- Certified Medical Device Reprocessing Technician Infection Prevention and Control Questions and Answers Flashcards

What is a surgical site infection (SSI) and how can reprocessing failures contribute to it?

Answer: An infection occurring at or near the surgical incision within 30-90 days of a procedure, potentially caused by microorganisms on improperly reprocessed surgical instruments

SSIs are infections at the surgical site that can occur when microorganisms are introduced during the procedure. Inadequately reprocessed surgical instruments can be a direct source of these pathogens.

What is the role of an infection prevention and control (IPAC) committee in relation to the reprocessing department?

Answer: The IPAC committee provides oversight, policy development, surveillance, and outbreak investigation support for the reprocessing department

The IPAC committee provides governance and expert guidance for reprocessing activities, including developing policies, reviewing practices, investigating incidents, and ensuring compliance with national and provincial standards.

What is the difference between decontamination and disinfection in infection prevention terminology?

Answer: Decontamination is the broad process of making items safe to handle by reducing microbial contamination, while disinfection is a specific step that destroys most pathogenic microorganisms using chemical or physical methods

Decontamination is the overarching process that includes all steps to reduce contamination to a safe level (cleaning, disinfecting, sterilizing). Disinfection is one specific step within this process that targets microbial reduction through defined chemical or thermal methods.

Why is surveillance of reprocessing-related infections important?

Answer: Surveillance enables early detection of reprocessing failures, identification of trends, and implementation of corrective actions before widespread patient harm occurs

Ongoing surveillance tracks infections that may be linked to reprocessed devices, enabling early identification of reprocessing failures, process improvements, and prevention of further patient harm.

What is antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and how does it impact medical device reprocessing?

Answer: AMR refers to microorganisms that have evolved to survive antimicrobial treatments, making thorough reprocessing even more critical to prevent transmission of these resistant organisms

Antimicrobial-resistant organisms (such as MRSA, VRE, and CRE) are harder to treat with standard antibiotics, making prevention of transmission through properly reprocessed devices even more important for patient safety.

What is the proper response when a reprocessing breach (failure in the sterilization or disinfection process) is identified?

Answer: Immediately quarantine affected items, notify IPAC and management, initiate a patient notification and recall if necessary, investigate root cause, and implement corrective actions

A reprocessing breach requires immediate action: quarantine affected devices, notify the IPAC team and management, assess patient risk, potentially notify affected patients, investigate the root cause, and implement corrective measures to prevent recurrence.