Phlebotomy uses a dense vocabulary of abbreviations. On the job, you’ll read tube orders, lab requisitions, and chain-of-custody forms that assume you know dozens of shorthand terms. On the ASCP PBT exam, these abbreviations appear in questions without definition. This reference covers every abbreviation you’re likely to encounter.
Tube and Collection Abbreviations
ETS, Evacuated Tube System (BD Vacutainer and similar systems)
SST, Serum Separator Tube (gold or tiger top with gel and clot activator)
PST, Plasma Separator Tube (light green with lithium heparin and gel)
EDTA, Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (anticoagulant in lavender/pink tubes)
SPS, Sodium Polyanethole Sulfonate (yellow blood culture tube additive, antimicrobial neutralizer)
ACD, Acid Citrate Dextrose (yellow top, used for HLA typing and paternity testing)
APC, Acid Preparation for Cells (alternative yellow top designation)
Na Citrate, Sodium citrate (anticoagulant in light blue tubes for coagulation)
NaF, Sodium fluoride (glycolytic inhibitor in gray top)
KOx, Potassium oxalate (anticoagulant paired with NaF in gray top)
Lab Test Abbreviations
CBC, Complete Blood Count (WBC, RBC, Hgb, Hct, MCV, MCH, MCHC, platelets)
BMP, Basic Metabolic Panel (electrolytes, BUN, creatinine, glucose)
CMP, complete Metabolic Panel (BMP + liver enzymes, protein, albumin)
PT, Prothrombin Time (coagulation test, light blue tube)
PTT, Partial Thromboplastin Time (coagulation test, light blue tube)
INR, International Normalized Ratio (standardized PT result for Warfarin monitoring)
BUN, Blood Urea Nitrogen
Cr or Creat, Creatinine
K, Potassium
Na, Sodium
Cl, Chloride
CO2 or HCO3, Bicarbonate / carbon dioxide (electrolyte panel)
Gluc, Glucose
LFT, Liver Function Tests
AST, Aspartate aminotransferase
ALT, Alanine aminotransferase
ALP, Alkaline phosphatase
LDH, Lactate dehydrogenase
Alb, Albumin
T. Bili, Total bilirubin
TSH, Thyroid Stimulating Hormone
T3, Triiodothyronine
T4, Thyroxine
ABG, Arterial Blood Gas (radial artery collection)
H&H, Hemoglobin and Hematocrit
Hgb, Hemoglobin
Hct, Hematocrit
WBC, White Blood Cell count
RBC, Red Blood Cell count
Plt, Platelet count
ESR, Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate
CRP, C-Reactive Protein
UA, Urinalysis
C&S, Culture and Sensitivity
BC, Blood Culture
GTT, Glucose Tolerance Test
OGTT, Oral Glucose Tolerance Test
FBS, Fasting Blood Sugar (fasting glucose)
Trough, Minimum drug concentration (collected just before next dose)
Peak, Maximum drug concentration (collected at specific interval post-dose)
TDM, Therapeutic Drug Monitoring
HbA1c or A1C, Glycosylated hemoglobin (diabetes management)
Anatomical and Procedural Abbreviations
AC, Antecubital (region inside the elbow where veins are typically accessed)
IV, Intravenous
PICC, Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter
CVL or CVC, Central Venous Line/Catheter
SQ or SC, Subcutaneous
IM, Intramuscular
ROM, Range of Motion
NPO, Nil per os (nothing by mouth, fasting patient)
STAT, Immediate / urgent (from Latin statim)
ASAP, As soon as possible
Px, Patient
Hx, History
DOB, Date of birth
MRN, Medical Record Number
ID, Identification
R/O, Rule out
Pre-Analytical and Quality Terms
QNS, Quantity not sufficient (specimen rejected for inadequate volume)
H, Hemolysis (visible in serum/plasma, causes false results)
L, Lipemia (milky plasma from elevated triglycerides)
I, Icterus (yellow plasma from elevated bilirubin)
HLI, Hemolysis, Lipemia, Icterus (specimen index)
TAT, Turnaround time
SOP, Standard Operating Procedure
QC, Quality Control
QA, Quality Assurance
POC, Point of Care (testing done at bedside or near patient)
Safety and Regulatory Abbreviations
OSHA, Occupational Safety and Health Administration
BBP, Bloodborne Pathogens
PPE, Personal Protective Equipment (gloves, gown, mask, eye protection)
MSDS, Material Safety Data Sheet (now called SDS)
SDS, Safety Data Sheet
HBV, Hepatitis B Virus
HCV, Hepatitis C Virus
HIV, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
CLIA, Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments
CAP, College of American Pathologists
CLSI, Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute
TJC, The Joint Commission (formerly JCAHO)
HIPAA, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
Certification Abbreviations
ASCP, American Society for Clinical Pathology
PBT, Phlebotomy Technician (ASCP PBT = ASCP-certified Phlebotomy Technician)
NHA, National Healthcareer Association
CPT, Certified Phlebotomy Technician (NHA credential)
AMT, American Medical Technologists
RPT, Registered Phlebotomy Technician (AMT credential)
NAACLS, National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences
CAAHEP, Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
CE, Continuing Education (required for certification renewal)
CME, Continuing Medical Education
How to Study These Abbreviations
Don’t try to memorize this list in one session. The most effective approach is to learn abbreviations in context, when you see PT/PTT on a practice question about coagulation, you learn those abbreviations in the context of why sodium citrate tubes are used and what the fill ratio requirement is. That contextual learning is more durable than flashcard drilling alone.
Our ASCP PBT flashcard system uses spaced repetition to drill abbreviations and terms at optimized intervals, so you see them again right before you’d forget them. Combine that with the study guide for complete exam prep.