CDCES Safety and Infection Control 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient with diabetes uses a reusable lancet device. What is the MOST important safety instruction regarding lancet use?
- Share the device only with immediate family members
- Never share the lancing device with anyone, even if the lancet is changed (Correct answer)
- Disinfect the device with alcohol between uses by different people
- Sharing is safe as long as a new lancet is used each time
Correct answer: Never share the lancing device with anyone, even if the lancet is changed
Lancing devices must never be shared between individuals because internal parts can become contaminated with blood even when the lancet is changed.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes the proper technique for disposing of a used insulin syringe in a household setting?
- Recap the needle and place it in the regular trash
- Place uncapped in a puncture-resistant sharps container before disposal (Correct answer)
- Break off the needle and dispose of the barrel separately
- Flush the syringe down the toilet to prevent needlestick injuries
Correct answer: Place uncapped in a puncture-resistant sharps container before disposal
Used syringes should be placed in an FDA-cleared sharps container immediately after use to prevent needlestick injuries.
Question 3: A diabetes educator is teaching a community class. What is the primary reason that lancets should not be reused multiple times by the same patient?
- It increases the cost of diabetes management significantly
- Repeated use dulls the tip, increasing pain and risk of skin trauma and infection (Correct answer)
- Reused lancets are more likely to cause inaccurate glucose readings
- It violates FDA regulations for all diabetes supplies
Correct answer: Repeated use dulls the tip, increasing pain and risk of skin trauma and infection
Lancet tips become dull and barbed with reuse, causing more tissue trauma and increasing infection risk at the puncture site.
Question 4: When educating a patient about continuous glucose monitor (CGM) sensor insertion, which infection prevention step is MOST critical?
- Applying the sensor in the same location each time to build tolerance
- Cleaning the insertion site with an alcohol wipe and allowing it to fully dry before insertion (Correct answer)
- Warming the insertion site with a hot compress to increase blood flow
- Inserting the sensor immediately after alcohol cleansing while still wet
Correct answer: Cleaning the insertion site with an alcohol wipe and allowing it to fully dry before insertion
The site must be cleansed with alcohol and allowed to fully dry before insertion to maximize disinfection and prevent skin irritation.
Question 5: A CDCES is reviewing safe sharps disposal regulations. Which federal agency provides guidance on community sharps disposal programs?
- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
- Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (Correct answer)
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Correct answer: Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
The FDA provides guidance on safe sharps disposal for the general public, including information on FDA-cleared sharps containers and community disposal options.
Question 6: A patient with type 2 diabetes develops a blister on the plantar surface of the foot after wearing new shoes. What is the MOST appropriate initial guidance?
- Pop the blister with a sterile needle to relieve pressure and apply antibiotic ointment
- Do not pop the blister; cover it with a sterile dressing and seek medical evaluation promptly (Correct answer)
- Soak the foot in warm water to soften the skin and allow natural drainage
- Apply a corn pad over the blister to reduce friction and monitor for two weeks
Correct answer: Do not pop the blister; cover it with a sterile dressing and seek medical evaluation promptly
Blisters in patients with diabetes should not be ruptured at home; they require prompt medical evaluation due to the risk of infection and poor healing.
Question 7: Which practice BEST reduces the risk of lipohypertrophy-related infection at insulin injection sites?
- Using the same injection site consistently to desensitize the area
- Rotating injection sites within and between regions systematically (Correct answer)
- Injecting at sites where skin is thickest to slow absorption
- Cleaning injection sites with povidone-iodine before each injection
Correct answer: Rotating injection sites within and between regions systematically
Systematic site rotation prevents lipohypertrophy, which impairs insulin absorption and increases local infection risk from repeated trauma.
CDCES Safety and Infection Control 2
A patient with diabetes uses a reusable lancet device.
What is the MOST important safety instruction regarding lancet use?