Safety and Compliance Flashcards
7 cards from real PCE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Safety and Compliance flashcards as text
Which infection control practice is most effective in preventing cross-contamination between patients in an outpatient physiotherapy clinic?
Answer: Hand hygiene before and after each patient contact
Hand hygiene before and after each patient contact is the single most effective measure to prevent healthcare-associated infection transmission.
A patient receiving ultrasound therapy over a metal implant site reports increasing pain. The physiotherapist should:
Answer: Stop treatment immediately and reassess
Metal implants can concentrate ultrasound energy causing periosteal burns; treatment must be stopped and the patient reassessed.
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a physiotherapy clinic is required to:
Answer: Ensure physical and communication accessibility for patients with disabilities
The ADA mandates that healthcare facilities provide physical access and effective communication for patients with all types of disabilities.
A physiotherapist working in a school setting suspects a child has been physically abused. The physiotherapist's legal obligation is to:
Answer: Report the suspicion to child protective services as a mandated reporter
Physiotherapists are mandated reporters in all U.S. states and must report suspected child abuse immediately to the appropriate authorities.
When applying a hot pack, the physiotherapist should check skin condition after the first:
Answer: 2–3 minutes
Skin should be inspected after 2–3 minutes of hot pack application to detect early signs of excessive heat response before tissue damage occurs.
A physiotherapist is treating a patient on anticoagulant therapy. Which modality requires the greatest caution?
Answer: Therapeutic ultrasound over a superficial vein
Ultrasound over superficial veins in anticoagulated patients risks dislodging a thrombus and triggering embolism.
The primary reason physiotherapists must document skilled care rather than just outcomes is to:
Answer: Justify medical necessity and support reimbursement claims
Documentation of skilled physiotherapy services establishes medical necessity, which is required for lawful reimbursement under Medicare and most payers.