lab testing, account for up to 70% of all lab mistakes and are a major focus on the Phlebotomy exam.
- Improper patient identification is the most critical pre-analytical error; exam questions will test your ability to follow strict ID protocols without exception.
- Hemolysis, the rupture o...
Published: Jun 23, 2026Duration: 3m 22s
Phlebotomy Exam Prep 56, Quality Control in Phlebotomy
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:
- Daily QC for POCT devices requires running two levels of controls: a low/normal and a high/abnormal.
- Levey-Jennings charts are used to visually track QC data over time, helping to identify shifts and trends that indicate potential problems.
- The Westgard 1-3s rule requires immediate rejection of a Q...
Published: Jun 22, 2026Duration: 3m 18s
Phlebotomy Exam Prep 55, POCT Glucose — Fingerstick Technique
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 washing with soap and water is the correct exam answer over using alcohol for site preparation.
- The critical reason for wiping away the first drop of blood to avoid sample contamination with interstitial fluid.
- The difference between applying gentle pressure versus the incorrect technique of "milking" the finger.
...
Published: Jun 21, 2026Duration: 1m 40s
Phlebotomy Exam Prep 54, Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) Overview
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 definition of Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) and its CLIA-waived status for common tests like glucose and hemoglobin.
- Critical quality control (QC) requirements, including the necessary frequency and documentation procedures.
- The importance of operator certification and the need for annual competency assessments to perform POCT.
- Essential components of proper d...
Published: Jun 20, 2026Duration: 3m 11s
Phlebotomy Exam Prep 53, CSF and Body Fluid Specimens
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 phlebotomist's crucial support role during a physician-performed lumbar puncture.
- The critical order of draw for CSF tubes 1, 2, 3, and 4 and the rationale behind it.
- The specific laboratory destinations for each CSF tube: chemistry, microbiology, and hematology.
- How the CSF collection sequence minimizes contamination to ensure accurate microbiology and c...
Published: Jun 19, 2026Duration: 3m 19s
Phlebotomy Exam Prep 52, Sputum, Throat Swab, Nasopharyngeal
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:
- How to differentiate between a valid deep-cough sputum sample and an invalid saliva sample for accurate testing.
- Why first morning sputum collection yields the most concentrated and reliable specimen for respiratory diagnostics.
- The precise anatomical landmarks for a throat swab, focusing on the tonsils and posterior pharynx while avoiding c...
Published: Jun 18, 2026Duration: 3m 19s
Phlebotomy Exam Prep 51, Stool Specimen Collection
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 importance of avoiding urine and toilet water contamination for all stool samples and the reasons why.
- Key dietary and medication restrictions (red meat, certain vegetables, aspirin, Vitamin C) required for the gFOBT and why the FIT does not have these restrictions.
- The specific collection protocol for Ova a...
Published: Jun 17, 2026Duration: 2m 39s