OCC Infection Control, Safety, & Professional Standards 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When removing a cast from a patient with a known MRSA infection, which PPE combination is most appropriate?
- Gloves only
- Gloves and gown
- Gloves, gown, and surgical mask (Correct answer)
- Gloves, gown, N95 respirator, and eye protection
Correct answer: Gloves, gown, and surgical mask
Contact precautions for MRSA require gloves, gown, and a mask to protect against splatter during cast removal.
Question 2: A patient presents with a cast that has a foul odor and visible green discoloration at the wound site. What is the priority action?
- Reinforce the cast with additional padding
- Document findings and notify the supervising physician immediately (Correct answer)
- Apply antifungal powder through the cast opening
- Schedule a follow-up appointment in one week
Correct answer: Document findings and notify the supervising physician immediately
Green discoloration and foul odor are signs of potential infection requiring immediate physician notification.
Question 3: Which of the following best describes 'standard precautions' in orthopedic casting practice?
- Precautions used only when a patient has a known infectious disease
- Precautions applied to all patients regardless of infection status (Correct answer)
- Precautions limited to bloodborne pathogen exposure
- Precautions required only in surgical settings
Correct answer: Precautions applied to all patients regardless of infection status
Standard precautions treat all patients as potentially infectious and are applied universally regardless of known infection status.
Question 4: Cast saw blades should be changed or sterilized between patients primarily to prevent:
- Blade dulling that causes excessive heat
- Cross-contamination of microorganisms between patients (Correct answer)
- Inaccurate cuts that damage the underlying padding
- Excessive vibration that causes patient discomfort
Correct answer: Cross-contamination of microorganisms between patients
Reusing unsterilized blades can transfer pathogenic microorganisms from one patient to another.
Question 5: Under OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, hepatitis B vaccination must be offered to orthopedic casting technicians:
- Within 30 days of hire at no cost to the employee
- Within 10 days of initial assignment at no cost to the employee (Correct answer)
- After 90 days of employment at a subsidized cost
- Only if the employee requests it and pays out-of-pocket
Correct answer: Within 10 days of initial assignment at no cost to the employee
OSHA requires employers to offer hepatitis B vaccination within 10 working days of initial assignment at no cost to occupationally exposed employees.
Question 6: A casting technician accidentally splashes plaster slurry into their eyes. The correct first response is to:
- Apply sterile eye drops and continue working
- Flush eyes with large amounts of water for at least 15 minutes (Correct answer)
- Cover eyes and report to employee health within 24 hours
- Wipe eyes with a sterile gauze pad
Correct answer: Flush eyes with large amounts of water for at least 15 minutes
Immediate eye irrigation with copious water for at least 15 minutes is the standard first aid response to chemical splash injuries.
Question 7: Which action violates proper infection control when applying a fiberglass cast?
- Wearing nitrile gloves throughout the application
- Dipping the roll in water and squeezing out excess
- Placing the opened cast roll on the patient's bedsheet between dips (Correct answer)
- Applying the cast in smooth, overlapping turns
Correct answer: Placing the opened cast roll on the patient's bedsheet between dips
Placing an opened sterile casting roll on a non-sterile surface like a bedsheet contaminates it before application.
OCC Infection Control, Safety, & Professional Standards 2
When removing a cast from a patient with a known MRSA infection, which PPE combination is most appropriate?