Infection Control and Medical Asepsis Flashcards
6 cards from real NCMA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Infection Control and Medical Asepsis flashcards as text
What is the correct sequence for donning (putting on) PPE before entering an isolation room?
Answer: Hand hygiene → gown → mask/respirator → eye protection → gloves
The CDC sequence for donning PPE is: hand hygiene first, then gown (cover clothing), then mask or respirator (secure to face), then eye protection, and finally gloves (pulled over gown cuffs).
How often should a medical assistant perform hand hygiene during a patient encounter?
Answer: Before touching the patient, before clean/aseptic procedures, after body fluid exposure, after touching the patient, and after touching patient surroundings (WHO 5 Moments)
The WHO 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene framework identifies the five critical points during patient care where hand hygiene must be performed to break the chain of infection transmission.
Which level of disinfection is required for items that contact intact mucous membranes but do not penetrate sterile tissue?
Answer: High-level disinfection (kills all microorganisms except large numbers of bacterial spores)
Per the Spaulding Classification, semi-critical items (contact with mucous membranes, such as vaginal specula, laryngoscope blades, respiratory therapy equipment) require high-level disinfection at minimum, achieved with glutaraldehyde, ortho-phthalaldehyde, or hydrogen peroxide.
What is the purpose of maintaining a 'clean-to-dirty' workflow in a clinical setting?
Answer: To prevent cross-contamination by ensuring clean supplies and equipment always move away from contaminated areas and are never returned to clean storage
Clean-to-dirty workflow is an infection control principle that ensures contaminated items never flow back toward clean storage areas; this spatial separation reduces environmental contamination and breaks the chain of infection.
What does MRSA stand for, and what type of precaution is required for a patient colonized with MRSA?
Answer: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; contact precautions (gown and gloves)
MRSA is Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics; it spreads primarily through direct contact, requiring contact precautions (gown and gloves) and dedicated or disinfected equipment.
Which of the following is an example of surgical asepsis?
Answer: Wearing sterile gloves and using sterile technique when assisting with a minor surgical procedure
Surgical asepsis (sterile technique) involves practices that eliminate all microorganisms from objects and the environment, required during procedures that penetrate the skin or enter sterile body cavities — in contrast to medical asepsis (clean technique) used for routine care.