Bachelor of Health Science (BHS) Degree Practice Exam

Which medical professional is responsible for measuring a patient's FBS, Hgb, and Hct?

1. Nurse

2. Medical laboratory technician

3. Physician

4. Pharmacist

The correct answer is: Medical laboratory technician

The responsibility for measuring a patient's fasting blood sugar (FBS), hemoglobin (Hgb), and hematocrit (Hct) primarily falls under the scope of practice of a medical laboratory technician. These professionals are specifically trained to carry out laboratory tests and procedures, which include drawing blood samples, processing them, and performing analyses to provide accurate results for various health assessments. Medical laboratory technicians are skilled in using specialized equipment and techniques to perform these tests, ensuring that the results are reliable and can be interpreted accurately by other healthcare professionals. Their expertise in laboratory practices allows them to maintain quality control, ensuring that the measurements of FBS, Hgb, and Hct are precise and adhere to established standards. While nurses, physicians, and pharmacists play vital roles in patient care, their focus tends to be on other aspects of health management. Nurses might perform initial screenings and prepare patients for laboratory tests, but they usually do not conduct the specific laboratory measurements themselves. Physicians may order these tests and interpret the results, but they rely on laboratory technicians to perform the actual measurements. Pharmacists, while knowledgeable about medications and their effects, do not typically engage in laboratory testing procedures such as those mentioned.