FREE IAHCSMM (CRCST) Questions and Answers
A Central Service Technician finds some obvious biofilm on a surgical scissor while cleaning surgical instruments. Next steps for the technician to take?
Regular cleaning, disinfection, and even sterilization procedures cannot destroy biofilm. Therefore, in order to remove biofilm from an instrument, it should be submerged in an enzymatic cleaner when biofilm is present.
A ventilator that has just been used has to be cleaned by a Central Service Technician. In this procedure, which of the following actions should the technician NOT perform?
Even though the ventilator needs to be completely cleaned and sterilized, leaving it submerged in a disinfectant solution for an extended amount of time could damage its mechanical and electrical components.
A technician discovers a hinged device isn't opening and closing smoothly when packing a package of surgical equipment. Which line of action is the best one?
The best course of action when a hinge instrument isn't working properly is to send it in for repair and carry on packing without it.
What is the most important thing to think about while deciding where to put sterile storage?
While all these factors are important, the safety and sterility of the environment is the most critical when considering a location for sterile storage. Sterile storage areas must provide a clean, dry, and well-ventilated environment that minimizes the risk of contamination.
As a Central Service Technician, you discover that the biological indicator (BI) for the steam sterilization procedure has turned positive when processing surgical equipment. What action should you take right now?
A positive BI suggests that the sterilizing procedure did not work. To protect patient safety in this case, the technician should record the occurrence, isolate the load, and reprocess every item.
An anomaly in the sterilization records is found by a central service technician. How should the technician proceed initially?
A Central Service Technician should notify their supervisor right away if they find a mismatch in the sterilization records.
What is the first thing a Central Service Technician should do if a member of the department staff has delivered contaminated instruments without following the correct procedures?
Although it could make sense to return the equipment or sterilize them right away, speaking with the staff person in question directly should come first. By doing this, it is made sure that the individual is informed about the breach, is aware of any possible repercussions, and is able to take appropriate action.