CAP Pro Course - Point-of-Care Testing - Prothrombin Time (PT) and INR (2025 & 2026)

Continuing Education Credits

• P.A.C.E.® Contact Hours: 1 hour(s)
• Florida Board of Clinical Laboratory Science CE Credit Hours -
  General: 1 hour(s)

Objectives

• Explain the principles and utilization of the prothrombin time (PT) test and the international normalized ratio (INR).
• Demonstrate knowledge of the proper procedures for patient identification and sample collection.
• Follow the correct procedure for performing the POC PT/INR and identify potential sources of error in the testing and demonstrate knowledge of quality practices that will help to minimize error.
• Discuss the factors affecting the results of a fingerstick INR and the possible side effects of warfarin therapy.

Course Outline

• Explain the principles and utilization of the prothrombin time (PT) test and the international normalized ratio (INR).
• Understanding Hemostasis and the Coagulation Cascade
• Prothrombin Time (PT) and Warfarin Therapy
• Point-of-Care (POC) Monitoring of Warfarin Therapy
• Clinical Indications for Warfarin Therapy
• A new patient comes into the coagulation clinic for testing. He was recently started on warfarin therapy for deep vein thrombosis (DVT). His INR is 1....
• A new patient comes to the coagulation clinic for a prothrombin time. He is confused when the tech calls the test an INR. He wants to make sure that h...
• Which of the following terms is defined as "A number provided by the manufacturer of a prothrombin time reagent that denotes how sensitive the reagent...
• A patient who is being treated for deep vein thrombosis with the oral anticoagulant warfarin has periodic testing to monitor the drug. He is tested at...
• The prothrombin time (PT) test assesses functional defects. Which of these coagulation pathways is assessed?
• Demonstrate knowledge of the proper procedures for patient identification and sample collection.
• Patient Identification and Specimen Labeling
• Capillary Blood Sample Collection
• Venipuncture for POC PT/INR Testing
• Blood Sample Collection for PT/INR Testing by the Laboratory
• A phlebotomist is having a difficult time obtaining fingerstick blood on his patient who has a POC INR ordered. He sticks the patient once and does no...
• An outpatient is having blood drawn for an INR which will be tested immediately in the clinic on their portable analyzer in the presence of the patien...
• Which of the following is an appropriate sample for point-of-care prothrombin time (POC-PT) testing?
• A 70-year-old male patient presents to the clinic for a POC PT/INR test to evaluate his oral anticoagulant dosage. The POC PT/INR test system that is ...
• David Lee comes routinely to the hospital's coagulation clinic to have his warfarin therapy monitored. After he checks in, the clinic receptionist esc...
• Follow the correct procedure for performing the POC PT/INR and identify potential sources of error in the testing and demonstrate knowledge of quality practices that will help to minimize error.
• Minimizing Error in POC INR Testing
• Advantages and Limitations of POC PT/INR Testing
• Quality Management
• Table: Quality Practices
• POC INR System Differences
• A pharmacist adds blood from a fingerstick to the PT/INR test cartridge. The test does not start running. What should she do next?
• A new shipment of coagulation reagent cartridges arrives in the laboratory. The temperature test strip included with the reagents indicates that the t...
• In the coagulation clinic, proficiency samples are required to be run for INR/PT. A new employee asks about the requirements for testing the proficien...
• When gathering all the supplies together to perform a whole blood prothrombin time (PT)/INR, the instrument operator accidentally knocks the analyzer ...
• A medical laboratory technician (MLT) assists in the coagulation clinic once a week by performing whole blood prothrombin time (PT)/INR testing using ...
• Discuss the factors affecting the results of a fingerstick INR and the possible side effects of warfarin therapy.
• Factors Influencing Warfarin Response
• Correlate the Patient's Condition
• A patient on anticoagulant therapy indicates on his history update form that he has been recently diagnosed with a malabsorption syndrome. What effect...
• A patient has had difficulty maintaining a therapeutic prothrombin time level. His physician referred him to an anticoagulant clinic to get the situat...
• A patient, who regularly comes into the coagulation clinic to monitor his medication, states that he had forgotten to refill his warfarin prescription...
• A patient is on warfarin therapy and has regular INR testing to monitor the drug. The patient has developed a condition that has resulted in obstructi...
• References
• References

Additional Information