ASPT Safety and Infection Control 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the recommended minimum duration for scrubbing hands with soap and water to achieve effective hand hygiene?
- 5 seconds
- 10 seconds
- 20 seconds (Correct answer)
- 60 seconds
Correct answer: 20 seconds
CDC guidelines recommend scrubbing all hand surfaces with soap and water for at least 20 seconds to effectively reduce microbial load.
Question 2: A patient with varicella (chickenpox) requires which combination of isolation precautions?
- Contact precautions only
- Droplet precautions only
- Airborne and contact precautions (Correct answer)
- Standard precautions only
Correct answer: Airborne and contact precautions
Varicella spreads via both airborne droplet nuclei and direct contact with vesicular lesions, so both airborne and contact precautions are required simultaneously.
Question 3: Which of the following is a work practice control for reducing bloodborne pathogen exposure?
- Installing safety-engineered needle devices
- Never pipetting blood by mouth (Correct answer)
- Placing sharps containers at eye level
- Using puncture-resistant gloves
Correct answer: Never pipetting blood by mouth
Never pipetting blood by mouth is a work practice control — a behavioral change in how tasks are performed — rather than an engineering or PPE control.
Question 4: The hepatitis B vaccination series is recommended for phlebotomy students and new employees because hepatitis B virus (HBV):
- Is spread by casual contact and sneezing
- Can survive on environmental surfaces for up to 7 days (Correct answer)
- Is not transmissible through blood contact
- Has no effective treatment once contracted
Correct answer: Can survive on environmental surfaces for up to 7 days
HBV is highly stable and can survive on dry environmental surfaces at room temperature for at least 7 days, making occupational exposure risk significant without vaccination.
Question 5: A phlebotomist collects blood from a patient on droplet precautions due to influenza. Which PPE must be worn at minimum?
- Gloves only
- Gloves and a surgical mask (Correct answer)
- Gloves, gown, N95 respirator, and goggles
- Gown and face shield only
Correct answer: Gloves and a surgical mask
Droplet precautions require a surgical mask (in addition to Standard Precautions such as gloves) when working within 3 feet of the patient; an N95 is only required for airborne precautions.
Question 6: Which of the following actions constitutes improper handling of a full sharps container?
- Sealing it at the indicated fill line
- Placing it in a puncture-resistant outer container for transport
- Manually pushing needles down to make more room (Correct answer)
- Labeling it with the biohazard symbol before disposal
Correct answer: Manually pushing needles down to make more room
Manually compressing contents of a sharps container is extremely dangerous and strictly prohibited because it can cause needlestick injuries from protruding sharps.
Question 7: In the context of infection control, what does 'susceptible host' mean?
- A person who has already recovered from an infection
- An individual whose immune defenses cannot prevent infection if exposed (Correct answer)
- A healthcare worker who declines vaccination
- The environment where microorganisms reproduce
Correct answer: An individual whose immune defenses cannot prevent infection if exposed
A susceptible host is a person who lacks sufficient immunity (due to age, illness, immunosuppression, or other factors) to resist infection if exposed to a pathogen.
ASPT Safety and Infection Control 5
What is the recommended minimum duration for scrubbing hands with soap and water to achieve effective hand hygiene?