REE CMLA Laboratory Safety & Procedures Flashcards
7 cards from real CMLA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 REE CMLA Laboratory Safety & Procedures flashcards as text
Which of the following best describes the purpose of using 70% isopropyl alcohol rather than 100% for surface disinfection?
Answer: The water in 70% solutions allows longer contact time and better protein denaturation
The water component in 70% isopropyl alcohol slows evaporation and enhances protein coagulation in microbial cells, making it more effective as a disinfectant.
A laboratory receives a specimen with a cracked tube and no secondary containment. The FIRST step is to:
Answer: Don appropriate PPE before handling the package
PPE must be donned before handling any potentially contaminated or damaged specimen to protect the worker from exposure.
Which type of laboratory waste requires incineration or autoclaving before disposal?
Answer: Biohazardous cultures and stocks of infectious agents
Cultures and stocks of infectious agents must be decontaminated by autoclaving or incineration prior to disposal per federal and state regulations.
What does 'universal precautions' require laboratory personnel to assume about all patient specimens?
Answer: All blood and body fluid specimens are potentially infectious regardless of diagnosis
Universal precautions mandate treating all human blood and certain body fluids as potentially infectious, eliminating reliance on patient diagnosis for risk assessment.
Which action should be taken when a laboratory worker's lab coat becomes heavily contaminated with blood?
Answer: Remove the coat immediately and place it in a biohazard laundry bag
Heavily contaminated PPE must be removed immediately and handled as biohazardous laundry to prevent exposure and cross-contamination.
In laboratory quality control, a Levey-Jennings chart is used to:
Answer: Monitor analytical precision and detect instrument drift visually
Levey-Jennings charts plot QC results over time against control limits, allowing visual detection of trends, shifts, and random error.
Which regulation governs laboratory-developed tests and quality standards for clinical laboratories in the United States?
Answer: CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments)
CLIA establishes quality standards for all laboratory testing performed on human specimens, covering personnel, QC, proficiency testing, and inspections.