Employee & Occupational Health Flashcards

A healthcare worker receives a needlestick injury from a patient known to be HIV-positive. According to current guidelines, post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) should ideally be initiated within:

Answer: 72 hours

PEP is most effective when started within 2 hours but remains beneficial if initiated within 72 hours of exposure.

Which OSHA standard requires employers to provide hepatitis B vaccination to healthcare workers at no cost?

Answer: Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030)

OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard mandates free HBV vaccination for employees with occupational exposure risk.

A nurse with active pulmonary tuberculosis is identified. Which action is the FIRST priority?

Answer: Remove the employee from patient care and begin treatment

Immediate removal from patient care duties prevents ongoing transmission while treatment is initiated.

An employee sustains a splash of blood to the mucous membrane of their eye. After thorough irrigation, which information is MOST critical to obtain first?

Answer: The source patient's bloodborne pathogen status

The source patient's serologic status for HIV, HBV, and HCV guides post-exposure management decisions.

Fit testing for N95 respirators must be performed:

Answer: Annually and when facial changes occur

OSHA requires annual fit testing and retesting whenever factors affecting respirator fit change, such as significant weight change or dental work.

A healthcare worker who is pregnant reports that she has been assigned to care for patients on airborne precautions for measles. The BEST course of action is:

Answer: Reassign the worker if she is not immune to measles

Pregnant workers who lack immunity to measles should be reassigned because MMR is a live vaccine contraindicated in pregnancy.

What is the purpose of a two-step tuberculin skin test (TST) in a newly hired healthcare worker?

Answer: To identify boosting and establish a baseline to distinguish future conversions from boosted reactions

Two-step TST detects boosting — the anamnestic response that can mimic a new conversion — so future positive results can be correctly attributed to true new infection.