Principles and Maintenance 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 Principles and Maintenance Questions and Answers flashcards as text
What is the difference between 'cleaning' and 'disinfection' in endoscope reprocessing?
Answer: Cleaning is mechanical removal of organic soil; disinfection is chemical reduction of microbial load — cleaning must precede disinfection
Cleaning physically removes organic matter via mechanical action; disinfection chemically reduces microbial load. Cleaning must always precede disinfection for disinfectants to be effective.
What is the purpose of the 'activation' step required for some glutaraldehyde solutions before use?
Answer: To combine the glutaraldehyde base with an alkalinizing agent that raises pH and activates the biocidal activity of the compound
Glutaraldehyde requires activation by mixing with an alkalinizing buffer to raise the pH to the range where it has maximum biocidal activity.
How does the CER certification examination differ from the CRCST certification?
Answer: CER focuses specifically on flexible endoscope reprocessing; CRCST covers broader central service/sterile processing competencies across all medical devices
CER is a specialty certification focused exclusively on endoscope reprocessing, while CRCST covers general sterile processing across all types of medical devices.
What is the concept of 'infection prevention' versus 'infection control' in the context of endoscope reprocessing?
Answer: Infection prevention focuses on proactive measures to stop infections before they occur; infection control focuses on managing infections after they are identified — reprocessing is primarily an infection prevention activity
Reprocessing is a proactive infection prevention activity — eliminating pathogens before they can reach the next patient, rather than managing infections after the fact.
What continuing education requirement supports maintaining CER certification?
Answer: CER holders must complete required continuing education hours and re-certify within a defined period to maintain the credential
CER certification requires ongoing continuing education to maintain current knowledge and re-certification within IAHCSMM's defined cycle.
What is the 'culture of safety' concept as it applies to an endoscope reprocessing department?
Answer: An organizational environment where all staff feel safe to report errors, near-misses, and concerns without fear of blame, enabling systemic improvement
A safety culture encourages reporting of problems and errors to drive system improvement, not individual blame, which is essential for continuous quality improvement in reprocessing.