QMAP Infection Control and Hand Hygiene 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A resident is on contact precautions for MRSA. What PPE should a QMAP wear when entering the room to administer medications?
- Mask and eye protection only
- Gown and gloves (Correct answer)
- Gloves only
- No PPE is required for medication administration
Correct answer: Gown and gloves
Contact precautions require both a gown and gloves when entering the room of a resident with MRSA to prevent spread via direct or indirect contact.
Question 2: Which is the correct sequence for removing (doffing) contaminated PPE to minimize self-contamination?
- Mask, gloves, gown, then hand hygiene
- Gloves, gown, mask, then hand hygiene (Correct answer)
- Gown, gloves, mask, then hand hygiene
- Hand hygiene, gloves, gown, then mask
Correct answer: Gloves, gown, mask, then hand hygiene
The correct doffing sequence is gloves first (most contaminated), then gown, then mask, followed by hand hygiene to minimize transfer of pathogens to clean areas.
Question 3: While wearing gloves to administer eye drops, a QMAP accidentally touches the resident's eyelid with the dropper tip. What is the safest next action?
- Continue using the same dropper for the other eye
- Discard the contaminated dropper and obtain a new one before continuing (Correct answer)
- Wipe the dropper tip with an alcohol swab and continue
- Complete the eye drop administration and then report the incident
Correct answer: Discard the contaminated dropper and obtain a new one before continuing
A dropper tip that contacts the eye or eyelid is considered contaminated and must be discarded to prevent introducing microorganisms into the eye.
Question 4: How should a QMAP clean and maintain the medication cart to support infection control?
- Clean the cart surface once a week with a damp cloth
- Wipe down the cart with an approved disinfectant at the start and end of each medication pass (Correct answer)
- Use soap and water to clean the cart after every medication error
- Clean the cart only when it appears visibly dirty
Correct answer: Wipe down the cart with an approved disinfectant at the start and end of each medication pass
Disinfecting the medication cart before and after each medication pass reduces pathogen buildup and prevents cross-contamination during the pass.
Question 5: A resident with active respiratory symptoms is prescribed an inhaler. What infection control measure should the QMAP prioritize during administration?
- Wear a gown and gloves only
- Position the resident facing the QMAP directly without a mask
- Perform hand hygiene and consider wearing a mask if droplet exposure is likely (Correct answer)
- No special precautions are needed for inhaler administration
Correct answer: Perform hand hygiene and consider wearing a mask if droplet exposure is likely
Inhaler administration may aerosolize respiratory secretions, so the QMAP should perform hand hygiene and wear a mask if the resident is coughing or has active respiratory symptoms.
Question 6: What should a QMAP do with a medication that has been dropped on the floor?
- Rinse it with water and administer it
- Return it to the medication cup for administration
- Discard it and obtain a new dose (Correct answer)
- Wipe it with an alcohol swab and administer it
Correct answer: Discard it and obtain a new dose
Any medication that contacts the floor is considered contaminated and must be discarded; a new dose should be obtained to maintain safety and infection control standards.
Question 7: After removing gloves following medication administration, what is the single most important next step?
- Put on a new pair of gloves for the next resident
- Document the medications administered
- Perform hand hygiene immediately (Correct answer)
- Cap any open medication containers
Correct answer: Perform hand hygiene immediately
Hand hygiene must be performed immediately after removing gloves because gloves can have microscopic tears and hands may become contaminated during the removal process.
QMAP Infection Control and Hand Hygiene 2
A resident is on contact precautions for MRSA.
What PPE should a QMAP wear when entering the room to administer medications?