100+ Free NCCT NCPCT Practice Questions

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When entering the room of a patient on contact precautions for C. difficile, which hand-hygiene method is required after removing gloves?

Alcohol-based hand rub only

Soap and water hand wash

Either alcohol rub or soap and water

No hand hygiene if gloves were intact

to track

2026 Statistics

Key Facts: NCCT NCPCT Exam

150

Total Items

NCCT NCPCT test plan (Jan 2025)

125+25

Scored + Pretest

NCCT NCPCT test plan

Time Limit

NCCT NCPCT test plan

575

Passing Scaled Score

NCCT (200-720 scale)

$119

Exam Fee

NCCT registration

1.4M

Nursing Assistant Jobs (May 2024)

BLS Economics Daily (2025)

$19.84

Average Hourly Wage

BLS Economics Daily (May 2024)

The NCCT NCPCT exam contains 125 scored items plus 25 pretest items (150 total) in 3 hours, with a $119 fee and a passing scaled score of 575 on a 200-720 scale. The largest domain is Patient Intake and Care (38 of 125 scored items, ~30%). BLS reports nearly 1.4 million nursing assistant jobs with an average hourly wage of $19.84 (May 2024).

Sample NCCT NCPCT Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your NCCT NCPCT exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1When entering the room of a patient on contact precautions for C. difficile, which hand-hygiene method is required after removing gloves?

A.Alcohol-based hand rub only

B.Soap and water hand wash

C.Either alcohol rub or soap and water

D.No hand hygiene if gloves were intact

Explanation: C. difficile spores are not reliably killed by alcohol-based hand rubs. CDC guidance directs healthcare workers to wash with soap and water to mechanically remove spores after caring for patients with suspected or confirmed C. difficile, even when gloves were worn.

2What is the correct order for donning personal protective equipment (PPE) before entering an isolation room?

A.Gloves, gown, mask, eye protection

B.Gown, mask/respirator, eye protection, gloves

C.Mask, gloves, gown, eye protection

D.Eye protection, gloves, gown, mask

Explanation: CDC standard PPE donning sequence is gown first, then mask or respirator, then eye protection (goggles or face shield), then gloves last so the gloves cover the gown cuffs. Reversing the order leaves skin exposed and contaminates clean PPE.

3Which transmission-based precaution category is required for a patient with active pulmonary tuberculosis?

A.Contact precautions

B.Droplet precautions

C.Airborne precautions

D.Standard precautions only

Explanation: Mycobacterium tuberculosis spreads via airborne droplet nuclei that remain suspended in air. CDC requires airborne precautions: an airborne infection isolation room (negative pressure) and a fit-tested N95 or higher respirator for staff entering the room.

4Immediately after a needlestick injury from a used venipuncture needle, the patient care technician should FIRST:

A.Apply a tight tourniquet above the puncture site

B.Wash the area with soap and running water

C.Squeeze the wound to encourage bleeding for several minutes

D.Apply alcohol and bandage the area

Explanation: OSHA bloodborne pathogen response begins with washing the exposure site with soap and running water. The exposure must then be reported to the supervisor and follow the facility post-exposure protocol so source-patient testing and prophylaxis decisions can be made promptly.

5A used contaminated needle should be disposed of by:

A.Recapping with one hand and placing in the trash

B.Recapping with two hands and placing in a sharps container

C.Placing uncapped directly into a puncture-resistant sharps container

D.Bending the needle with hemostats and placing in red biohazard bag

Explanation: OSHA prohibits recapping, bending, or breaking contaminated needles by hand because most needlesticks happen during these actions. Used needles go directly, uncapped, into a closeable, puncture-resistant, leak-proof sharps container at the point of use.

6Which item is considered regulated medical waste and must be placed in a red biohazard bag?

A.An empty IV bag with no visible blood

B.A urinary catheter drainage bag with bloody urine

C.Disposable diapers from a continent patient

D.Discarded gloves from a blood pressure check

Explanation: OSHA defines regulated waste as items saturated or caked with blood or other potentially infectious materials, items that would release blood if compressed, and pathological/microbiological waste. A bloody catheter drainage bag meets that definition. Most single-use PPE without visible saturation is general waste.

7How long must the PCT vigorously rub hands together when using an alcohol-based hand rub?

A.Until hands are dry (typically 15-20 seconds)

B.Exactly 5 seconds

C.60 seconds minimum

D.Until the alcohol smell fades

Explanation: CDC recommends rubbing alcohol-based hand sanitizer over all hand surfaces until completely dry, which typically takes 15-20 seconds with the proper volume (a palmful covering all surfaces). Drying time is the practical endpoint, not a stopwatch count.

8A confused patient with a history of falls is being repositioned. Which fall-prevention action is MOST appropriate?

A.Apply soft wrist restraints to keep the patient in bed

B.Lower the bed to the lowest position and place the call light within reach

C.Raise all four side rails for safety

D.Leave the bed in high position so staff can respond quickly

Explanation: Lowering the bed to its lowest position reduces injury if the patient does get out of bed, and the call light within reach allows the patient to ask for help. Raising all four side rails is considered a restraint and increases entrapment and serious-injury risk in confused patients.

9Where should the PCT find specific information about chemical hazards on a cleaning product used in the unit?

A.The container barcode

B.The Safety Data Sheet (SDS)

C.The patient's chart

D.The PCT job description

Explanation: OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard requires Safety Data Sheets (SDS, formerly MSDS) for every hazardous chemical. SDSs include hazard identification, first-aid measures, handling/storage, exposure controls, and PPE. They must be readily accessible to employees during all work shifts.

10While walking down the hall, the PCT discovers a small fire in a patient's trash can. Following the RACE protocol, the FIRST action is to:

A.Activate the fire alarm

B.Rescue any patient in immediate danger

C.Confine the fire by closing the door

D.Extinguish the fire with the nearest extinguisher

Explanation: RACE stands for Rescue, Alarm, Confine, Extinguish/Evacuate. The first priority is to rescue anyone in immediate danger from the fire, followed by activating the alarm, then confining smoke by closing doors, and finally attempting extinguishment if it is safe.

About the NCCT NCPCT Exam

NCCT's NCPCT credential validates direct patient care competencies including ADLs, vital signs, infection control, phlebotomy, ECG acquisition, and law/ethics for entry-level patient care technicians.

Questions

150 scored questions

Time Limit

3 hours

Passing Score

Scaled score 575 (200-720 scale)

Exam Fee

$119 (NCCT (National Center for Competency Testing))

NCCT NCPCT Exam Content Outline

20%

Infection Prevention and Safety

PPE, CDC standard and transmission-based precautions, OSHA bloodborne pathogen standards, biohazard handling, post-exposure follow-up, fall and environmental safety, BLS, and emergency response (25 items)

30%

Patient Intake and Care

Patient identification, vital signs, oxygen and nebulizer support, peripheral IVs, ADLs (bathing, grooming, feeding), ostomy and catheter care, intake/output, skin and wound care, mobility, ROM, specimens, pre/post-op and postmortem care, admission/discharge/transfer (38 items)

21%

Phlebotomy

Venipuncture and capillary equipment, additives by tube color, fill levels, CLSI order of draw, site selection, special-needs precautions, age-specific draws, complications, and post-phlebotomy care (26 items)

17%

ECG

Patient education and prep, electrode and lead placement (12-lead, Holter, telemetry), waveform recognition, atrial and ventricular abnormalities, rhythm classification, artifact and recording-error troubleshooting (21 items)

12%

Law and Ethics

Patient's Bill of Rights (AHA), HIPAA/PHI compliance, scope of practice, reportable incidents, response to unethical or unlawful practice, abuse and neglect documentation (15 items)

How to Pass the NCCT NCPCT Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Scaled score 575 (200-720 scale)
Exam length: 150 questions
Time limit: 3 hours
Exam fee: $119

Keys to Passing

Complete 500+ practice questions
Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
Focus on highest-weighted sections
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

NCCT NCPCT Study Tips from Top Performers

1Weight your study time to the test plan — Patient Intake and Care is the biggest section at 38 of 125 scored items

2Memorize CLSI order of draw and additive colors cold; phlebotomy questions account for ~21% of the exam

3Drill 12-lead electrode placement (V1 at 4th ICS right sternal border, V2 at 4th ICS left sternal border) and common artifact fixes

4Lock in CDC standard vs transmission-based precautions and the correct PPE order for donning and doffing

5Practice mixed timed sets at NCCT pace — 150 items in 180 minutes is roughly 72 seconds per question

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on the NCCT NCPCT exam?

NCCT's NCPCT detailed test plan (effective January 2025) lists 125 scored items and 25 unscored pretest items, for a total of 150 questions. About 92% are standard 4-option multiple-choice and 8% are alternative items (drag and drop, multi-select, hotspot).

How long is the NCPCT exam?

Candidates have 3 hours to complete the NCPCT examination, per the NCCT detailed test plan.

What score do I need to pass NCPCT?

NCCT scores the NCPCT on a scaled 200-720 range. A scaled score of 575 is required to pass.

How much does the NCPCT exam cost?

The NCPCT testing fee is $119, paid during registration on the NCCT website.

What domains are tested on NCPCT?

The NCCT NCPCT detailed test plan lists 5 scored content areas: Infection Prevention and Safety (25 items), Patient Intake and Care (38 items), Phlebotomy (26 items), ECG (21 items), and Law and Ethics (15 items).

Who is eligible to take the NCPCT exam?

NCCT lists multiple eligibility routes: current students in NCCT-authorized PCT programs, recent graduates within 5 years, candidates with at least 1 year of full-time verifiable PCT experience in the US within the last 5 years, instructors at NCCT-authorized schools, and qualifying military service members and veterans.