High-Level Disinfection Processes Questions and Answers Flashcards
6 cards from real CER practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 High-Level Disinfection Processes Questions and Answers flashcards as text
Which of the following factors most significantly reduces the efficacy of chemical HLD agents?
Answer: Presence of residual organic matter (blood, tissue, biofilm) from inadequate pre-cleaning
Organic matter directly inactivates or consumes HLD agents, preventing them from contacting and killing microorganisms on surfaces.
What safety precautions are required when working with glutaraldehyde solutions?
Answer: Use in a well-ventilated area, wear chemical-resistant gloves and eye protection, and monitor exposure levels per OSHA guidelines
Glutaraldehyde is a potent sensitizer and respiratory irritant requiring ventilation, chemical-resistant PPE, and occupational exposure monitoring.
What should a reprocessing technician do if a patient is known to have Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) and the endoscope used is being reprocessed?
Answer: Follow standard reprocessing protocol — HLD is sufficient for C. diff if mechanical cleaning is thorough, but some facilities require additional decontamination steps per policy
Standard thorough reprocessing per IFU is effective for C. difficile vegetative cells; spore risk requires thorough mechanical cleaning as the primary control.
How is peracetic acid different from glutaraldehyde as an HLD agent?
Answer: Peracetic acid has sporicidal activity at in-use concentrations, does not produce toxic aldehyde vapors, and leaves no toxic residues on rinsing
Peracetic acid is a more potent biocide (sporicidal at use concentrations), safer for workers (no toxic residues), and requires no activation step.
What is the purpose of the 'soak time' log maintained during manual HLD?
Answer: To document that each endoscope achieved the required minimum contact time during HLD
The soak time log documents start and end times to confirm each scope received the required minimum contact time for effective HLD.
An endoscope is inadvertently removed from the HLD solution 3 minutes before the required contact time is complete. What should be done?
Answer: Re-immerse the scope and restart the full required contact time from the beginning
If contact time is interrupted, the full contact time must be restarted because partial contact time cannot be accumulated and does not provide validated HLD.