ASPT Safety and Infection Control 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which type of precaution is used in addition to Standard Precautions for patients with airborne-transmissible diseases such as tuberculosis?
- Contact precautions
- Droplet precautions
- Airborne precautions (Correct answer)
- Reverse precautions
Correct answer: Airborne precautions
Airborne precautions are required for TB and other diseases spread via small respiratory droplets that remain suspended in air.
Question 2: A phlebotomist accidentally splashes blood in their eye. What is the FIRST action they should take?
- Report to the supervisor
- Complete an incident report
- Flush the eye with water for 15 minutes (Correct answer)
- Apply antibiotic eye drops
Correct answer: Flush the eye with water for 15 minutes
Immediate and prolonged flushing of the affected eye with water for at least 15 minutes is the first step after a mucous membrane exposure.
Question 3: What does the term 'chain of infection' refer to in infection control?
- The sequence of sterilization steps required for instruments
- The series of links that must all be present for an infection to spread (Correct answer)
- The order in which PPE must be removed
- The hierarchy of isolation precaution levels
Correct answer: The series of links that must all be present for an infection to spread
The chain of infection describes the six elements — infectious agent, reservoir, portal of exit, mode of transmission, portal of entry, and susceptible host — that must all be intact for infection to occur.
Question 4: Latex allergies in patients are best managed by the phlebotomist by:
- Using latex gloves but applying barrier cream first
- Wearing latex gloves only for blood draws, not venipunctures
- Using latex-free gloves and latex-free tourniquets (Correct answer)
- Skipping gloves entirely for latex-sensitive patients
Correct answer: Using latex-free gloves and latex-free tourniquets
Latex-free gloves and latex-free tourniquets must be used to prevent allergic reactions in latex-sensitive patients.
Question 5: Which government agency sets the Bloodborne Pathogen Standard that protects healthcare workers from occupational exposure?
- CDC
- EPA
- OSHA (Correct answer)
- FDA
Correct answer: OSHA
OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) mandates exposure control plans, PPE use, and post-exposure protocols for healthcare workers.
Question 6: Hand hygiene with an alcohol-based hand rub is NOT recommended when hands are:
- Visibly soiled with blood (Correct answer)
- Dry or cracked from frequent washing
- Used to touch intact skin of a patient
- Contaminated after removing gloves
Correct answer: Visibly soiled with blood
When hands are visibly soiled with blood or other organic material, soap and water must be used because alcohol-based rubs are not effective against visible contamination.
Question 7: A 'sharps injury log' must be maintained by employers under OSHA regulations primarily to:
- Track the number of venipunctures performed per employee
- Identify patterns in needlestick injuries to improve prevention (Correct answer)
- Determine pay grades for phlebotomists
- Record the names of all patients who received injections
Correct answer: Identify patterns in needlestick injuries to improve prevention
The sharps injury log records details of needlestick events to help employers identify high-risk devices or practices and implement corrective measures.
ASPT Safety and Infection Control 2
Which type of precaution is used in addition to Standard Precautions for patients with airborne-transmissible diseases such as tuberculosis?