Safety & Infection Control Flashcards
7 cards from real SHS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Safety & Infection Control flashcards as text
Which CDC transmission-based precaution category requires placement of the patient in a negative-pressure airborne infection isolation room (AIIR)?
Answer: Airborne precautions
Airborne precautions require a negative-pressure AIIR to prevent spread of pathogens that remain infectious over long distances (e.g., tuberculosis, measles).
A healthcare worker sustains a needlestick injury while drawing blood from an HIV-positive patient. What is the FIRST action that should be taken?
Answer: Wash the wound immediately with soap and water
Immediately washing the wound with soap and water is the first step to reduce the risk of infection following a needlestick exposure.
According to OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030), how often must employees who have occupational exposure receive bloodborne pathogen training?
Answer: Annually
OSHA requires annual refresher training for all employees with occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens.
The hierarchy of controls for infection prevention places which strategy at the highest level of effectiveness?
Answer: Elimination
Elimination removes the hazard entirely and is considered the most effective level of the hierarchy of controls.
Which disinfectant classification, as defined by Spaulding's classification system, is required for semi-critical medical devices that contact mucous membranes?
Answer: High-level disinfection
Semi-critical items (e.g., endoscopes, respiratory therapy equipment) require high-level disinfection to eliminate all microorganisms except high numbers of bacterial spores.
In healthcare settings, what is the minimum recommended alcohol concentration in hand sanitizers for effective hand hygiene against most pathogens?
Answer: 60%
The CDC and WHO recommend alcohol-based hand rubs containing at least 60% alcohol to effectively reduce the number of germs.
A healthcare facility discovers a cluster of Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) infections on a unit. Which additional precaution beyond standard precautions is specifically recommended?
Answer: Contact precautions with soap-and-water hand hygiene
C. diff requires contact precautions, and soap-and-water hand hygiene is preferred because alcohol-based rubs are not effective against C. diff spores.