OTC Orthopaedic Technologist Certified Infection Control and Safety 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When disposing of a used fiberglass cast saw blade, the orthopaedic technologist should place it in a:
- Regular trash bin lined with a red bag
- Sharps container
- Biohazard bag
- Puncture-resistant container labeled for sharps (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Puncture-resistant container labeled for sharps
Sharps and sharp-edged items must be placed in a rigid, puncture-resistant sharps container to prevent injuries during handling and disposal.
Question 2: A patient on droplet precautions requires a cast change. The orthopaedic technologist must wear:
- An N95 respirator and gown
- A surgical mask when within 3 feet and standard PPE as indicated (Correct answer)
- No additional PPE beyond standard gloves
- A powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR)
Correct answer: A surgical mask when within 3 feet and standard PPE as indicated
Droplet precautions require a surgical mask when within 3 feet (1 meter) of the patient, in addition to gloves and any other PPE indicated by the procedure.
Question 3: Which of the following is the correct sequence for donning personal protective equipment (PPE)?
- Gloves → gown → mask → eye protection
- Gown → mask → eye protection → gloves (Correct answer)
- Mask → gloves → gown → eye protection
- Eye protection → gloves → gown → mask
Correct answer: Gown → mask → eye protection → gloves
CDC guidelines recommend donning PPE in the order: gown first, then mask or respirator, eye protection, and finally gloves so that the gloves cover the gown cuffs.
Question 4: Clostridium difficile (C. diff) spores are best eliminated from environmental surfaces using:
- Alcohol-based disinfectants
- Quaternary ammonium compounds
- Sodium hypochlorite (bleach) solutions (Correct answer)
- Hydrogen peroxide at 3% concentration
Correct answer: Sodium hypochlorite (bleach) solutions
C. diff spores are resistant to alcohol and many common disinfectants; EPA-registered sodium hypochlorite (bleach) products are required to kill them.
Question 5: The safe oxygen saturation level threshold below which supplemental oxygen should be considered for a patient during cast application under sedation is typically:
- Below 98%
- Below 95% (Correct answer)
- Below 90%
- Below 85%
Correct answer: Below 95%
An SpO2 below 95% is generally considered an indication for supplemental oxygen and closer monitoring in sedated patients.
Question 6: Which pathogen is the most common cause of surgical site infections in orthopaedic procedures?
- Streptococcus pyogenes
- Staphylococcus aureus (Correct answer)
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa
- Escherichia coli
Correct answer: Staphylococcus aureus
Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin-resistant strains (MRSA), is the most frequently isolated pathogen in orthopaedic surgical site infections.
Question 7: The primary purpose of a post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) protocol following a bloodborne pathogen exposure is to:
- Compensate the injured employee
- Reduce the risk of infection by administering medications promptly after exposure (Correct answer)
- Document the incident for legal purposes
- Identify the source patient's viral load
Correct answer: Reduce the risk of infection by administering medications promptly after exposure
PEP involves administering antiviral or other medications as soon as possible after exposure to reduce the probability of bloodborne infection taking hold.
OTC Orthopaedic Technologist Certified Infection Control and Safety 5
When disposing of a used fiberglass cast saw blade, the orthopaedic technologist should place it in a: