Clean Needle Technique and Safety Flashcards
7 cards from real ACC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Clean Needle Technique and Safety flashcards as text
Which of the following is the correct order for hand hygiene before acupuncture needle insertion?
Answer: Soap, scrub 20 seconds, rinse, dry
The CDC-recommended handwashing protocol is to apply soap, scrub all surfaces for at least 20 seconds, rinse thoroughly, and dry with a clean towel.
A practitioner accidentally drops a needle on the floor mid-treatment. What is the appropriate action?
Answer: Pick it up and place it in a sharps container immediately
A dropped needle is contaminated and must be discarded immediately into a sharps container; it should never be reused or set aside.
What is the minimum alcohol concentration recommended for skin antisepsis prior to acupuncture needle insertion?
Answer: 70% isopropyl alcohol
70% isopropyl alcohol is the standard recommended concentration for skin antisepsis because it provides optimal antimicrobial activity.
In the context of clean needle technique, what does 'one patient, one needle, one time' mean?
Answer: Each needle is used only once and never reused on any patient
This principle mandates that every acupuncture needle is single-use and must never be reused on the same or different patient under any circumstance.
Which condition at a needle insertion site is an absolute contraindication to needling?
Answer: Active local infection or open wound
Active infection or an open wound at a proposed needling site is an absolute contraindication because needling could introduce pathogens deeper into tissue or spread infection.
How should used acupuncture needles be disposed of according to standard sharps disposal regulations?
Answer: Uncapped and placed directly into an approved sharps container
Used needles must be disposed of uncapped and immediately placed into an FDA-cleared, puncture-resistant sharps container to prevent needlestick injuries.
A chiropractor notices a sharps container is three-quarters full. What is the appropriate next step?
Answer: Seal it and arrange for proper disposal, replacing it with a new container
Sharps containers should be sealed and replaced when they reach the fill line (typically three-quarters full) to prevent overfilling, which can cause spills or needlestick injuries.