CME Safety & Sanitation Standards 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which EPA-registered disinfectant level is required for electrology probes and forceps that contact mucous membranes?
- Low-level disinfection
- Intermediate-level disinfection
- High-level disinfection (Correct answer)
- Sterilization only
Correct answer: High-level disinfection
Items contacting mucous membranes are semi-critical and require high-level disinfection at minimum.
Question 2: What is the correct procedure when a practitioner sustains a needlestick injury during a treatment?
- Apply antibiotic ointment and continue the session
- Immediately wash with soap and water, report the incident, and seek medical evaluation (Correct answer)
- Use hand sanitizer and change gloves
- Discard the needle and document at the end of the shift
Correct answer: Immediately wash with soap and water, report the incident, and seek medical evaluation
OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard requires immediate washing, incident reporting, and medical follow-up after a needlestick.
Question 3: In electrology, single-use sterile probes are preferred over reusable probes primarily because they:
- Produce better electrical conductivity
- Eliminate the risk of cross-contamination between clients (Correct answer)
- Are less expensive over time
- Require no FDA clearance
Correct answer: Eliminate the risk of cross-contamination between clients
Single-use probes are discarded after each client, eliminating any risk of inadequate sterilization and cross-contamination.
Question 4: Which government agency publishes the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) that electrologists must follow?
- CDC
- EPA
- OSHA (Correct answer)
- FDA
Correct answer: OSHA
OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) enforces the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard in the workplace.
Question 5: How long must an autoclave sterilization cycle typically reach to achieve sterilization of wrapped instruments at 121°C (250°F)?
- 5 minutes
- 10 minutes
- 15–30 minutes (Correct answer)
- 45–60 minutes
Correct answer: 15–30 minutes
Gravity displacement autoclaves at 121°C require a minimum of 15–30 minutes depending on load and wrapping.
Question 6: A client arrives with an active cold sore (HSV-1) on their upper lip. The electrologist should:
- Treat the area carefully using extra gloves
- Treat all areas except directly over the lesion
- Postpone treatment of the affected area until the lesion has fully healed (Correct answer)
- Treat normally since herpes is not transmitted through electrology probes
Correct answer: Postpone treatment of the affected area until the lesion has fully healed
Treating over an active herpes lesion risks spreading the virus and causing additional lesions; treatment must be deferred until healing is complete.
Question 7: Which type of waste container is legally required for disposing of used electrology needles and probes?
- Standard red biohazard bag
- Puncture-resistant sharps container (Correct answer)
- Double-bagged plastic waste bag
- Any sealed plastic container
Correct answer: Puncture-resistant sharps container
OSHA requires sharps to be discarded immediately after use in a puncture-resistant, leak-proof, labeled sharps container.
CME Safety & Sanitation Standards 2
Which EPA-registered disinfectant level is required for electrology probes and forceps that contact mucous membranes?