CO Infection Control & Prevention 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which type of isolation precaution is required when treating a patient with active pulmonary tuberculosis?
- Contact precautions
- Droplet precautions
- Airborne precautions (Correct answer)
- Standard precautions only
Correct answer: Airborne precautions
Pulmonary tuberculosis is transmitted via airborne droplet nuclei, requiring airborne precautions including N95 respirators and negative-pressure rooms.
Question 2: When reprocessing a reusable orthotic device that contacts intact skin only, which level of disinfection is minimally required?
- Sterilization
- High-level disinfection
- Low-level disinfection (Correct answer)
- Intermediate-level disinfection
Correct answer: Low-level disinfection
Items that contact only intact skin (noncritical items) require low-level disinfection per the Spaulding classification system.
Question 3: An orthotist notices a patient's custom foot orthosis has visible mold growth. What is the FIRST action to take?
- Sterilize the device in an autoclave
- Quarantine the device and assess it for disposal (Correct answer)
- Wipe with 70% isopropyl alcohol and return to patient
- Soak in dilute bleach for 10 minutes then refit
Correct answer: Quarantine the device and assess it for disposal
Visibly contaminated devices should be quarantined and evaluated for disposal before considering any reprocessing.
Question 4: Which hand hygiene agent is most effective against Clostridium difficile spores?
- Alcohol-based hand rub
- Chlorhexidine gluconate soap
- Plain soap and water (Correct answer)
- Triclosan-based soap
Correct answer: Plain soap and water
Alcohol-based products are ineffective against C. difficile spores; soap and water physically removes spores from hands.
Question 5: A patient with MRSA skin infection requires an ankle-foot orthosis. What additional precaution should the orthotist take during fitting?
- Wear a face shield only
- Don gloves and gown before contact with the patient (Correct answer)
- Use an N95 respirator throughout the visit
- No additional precautions beyond standard are needed
Correct answer: Don gloves and gown before contact with the patient
MRSA skin infections require contact precautions, which include gloves and gown to prevent transmission via direct contact.
Question 6: What is the minimum contact time (wet time) required for most EPA-registered intermediate-level disinfectants to be effective?
- 15 seconds
- 30 seconds
- The time specified on the product label (Correct answer)
- 5 minutes universally
Correct answer: The time specified on the product label
Disinfectants must remain wet on the surface for the dwell time stated on their EPA-registered label to achieve claimed efficacy.
Question 7: When performing plaster casting, which PPE element specifically protects the orthotist from splatter containing bloodborne pathogens?
- Latex gloves
- N95 respirator
- Face shield or goggles (Correct answer)
- Surgical cap
Correct answer: Face shield or goggles
Face shields or goggles protect mucous membranes of the eyes from splatter that may contain bloodborne pathogens.
CO Infection Control & Prevention 2
Which type of isolation precaution is required when treating a patient with active pulmonary tuberculosis?