CME Safety & Infection Control 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which level of disinfection is required for electrology probes/needles that penetrate the skin?
- Low-level disinfection
- Intermediate-level disinfection
- High-level disinfection
- Sterilization (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Sterilization
Items that penetrate skin or mucous membranes are classified as critical items and require sterilization.
Question 2: When should an electrologist change gloves during a client session?
- Only at the end of the session
- After touching a contaminated surface or when gloves are torn (Correct answer)
- Every 30 minutes regardless of contamination
- Only when switching from one body area to another
Correct answer: After touching a contaminated surface or when gloves are torn
Gloves must be changed whenever they become contaminated, torn, or before touching a clean surface to prevent cross-contamination.
Question 3: Which bloodborne pathogen poses the greatest occupational risk to electrologists due to its high infectivity even in small amounts of blood?
- HIV
- Hepatitis C (HCV)
- Hepatitis B (HBV) (Correct answer)
- MRSA
Correct answer: Hepatitis B (HBV)
Hepatitis B virus is far more infectious than HIV and can survive on surfaces for up to 7 days, making it the highest bloodborne risk in electrology.
Question 4: A client discloses they are immunocompromised. How should this affect the electrologist's infection control approach?
- No change is needed since standard precautions are already sufficient
- Skip the session and refer to a physician
- Maintain strict standard precautions and ensure environment is thoroughly disinfected (Correct answer)
- Use only chemical sterilization instead of autoclave
Correct answer: Maintain strict standard precautions and ensure environment is thoroughly disinfected
Standard precautions protect both the electrologist and clients, and immunocompromised clients especially benefit from a rigorously clean environment.
Question 5: What is the correct order of steps for reprocessing reusable electrology equipment?
- Sterilize → Clean → Rinse → Dry
- Clean → Rinse → Disinfect → Sterilize (Correct answer)
- Disinfect → Clean → Sterilize → Rinse
- Rinse → Autoclave → Clean → Dry
Correct answer: Clean → Rinse → Disinfect → Sterilize
Equipment must be cleaned to remove organic material first, then disinfected or sterilized — cleaning before sterilization is essential for efficacy.
Question 6: Which statement about single-use disposable probes in electrology is correct?
- They may be resterilized once if still visually intact
- They must be discarded after each client use without exception (Correct answer)
- They can be cleaned with alcohol and reused within the same session
- They only need to be discarded if blood is visible
Correct answer: They must be discarded after each client use without exception
Single-use disposable probes are designed for one client use only and must be discarded in a sharps container after each client regardless of visible contamination.
Question 7: An electrologist accidentally sustains a needlestick injury. What is the FIRST action to take?
- Report the incident to the client and document it
- Immediately wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water (Correct answer)
- Apply iodine and cover with a bandage
- Contact the state health department
Correct answer: Immediately wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water
Immediate and thorough washing of the wound with soap and water is the first critical step following a needlestick or sharps injury.
CME Safety & Infection Control 2
Which level of disinfection is required for electrology probes/needles that penetrate the skin?