Decontamination Processes and Equipment Flashcards
7 cards from real MDRAO practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Decontamination Processes and Equipment flashcards as text
Which standard or guideline specifically addresses the reprocessing of flexible gastrointestinal endoscopes in Canadian healthcare facilities?
Answer: Professional society guidelines such as SGNA/CSGNA combined with CSA standards
Flexible endoscope reprocessing follows combined guidance from professional societies (SGNA/CSGNA) and applicable CSA standards, as no single document covers all requirements.
After completing the decontamination of a set of instruments, how should the technician verify cleaning efficacy before sending items to sterile processing?
Answer: By performing visual inspection under magnification and using a lighted magnifier
Visual inspection under magnification with good lighting is the standard method to verify cleanliness of instruments before packaging and sterilization.
What is the correct dilution method when preparing enzymatic detergent for manual cleaning?
Answer: Always add detergent concentrate to water per manufacturer instructions
Enzymatic detergent concentrate should always be added to water (not the reverse) at the manufacturer's specified dilution ratio to ensure correct concentration and safe use.
Which temperature range is typically required for the wash phase of an automated instrument washer to activate enzymatic detergents without denaturing enzymes?
Answer: Between 40°C and 55°C
Enzymatic detergents are most effective between approximately 40°C and 55°C; temperatures above this range can denature the enzymes, reducing their cleaning activity.
A technician discovers a crack in the barrel of a syringe plunger used in a surgical tray during decontamination inspection. What is the correct action?
Answer: Remove it from service, tag it as damaged, and send it for repair or disposal
Cracked or damaged devices must be removed from service immediately, tagged, and sent for repair or disposal to prevent patient harm and instrument failure.
Which of the following describes the correct sequence for manual decontamination of surgical instruments at the sink?
Answer: Pre-rinse → soak in enzymatic detergent → scrub under water → rinse → inspect
The correct manual cleaning sequence is pre-rinse to remove gross soil, enzymatic soak to loosen bioburden, scrubbing under the water surface to minimize aerosols, then rinsing and inspecting.
When testing a flexible endoscope for leaks before decontamination, a positive leak test result (bubbling) indicates what?
Answer: There is a breach in the endoscope's outer sheath or internal channels
Bubbling during a positive-pressure leak test indicates a breach in the endoscope's integrity, meaning fluids can enter internal components and the scope must be removed from service for repair.