Patient Safety & Aseptic Practices Flashcards
7 cards from real CFA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Patient Safety & Aseptic Practices flashcards as text
During a procedure, the first assistant accidentally touches a non-sterile surface with their sterile glove. What is the appropriate response?
Answer: Immediately change the contaminated glove
Any contact between a sterile glove and a non-sterile surface constitutes contamination requiring immediate glove change.
What is the main purpose of a biological indicator in the sterilization process?
Answer: To verify that the sterilization process has killed all microorganisms including spores
Biological indicators use resistant bacterial spores to confirm that sterilization conditions were sufficient to kill all microorganisms.
Which position places a patient at highest risk for pressure injury during a lengthy surgical procedure?
Answer: Lateral decubitus (side-lying) position
Lateral decubitus position concentrates pressure on the dependent hip, shoulder, and ear, significantly increasing the risk of pressure injuries during lengthy procedures.
A circulator notices that a sterile drape is clamped too close to a non-sterile area of the patient. What should be done?
Answer: Apply additional sterile drapes over the area
When draping is improperly placed, additional sterile drapes should be applied to cover the compromised area rather than moving drapes that could contaminate the sterile field.
Which action by the first assistant correctly maintains sterility when passing an instrument to the surgeon?
Answer: Hand the instrument handle-first directly into the surgeon's open hand
Instruments should be passed handle-first into the surgeon's hand to allow immediate use without requiring the surgeon to reposition it.
What is the recommended approach when a blood spill occurs on the OR floor during a procedure?
Answer: Clean the spill immediately using an EPA-registered disinfectant
Blood spills should be cleaned immediately with an EPA-registered hospital disinfectant to prevent slipping hazards and disease transmission.
What does the term 'strike-through contamination' mean in the context of sterile draping?
Answer: Contamination of a sterile drape caused by moisture soaking through it from a non-sterile surface
Strike-through contamination occurs when moisture wicks through a sterile drape from a non-sterile surface below, rendering the drape and sterile field contaminated.