Phlebotomy Technician Practice Exam (NCPT/CPT)

The angle of entry for a skin puncture is?

1. 15 degrees

2. 30 degrees

3. 45 degrees

4. 90 degrees

The correct answer is: 15 degrees

A skin puncture is a small piercing of the skin, usually to obtain a blood sample. The angle of entry is important in this process because it affects how deep the needle will go into the skin. Option D, 90 degrees, is incorrect because this would be a straight entry, which would result in a deeper and more painful puncture. Options B and C, 30 and 45 degrees, respectively, are also incorrect as they are too steep and would also result in a deeper puncture. The correct angle of entry for a skin puncture is 15 degrees, which is a shallow angle that minimizes pain and maximizes efficiency of the procedure.