PAM Safety & Infection Control 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which personal protective equipment (PPE) is MOST important when treating an open wound with ultrasound gel?
- Safety goggles
- Non-sterile gloves (Correct answer)
- N95 respirator
- Lead apron
Correct answer: Non-sterile gloves
Non-sterile gloves create a barrier against contact with blood and body fluids when treating open or draining wounds.
Question 2: A patient with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) requires whirlpool therapy. What is the MOST appropriate infection control measure?
- Use a chlorine bleach solution at 1:10 dilution after treatment (Correct answer)
- Treat the patient last and wipe the tub with alcohol wipes
- Place a plastic bag over the extremity to avoid water contact
- Cancel the whirlpool treatment and substitute dry heat
Correct answer: Use a chlorine bleach solution at 1:10 dilution after treatment
A 1:10 bleach-to-water solution is an EPA-approved disinfectant effective against MRSA and is the standard protocol for disinfecting whirlpool tubs after use.
Question 3: When applying moist heat packs, the MINIMUM number of towel layers between the pack and skin to prevent burns is:
- 2 layers
- 4 layers
- 6 layers (Correct answer)
- 8 layers
Correct answer: 6 layers
At least 6 layers of toweling (or equivalent insulation) are recommended between a commercial hydrocollator pack and the patient's skin.
Question 4: A therapist notices rust spots on the metal housing of an ultrasound unit. The BEST immediate action is:
- Apply lubricating oil to prevent further corrosion and continue use
- Tag the unit out of service and report to biomedical engineering (Correct answer)
- Clean with disinfectant wipes and document the finding
- Increase treatment intensity to compensate for potential output loss
Correct answer: Tag the unit out of service and report to biomedical engineering
Rust on electrical equipment is a safety hazard indicating possible compromised integrity; the device must be removed from service and inspected before further use.
Question 5: Standard precautions require hand hygiene to be performed:
- Only when hands are visibly soiled
- Before and after every patient contact regardless of glove use (Correct answer)
- Only after removing gloves following contact with body fluids
- At the start and end of each clinical shift
Correct answer: Before and after every patient contact regardless of glove use
Standard precautions mandate hand hygiene before and after every patient contact, even when gloves are worn, because gloves do not eliminate all contamination risk.
Question 6: Which of the following is the PRIMARY reason to test water temperature before a whirlpool treatment in a patient with peripheral neuropathy?
- To comply with OSHA water safety regulations
- Because the patient cannot reliably detect dangerous heat levels (Correct answer)
- To prevent corrosion of the whirlpool turbine
- To ensure adequate therapeutic effect of the warm water
Correct answer: Because the patient cannot reliably detect dangerous heat levels
Peripheral neuropathy impairs thermal sensation, so the therapist must independently verify safe water temperature because the patient cannot self-protect from burns.
Question 7: After treating a patient with a wound, ultrasound transducer heads should be cleaned with:
- Autoclave sterilization between every patient
- An EPA-registered intermediate-level disinfectant wipe (Correct answer)
- Soap and water rinse only
- 70% isopropyl alcohol soak for 30 minutes
Correct answer: An EPA-registered intermediate-level disinfectant wipe
Ultrasound transducers are semi-critical devices that require intermediate-level disinfection with an EPA-registered product; autoclaving is contraindicated as it damages the crystal.
PAM Safety & Infection Control 2
Which personal protective equipment (PPE) is MOST important when treating an open wound with ultrasound gel?