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Microbiology: Sterilization, Disinfection, and Infection Control Flashcards

7 cards from real AP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Microbiology: Sterilization, Disinfection, and Infection Control flashcards as text

  1. Standard Precautions require healthcare workers to treat which body fluids as potentially infectious?

    Answer: All body fluids, secretions, and excretions except sweat

    Standard Precautions (updated from Universal Precautions) apply to all body fluids, secretions, and excretions except sweat, regardless of whether they contain visible blood.

  2. Airborne Infection Isolation Precautions and an N95 (or higher) respirator are specifically required when caring for patients with which of the following infections?

    Answer: Active pulmonary tuberculosis

    Mycobacterium tuberculosis is transmitted by airborne droplet nuclei (<5 µm) that remain suspended in air, requiring an N95 respirator and negative-pressure isolation room.

  3. Alcohol-based hand rubs are NOT reliably effective against which of the following pathogens?

    Answer: Clostridioides difficile spores

    C. difficile produces resistant endospores that are not killed by alcohol; soap-and-water handwashing is required because the mechanical action physically removes spores from hands.

  4. A Class II Type A2 biological safety cabinet (BSC) is designed to provide which combination of protection?

    Answer: Personnel, product, and environmental protection

    Class II BSCs use HEPA-filtered inflow air to protect personnel, HEPA-filtered downflow air to protect the work product, and exhaust HEPA filtration to protect the environment.

  5. Contact Precautions (gown and gloves) are the primary transmission-based intervention for preventing the spread of:

    Answer: MRSA, VRE, and Clostridioides difficile

    MRSA, VRE, and C. difficile are transmitted primarily through direct or indirect contact with contaminated surfaces and hands, making Contact Precautions the key intervention.

  6. When donning personal protective equipment (PPE) before entering a Contact Precautions room, what is the correct sequence?

    Answer: Gown → Mask/Respirator → Eye protection → Gloves

    The CDC-recommended sequence is gown first (to protect clothing), then mask/respirator, then eye protection, and finally gloves last so they cover gown cuffs and are the outermost layer.

  7. A positive-pressure (protective environment) isolation room is used for which category of patients?

    Answer: Severely immunocompromised patients (e.g., bone marrow transplant recipients) to protect them from environmental pathogens

    Positive-pressure rooms push filtered air outward, preventing airborne environmental fungi such as Aspergillus from entering and infecting severely immunocompromised patients.