NBDHE Infection Control and Sterilization Flashcards

What is the FIRST recommended action following a needlestick or sharps injury in dental practice?

Answer: Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water

The CDC recommends immediately washing needlestick injuries with soap and water as the first step in post-exposure management.

When reprocessing contaminated dental instruments, which combination of PPE is REQUIRED?

Answer: Utility gloves, mask, protective eyewear, and gown

Instrument reprocessing requires utility (heavy-duty) gloves, mask, protective eyewear, and a gown due to risks from splatter, aerosols, and sharps injuries.

The Spaulding classification system divides patient-care items into how many risk categories?

Answer: Three (critical, semicritical, noncritical)

The Spaulding system uses three categories — critical, semicritical, and noncritical — to guide the appropriate level of reprocessing for dental instruments.

Immediate-use steam sterilization (formerly called 'flash sterilization') should be used:

Answer: As a last resort for instruments dropped and needed immediately

Immediate-use steam sterilization should only be used as a last resort for dropped instruments that are urgently needed, not for routine instrument reprocessing.

N95 respirators are indicated over surgical masks when performing:

Answer: Aerosol-generating procedures on patients with suspected tuberculosis or airborne infections

N95 respirators, filtering 95% of airborne particles, are required during aerosol-generating procedures on patients with suspected or confirmed airborne infections such as tuberculosis.

The CDC's recommended approach to managing dental unit waterlines (DUWLs) includes:

Answer: A combination of flushing, antimicrobial treatment, and periodic water quality monitoring

The CDC recommends a multifaceted approach to DUWL management combining waterline flushing, antimicrobial treatments, and periodic water quality monitoring.

If a biological indicator (spore test) returns a POSITIVE result indicating sterilization failure, the correct immediate response is to:

Answer: Remove the sterilizer from service and recall all instruments processed since the last negative test

A positive spore test confirms sterilization failure; the sterilizer must be removed from service immediately and all instruments processed since the last negative test must be considered unsterile.