Infection Control & Sterilization in Laser Therapy Flashcards
7 cards from real CLT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Infection Control & Sterilization in Laser Therapy flashcards as text
A laser handpiece applicator has contacted non-intact skin during a wound care treatment. What reprocessing level is required?
Answer: Intermediate to high-level disinfection per manufacturer protocol
Contact with non-intact skin elevates the device to semi-critical status under the Spaulding system, requiring intermediate to high-level disinfection.
What dual function do disposable barrier covers (probe sheaths) serve in laser therapy?
Answer: They protect the probe from contamination and provide an infection control barrier between the device and patient tissue
Probe sheaths simultaneously protect the device from bioburden accumulation and serve as a physical infection control barrier between the instrument and the patient.
When treating a patient known to be hepatitis B positive, which approach best describes correct infection control practice?
Answer: Apply standard precautions consistently, treating all blood and body fluids as potentially infectious regardless of diagnosis
Standard precautions apply universally to every patient encounter, treating all blood and body fluids as infectious, which provides consistent protection regardless of known diagnosis.
What is the correct management of a sharps container used in a laser therapy practice that includes injections or lancet use?
Answer: Seal when three-quarters full and arrange disposal through a licensed medical waste service
Sealing at three-quarters capacity prevents overfilling and accidental needlestick injuries, and licensed medical waste disposal ensures safe regulatory-compliant handling.
During laser therapy involving wound care, which materials must be disposed of in labeled biohazard (regulated medical waste) bags?
Answer: Gauze, dressings, and any materials visibly contaminated with blood or body fluids
Materials contaminated with blood or body fluids are classified as regulated medical waste and must be segregated into biohazard bags for compliant disposal.
What is the primary infection control hazard associated with laser plume generated during ablative or high-power laser treatments?
Answer: Plume may contain viable microorganisms, viral DNA, and cellular debris that pose an inhalation risk
Studies have demonstrated that laser plume from tissue vaporization can contain intact bacteria, viral particles (including HPV DNA), and biological aerosols that can be inhaled by staff and patients.
Which principle describes the correct directional workflow in a laser therapy clinical setting to maintain infection control integrity?
Answer: Work from clean to dirty — move from the cleanest items and zones toward the most contaminated, never in reverse
The clean-to-dirty workflow principle ensures that clean supplies, surfaces, and hands never contact used or contaminated equipment, maintaining an unbroken infection control barrier.