MDRAO Decontamination Processes and Equipment 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which parameter is most critical to monitor during a washer-disinfector thermal disinfection cycle to ensure efficacy?
- Water pressure only
- Time and temperature at the disinfection phase (Correct answer)
- Detergent pH at the start of the cycle
- Total cycle duration including drying
Correct answer: Time and temperature at the disinfection phase
Time and temperature during the disinfection phase determine the A0 value and confirm that sufficient thermal lethality has been achieved.
Question 2: Point-of-use treatment of surgical instruments before transport to decontamination should include which action?
- Full sterilization at the bedside
- Removing gross soil and keeping instruments moist to prevent drying (Correct answer)
- Soaking instruments in undiluted bleach
- Wrapping instruments in sterile drapes
Correct answer: Removing gross soil and keeping instruments moist to prevent drying
At point-of-use, gross soil should be removed and instruments kept moist (with a moist towel or enzymatic foam) to prevent bioburden from drying and hardening before decontamination.
Question 3: What is the recommended minimum soak time for instruments in an OPA 0.55% solution at 20°C to achieve high-level disinfection?
- 2 minutes
- 5 minutes
- 12 minutes (Correct answer)
- 30 minutes
Correct answer: 12 minutes
OPA 0.55% requires a minimum contact time of 12 minutes at 20°C (68°F) to achieve high-level disinfection per manufacturer labeling.
Question 4: Which instrument cleaning method should NOT be used in the decontamination sink area because it generates aerosols?
- Manual scrubbing with a brush under the water surface
- Submerged ultrasonic cleaning
- High-pressure water spraying above the water line (Correct answer)
- Use of low-linting cloths to wipe surfaces
Correct answer: High-pressure water spraying above the water line
High-pressure spraying above the water line aerosolizes contaminated droplets, creating an inhalation and surface contamination hazard for staff.
Question 5: A washer-disinfector printout shows the temperature during the disinfection phase reached only 75°C instead of the required 90°C. What action should be taken?
- Accept the load if the cycle completed without error codes
- Quarantine the load, investigate the machine fault, and reprocess the instruments (Correct answer)
- Run the instruments through a cold rinse to compensate
- Proceed to packaging since the wash phase was successful
Correct answer: Quarantine the load, investigate the machine fault, and reprocess the instruments
If the disinfection temperature was not met, the load is considered unacceptable and must be quarantined and reprocessed after the machine is serviced.
Question 6: What is the purpose of a lubrication (milk bath) step during instrument decontamination?
- To sterilize instrument surfaces
- To maintain joint mobility and prevent corrosion (Correct answer)
- To remove hard water deposits
- To neutralize enzymatic detergent residue
Correct answer: To maintain joint mobility and prevent corrosion
Instrument lubricant (milk bath) is a water-soluble lubricant that maintains joint mobility, prevents corrosion, and is compatible with subsequent sterilization.
Question 7: Which of the following best describes the decontamination area workflow to prevent cross-contamination?
- Instruments move from clean to dirty areas
- Instruments move from dirty to clean in a unidirectional flow (Correct answer)
- Instruments are processed in the same sink as sterile supply storage
- Clean and soiled items are stored in the same room
Correct answer: Instruments move from dirty to clean in a unidirectional flow
The decontamination area must maintain unidirectional workflow from soiled/dirty to clean to prevent recontamination of processed instruments.
MDRAO Decontamination Processes and Equipment 3
Which parameter is most critical to monitor during a washer-disinfector thermal disinfection cycle to ensure efficacy?