CHL Infection Prevention and Control

Question 1

What is the primary purpose of a sterile processing department's infection prevention program?

Accepted Answer

To reduce healthcare-associated infections by ensuring properly decontaminated and sterilized instruments

Answer

To comply with Joint Commission accreditation standards

Answer

To lower supply costs through better inventory management

Answer

To document staff training completion rates

Question 2

Which of the following best describes the principle of 'Standard Precautions'?

Accepted Answer

Treating all blood, body fluids, and potentially infectious materials as if they are infectious

Answer

Applying infection control measures only to patients with known bloodborne infections

Answer

Using full PPE only during surgical instrument processing

Answer

Treating only visibly contaminated items as potentially infectious

Question 3

Which organization publishes the primary technical standards for sterilization and disinfection used by healthcare sterile processing departments?

Accepted Answer

The Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI)

Answer

The Joint Commission (TJC)

Answer

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Answer

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

Question 4

What is the correct order of instrument processing steps in a sterile processing department?

Accepted Answer

Decontamination → Inspection/Assembly → Packaging → Sterilization

Answer

Decontamination → Sterilization → Inspection/Assembly → Distribution

Answer

Inspection/Assembly → Decontamination → Sterilization → Distribution

Answer

Packaging → Decontamination → Sterilization → Inspection

Question 5

A sterile processing leader notices an increase in surgical site infections (SSIs) linked to the department. What should be the FIRST step in addressing this?

Accepted Answer

Conduct a root cause analysis to identify the specific breakdown in the reprocessing workflow

Answer

Immediately retrain all staff on sterilization techniques

Answer

Purchase new sterilization equipment

Answer

Report the infections to the state health department

Question 6

A sterile processing manager discovers that a washer-disinfector has been malfunctioning and instruments may not have been properly decontaminated before sterilization. What is the MOST appropriate immediate response?

Accepted Answer

Quarantine potentially affected instrument sets and immediately notify infection prevention, surgeons, and risk management

Answer

Continue normal operations and monitor for future infection reports

Answer

Document the malfunction but wait until the end of the shift to act

Answer

Re-sterilize all affected instruments without notifying other departments