Safety and Infection Control Flashcards
7 cards from real ASPT 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 and Infection Control flashcards as text
When removing PPE after caring for a patient on contact precautions, which item should be removed FIRST?
Answer: Gloves
Gloves are the most contaminated PPE item and should be removed first to prevent spreading contamination to other surfaces during doffing.
Which of the following best describes a 'fomite' in the context of infection transmission?
Answer: An inanimate object that carries and transfers infectious agents
A fomite is any inanimate object (e.g., a blood pressure cuff, doorknob, or tourniquet) that can harbor and transfer pathogenic microorganisms.
The purpose of an exposure control plan in a phlebotomy setting is to:
Answer: Outline steps to eliminate or minimize employee exposure to bloodborne pathogens
An exposure control plan, required by OSHA, documents how a facility will protect employees from bloodborne pathogen exposure through engineering controls, work practices, and PPE.
A phlebotomist is assigned to collect blood from a patient in a negative-pressure isolation room. Which organism is most likely the reason for this isolation type?
Answer: Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Negative-pressure rooms are used for airborne precautions, which are required for Mycobacterium tuberculosis because the organism spreads via small aerosolized droplet nuclei.
Which of the following is an example of an engineering control used to reduce needlestick injuries?
Answer: Using safety-engineered needles with retractable sheaths
Safety-engineered devices such as retractable needles or needles with automatic shielding mechanisms are engineering controls that physically reduce needlestick risk.
Sterilization differs from disinfection in that sterilization:
Answer: Destroys all microorganisms including spores
Sterilization destroys all microbial life including highly resistant bacterial endospores, whereas disinfection reduces microbial counts but may not eliminate spores.
A phlebotomist notices a coworker recapping a used needle with two hands. The BEST immediate response is to:
Answer: Remind the coworker of the one-hand scoop technique or safety device
Two-hand recapping is prohibited because it significantly increases needlestick risk; the phlebotomist should promptly remind the coworker to use the one-hand technique or activate the safety feature.