Infection Control (TE) Flashcards

1
Q

Which of the following is Not a mode of disease transmission?

A
Sexually Transmitted 
( It is a type of transmitted disease)
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2
Q

Which Hepatitis virus should healthcare personnel be immunized against?

A

Hepatitis B
(Hep B immunization is an effective vaccine that healthcare workers should be given to prevent the risk of occupational exposure.)

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3
Q

Which of the following diseases can be spread through contaminated water supplies?

A

Legionnaire’s Disease

Legionnaire’s Disease can be spread through aerosols as well as aspirating contaminated water.

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4
Q

A patient experiences an infection where symptoms appear quickly and are severe. What type of infection is this?

A

Acute

Acute infections are often very quick to appear and have severe symptoms.

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5
Q

A patient presents with symptoms of an oral yeast infection. What condition could have caused this infection?

A

Oral Candidiasis

Oral candidiasis is a yeast infection of the mouth, sometimes called “thrush.”

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6
Q

What is a microorganism called that is capable of causing disease?

A

Pathogen

Pathogens are organisms that are capable of causing disease conditions.

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7
Q

Which disease is an example of one caused by a spore?

A

Tetanus

Tetanus, also called “lock jaw” is a disease that is caused by spore bacteria.

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8
Q

Which of the following does not determine how pathogenic an organism is?

A

Type of bacteria (The type of bacteria does not determine how pathogenic an organism is. Virulence, Concentration, Host resistance and Portal of Entry are some of the determining influences.)

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9
Q

A patient is experiencing increased stress due to a recent illness that has impacted her normal routine. What type of infection could have entered the body and then lie dormant until triggered by conditions such as stress?

A

Latent ( Latent infections lie dormant in the body until conditions like fever or illness cause the virus to become active.)

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10
Q

Which of the following is not a portal of entry for splash or splatter disease transmission?

A

Intact Skin (Intact skin is a natural protective barrier and is not a portal of entry for splash or splatter disease transmission.)

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11
Q

A patient has a bloodborne disease. Which of the following is not a disease that the dental professional is concerned about contracting through contact with blood?

A

Tuberculosis ( Tuberculosis is not a bloodborne disease it is an airborne bacterial disease.)

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12
Q

Which hepatitis virus is not transmitted by bloodborne bacteria?

A

Hepatitis A (Hepatitis A is the fecal-oral transmittable form of heptatitis, and is the least serious of these viruses.)

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13
Q

A dentist is treating a patient with a porcelain crown on #4. Which of the following dental equipment does not create an aerosol exposure to the dentist during use?

A

Suction (Dental suctions do not create aerosol exposures during use.)

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14
Q

Which of the following modes of disease transmission is also known as cross-contamination?

A

Indirect transmission(Indirect transmission is also known as cross-contamination. It happens by the indirect transferring of a pathogen by touching contaminated surfaces and then another area like the eyes or mouth.)

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15
Q

Which of the following conditions is the least threatening to dental personnel when it concerns the risk of transmission?

A

HIV (All of the other conditions are highly contagious, and while HIV contamination should be prevented, it is not as big of a concern in regards to disease transmission in a dental office setting.)

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16
Q

A patient states that they have contracted Herpes, and asks if there are signs of the virus in the mouth. After questioning the patient it is determined that the virus strain was contracted through sexual activity. Which herpes virus is sexually transmitted?

A

Herpes Simpex 2 (Herpes Simplex 2 is transmitted through sexual contact.)

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17
Q

The OSHA bloodborne pathogen standard guides employees to protect themselves from all of the following conditions EXCEPT:

A

Tuberculosis (Tuberculosis is not a bloodborne disease, but all of the other viruses listed are conditions that the OSHA bloodborne pathogen standard helps employees protect themselves against.)

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18
Q

Dental assistants are to treat each patient as if they were infected with a bloodborne illness. This precautionary method is called

A

Universal Precautions(Universal precautions are the standard in which all patients are treated as if they are infected with a bloodborne disease.

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19
Q

CDC standard precautions include care taken around all of the following EXCEPT:

A

Intact Skin( Intact skin is not considered a potentially infections mechanism of disease transmission.)

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20
Q

Which of the following is not a category of occupational exposure?

A

Indirect ( Indirect is not a category of occupational exposure. Direct, percutaneous and permucosal are all categories of occupational exposure.)

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21
Q

A dental assistant receives a needlestick when attempting to re-cap a used needle during a dental procedure. Needlesticks or cuts in the skin are what type of occupational exposure?

A

Percutaneous(Percutaneous exposures are when the skin has been perforated and exposed to blood or possible infectious material.)

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22
Q

An assistant is re-capping a used needle after a treatment procedure. What is the appropriate method for the assistant to use when re-capping?

A

Using a single handed re-capping technique will prevent accidental needlestick with a used needle.

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23
Q

Employee medical records, including proof of Hep B vaccination, should be kept by the employer for how long?

A

(Duration of employment, plus 30 years), is the recommended length of storing confidential medical records on employees. These must be stored in a secure, locked location.

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24
Q

An assistant has seated a patient, assisted with the procedure, and just excused the patient following the treatment. When should handwashing occur?

A

Hands must be washed before gloving up, after gloving up, and any other time that a contaminated object may have accidentally have been touched.

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25
Q

All of the following help to minimize cross-contamination EXCEPT:

A

Bar soap does not help to minimize cross-contamination. It may actually be a surface that transmits bacteria or other contaminants.

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26
Q

Higher levels of PPE should be used for which of the following?

A

Room clean-up will expose the employee to more contaminants than the other examples, therefore higher levels of PPE, such as gloves, should be worn.

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27
Q

PPE requirements state that:

A

Fluid-resistant material must be used for lab coats. This can include disposable jackets or cotton or cotton/poly blend material.

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28
Q

Bloodeborne pathogen standards state that protective clothing:

A

May not be taken home to be laundered. Laundering PPE that has been contaminated is the responsibility of the employer.

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29
Q

When selecting PPE for an assisting procedure, which of the following is NOT an option for protective eyewear?

A

Prescription eyewear is not an acceptable means of personal protective equipment. Glasses must have solid side shields.

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30
Q

What can reduce mask filtration?

A

Moisture reduces the filtration abilities of masks. Contact with the mouth or splatter reduces filtration.

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31
Q

What kind of gloves are sterile?

A

Surgical gloves are sterile and should be worn for invasive procedures.

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32
Q

In which of the following situations should utility gloves be worn?

A

Instrument sterilization(Utility gloves should be worn during instrument sterilization.)

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33
Q

A patient presents himself with a latex allergy. Which of the following type of gloves would be appropriate for the assistant to use?

A

Nitrile gloves would be an appropriate latex-free glove option for the patient with a latex allergy.

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34
Q

Items like gloves, masks, eyewear and uniforms are considered:

A

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) are things like masks, gloves and eyewear that protect employees from possible exposure to pathogens in the office setting.

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35
Q

An assistant discards of a certain piece of waste in its own container. What type of waste is this?

A

Biohazardous waste is harmful to people and the environment, and must be disposed of properly in appropriate containers.

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36
Q

A dentist chooses sterile gloves for a procedure. Which of the following procedures is the dentist most likely about to perform?

A

Implant placements are surgical, invasive procedures and sterile gloves should be worn instead of non-sterile examination gloves.

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37
Q

Which agency’s role is to issue standards that protect the health of employees?

A

OSHA is a regulatory agency and their goal is to keep safety standards in place that protect employees from possible accident or injury.

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38
Q

What law is the most important when it comes to protecting employees against exposure to disease in the dental office?

A

The Bloodborne Pathogens Standard is established by OSHA to protect employees from pathogens that are bloodborne.

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39
Q

A recall patient has cold sores on his lip that have begun to scab over. Cold sores are a type of what kind of infection?

A

Latent infections are those that come and go, such as viral infections like the herpes simplex virus, which causes cold sores.

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40
Q

Splatter from the ultrasonic scaler makes contact with the hygienist’s eye because she was using inappropriate PPE. What type of exposure is this?

A

Permucosal exposures are those that come into contact with the mucous membranes like the eyes.

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41
Q

A health care professional visits their doctor for vaccination due to occupational exposure risks. What type of immunity is achieved when someone is vaccinated and their body creates the antibodies against a disease?

A

Active artificial immunity is when the body does not have antibodies and then develops an artificial immunity to it after having been administered a vaccine.

42
Q

An assistant is cleaning up an operatory following a crown procedure. There are used mixing pads on the tray. What type of waste is this?

A

General waste (Routine waste like mixing pads, paper towels or headrest covers are examples of general waste that may discarded with regular waste like paper or other trash.

43
Q

The dentist extracts a patient’s 2nd bicuspids for their orthodontic treatment. Extracted teeth are a type of what kind of waste?

A

Pathologic waste is a type of infectious waste and should be disposed of appropriately in accordance to state and local laws.

44
Q

The office staff are unloading the most recent supply of delivery boxes. As packages are opened, the assistant gathers specific sheets to include in an office binder. What is the information sheet called that contains health and safety information about chemicals used in the dental office?

A

MSDS stands for Material Safety Data Sheets and they should be kept on file for every chemical that is in the office.

45
Q

A patient breaks out into a rash after coming into contact with the dentist’s latex glove. What is this reaction called?

A

Contact dermatitis is when the skin breaks out after coming into contact with something that is an irritant or allergy to the person.

46
Q

An assistant is dressing in the morning to prepare for work. Which of the following is appropriate to wear in the dental office?

A

(Simple wedding bands) are ok to wear in the dental office. Large jewelry and artificial nails, however, can harbor bacteria, which can contribute to direct or cross-contamination of the individual or others they interact with.

47
Q

An assistant is helping a dentist perform an extraction. The assistant needs to touch something not associated with the treatment. What gloves should be worn?

A

(Overgloves) are to be worn over treatment gloves to prevent cross-contamination to other areas inside of the operatory when they are needed for use.

48
Q

An assistant is preparing a treatment room for the next procedure. During this preparation, she sets out PPE for herself and the doctor. Does the same PPE need to be worn for all patient procedures?

A

No, it depends on what risk of exposure the procedure is. A filling does not require the use of surgical gloves, but an implant procedure would.

49
Q

One of the staff members in the office refuses to receive the Hepatitis B vaccine. This employee must:

A

Sign a waiver for their employer (Employees that refuse to receive Hep B vaccination must sign a waiver to be kept on file with their employer.

50
Q

A dentist hires a new assistant to replace the one that just moved to another state. What must he provide free of charge to his employees?

A

The Hep B vaccine must be provided free of charge by an employer to each employee in the office if they are reasonably likely to be exposed to blood or infectious disease during the course of their work. This is a requirement of OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens Standard.

51
Q

Which of the following is capable of causing disease?

A

(Pathogens) are disease-causing organisms. The other answers are examples of infections, viruses or infection causing organisms, but they do not cause disease.

52
Q

A patient has a poor immune system and becomes infected with a disease-causing pathogen. This patient may develop a(n):

A

(Opportunistic infections) occur in instances where someone with a depressed immune system come into contact with pathogenic bacteria and are not able to suppress an infection.

53
Q

An assistant is cleaning up the operatory following a crown seat procedure without wearing gloves. If transmission of a pathogen occurs, what type of transmission would it be?

A

(Indirect transmission) is when a person comes into contact with pathogenic microorganisms by handing contaminated surfaces or equipment, which can then be spread to themselves via contact with the face, or to other people.

54
Q

Biohazardous waste must be discarded by:

A

Placed in separate bags marked with the appropriate waste symbol (All biohazardous waste must be placed into specially marked separate bags with the biohazardous waste symbol, then disposed of appropriately based on local laws and regulations.)

55
Q

Dental employees are at a biggest risk to pathogen exposure by what type of transmission?

A

(Direct contact )with blood or saliva from a patient is the biggest concern to dental employees when it comes to disease transmission

56
Q

Which of the following can reduce a patient’s ability to transmit disease during a dental procedure?

A

(Pre-rinsing with an antimicrobial mouthwash) can help to reduce the number of bacteria in a patient’s mouth, limiting exposure to pathogens from splatter or direct contact.

57
Q

A patient contracts a disease but then recovers. Their body has formed what type of immunity?

A

(Naturally acquired) immunities are those that the body develops when it has been exposed and develops a disease, heals itself, and then develops a natural immunity to the disease so that it does not become infected again.

58
Q

In order to follow OSHA requirements appropriately, a dental assistant must have routine training in all of the following EXCEPT:

A

(HIPAA) is not part of OSHA regulatory laws to protect the health and safety of employees in the dental office.

59
Q

When cleaning off a treatment tray, the dental assistant must dispose of waste appropriately. Which of the following is NOT an example of biohazardous waste?

A

Exam Gloves) Exam gloves are not usually saturated in blood, nor do they cause an increased risk of exposure as sharps or blood saturated items would.

60
Q

What is the term that is used to describe how strong a disease-causing organism is?

A

(Virulent) or virulence is how strong and capable a pathogenic microorganism is when it comes to causing disease.

61
Q

An infectious disease causes:

A

Tissue damage)Tissue damage is caused by infectious disease due to damage by the pathogenic microorganisms.

62
Q

Which of the following is NOT important in regards to an ideal sterilization area?

A

It should be at least a 10x10 designated area.

63
Q

When removing used equipment and instruments from a treatment tray, what type of gloves should the dental assistant select to wear?

A

Utility gloves) are heavy duty and help protect staff from harmful, sharp instruments on a treatment tray.

64
Q

Which of the following equipment is NOT necessary for a dental assistant to wear when transporting used instruments from the treatment area to the sterilization area?

A

Masks) are a type of PPE but they are not necessary when transporting used equipment from a treatment room to the sterilization area.

65
Q

The schedule is backed up and the dental assistant is not able to clean the used instruments immediately. The instruments should be:

A

Placed in a holding solution)The instruments should be placed in a holding solution. This prevents residue from hardening up on instruments or the risk of them coming into contact with something or someone else.

66
Q

When unloading the autoclave, the assistant is not sure whether or not it has been run. What is used on an instrument package to show if the enclosed instruments have been sterilized or not?

A

Chemical indicators) on the instrument package show when the enclosed instruments have been properly sterilized. These may be on the package already, or a separate strip placed on the package.

67
Q

When loading or unloading the sterilizer, which of the following is NOT something that needs to be considered?

A

Stacking the packages)All instrument packages should be placed in single layers, so that the steam or chemical solution can reach them adequately.

68
Q

Quality assurance in regards to sterilization includes which of the following:

A

Training, Record-keeping and Maintenance are all parts that should be considered in a quality assurance program in regards to instrument sterilization.

69
Q

An assistant is putting on PPE to perform sterilization procedures. When should a mask be used as part of this routine?

A

(When hand scrubbing instruments,) it may be possible to be exposed to splatter or water droplets and it is necessary to wear a mask as part of the PPE.

70
Q

A staff member is assembling treatment trays for the day. What gloves are appropriate for this purpose?

A

Exam gloves) are appropriate when assembling treatment trays with sterilized instrument packets.

71
Q

An assistant keeps protective eyewear in their lab coat pocket throughout the workday. At what times should they be worn?

A

(At any time when handling used instruments.) This includes transfer of the used treatment tray to the sterilization area up to the loading of the autoclave.

72
Q

What is the area where soiled instruments are held?

A

Contaminated area)The sterilization area has a contaminated area that includes counter space, sinks, holding solution and ultrasonic cleaner where the contaminated instruments are processed prior to sterilization. Nothing but soiled instruments should be placed in this area.

73
Q

Which of the following is NOT an example of precleaning:

A

Holding solution) is not an example of precleaning. Holding solution should only be used when there is not enough time to immediately clean and process instruments.

74
Q

When selecting pre cleaning methods for a new office sterilization area, which of the following methods is the least desirable for cleaning instruments?

A

Hand scrubbing) is the least desirable method of cleaning instruments. Hand scrubbing puts people at an increased risk for contamination due to direct contact with the instruments.

75
Q

What method of precleaning instruments uses cavitation, or the bursting of bubbles, to remove debris from soiled instruments?

A

Ultrasonic machines) produce sound waves that cause cavitation, resulting in the mechanical removal of debris from instruments.

76
Q

An assistant must package all instruments prior to sterilization in order to reduce the risk of contamination when they are removed. Which of the following is NOT appropriate in regards to instrument packaging?

A

(The reuse of standard sterilization wraps) is not approved by the FDA. Wraps should only be used once and then discarded.

77
Q

One of the team members is creating a check-off list for office duties that include preparation of the sterilization area on a routine basis. At least how often should the ultrasonic cleaner be changed out?

A

Once a day)The ultrasonic cleaner should be changed out at least once a day. Ultrasonic cleaning solution can become dirty very quickly, and may even need to be changed out up to twice a day.

78
Q

Which of the following destroys all microbial forms:

A

(Sterilization )destroys all microbial forms. The other methods may destroy some types of bacteria, but they do not destroy all of them.

79
Q

What type of machine uses steam under pressure to sterilize instruments?

A

The autoclave uses steam under pressure to sterilize instruments and other heat-resistant supplies.

80
Q

Which of the following sterilization methods can sterilize water-based liquids?

A

Steam autoclaves) are able to sterilize water-based liquids, while other methods of sterilization can not.

81
Q

Which of the following methods of sterilization can produce corrosion to instruments?

A

The steam autoclave) may leave instruments wet after the sterilization cycle and can cause instrument corrosion over time.

82
Q

Sterilization in a chemical liquid sterilization solution requires what length of contact time?

A

10 hours are needed for complete sterilization to take place in a chemical liquid sterilization solution. Less than ten hours produces only disinfection.

83
Q

Biologic monitoring confirms that ______ have been killed:

A

By killing (spores) in a sterilization cycle, the equipment is successful. Not killing spores means failure of sterilization.

84
Q

An assistant places a monitoring device on the outside of an instrument package. This device changes color once a certain temperature has been reached. What is this device called?

A

Process indicators) change color once they have been exposed to a certain temperature, making it easy to determine which packages have been processed and which have not.

85
Q

An assistant ensures that monitoring of the sterilization machines is done to meet CDC and ADA recommendations. How often should this monitoring be performed?

A

Once per week)The monitoring of sterilization machines should be performed at least once per week. Some states require testing more or less frequently.

86
Q

A new staff member places sterilization packs snuggly into the autoclave. If packages in the sterilizer are too close together, the primary concern is that it may:

A

Prevent some instrument surfaces from being reached by the sterilizing agent).When the packages are tightly against each other it prevents instrument surfaces from being reached by the sterilization agent.

87
Q

The dentist is purchasing a new piece of equipment for quick sterilization in her busy office. What is the quickest method of instrument sterilization?

A

Rapid heat transfer) Rapid heat transfer is a very quick method of sterilization that may be used only on instruments that are unwrapped.

88
Q

OSHA recommends what methods to deal with surface contamination in the treatment room?

A

Both barriers and disinfecting surfaces between patients may be used together to handle surface contamination.)Either one is appropriate, but they may be used conjointly based on the needs of the treatment area.

89
Q

An assistant is setting up an operatory for the next appointment. Which of the following is an example of a surface barrier that might be used?

A

Rolls or wide sticky tape are often used for buttons or handles. Plastic bags for surface barriers come in various sizes to fit things like air/water syringes. Aluminum foil may be used in some instances as it is easy to shape.

90
Q

An assistant is cleaning and disinfecting a treatment room. What PPE does the assistant need to wear?

A

Eyewear, mask and utility gloves should all be part of PPE used when cleaning and disinfecting a treatment room, to prevent exposure to chemicals or other splatter.

91
Q

All contaminated surfaces must be ___________ before they can be ____________.

A

All contaminated surfaces must be precleaned before they can be disinfected. This helps to remove initial bioburdens and bacteria in the working area.

92
Q

What is the method that kills disease-causing organisms that remain on surfaces after they are precleaned?

A

Disinfection) is the method of cleaning work area from disease causing organisms after the work area has already been precleaned.

93
Q

Spores are killed in the process called:

A

Sterilization) kills like forms including spores. Disinfection and precleaning do not destroy these organisms.

94
Q

What agency regulates disinfectants and chemical sterilants?

A

EPA,) the Environmental Protection Agency, regulates disinfectants and chemical cleaners used in dentistry.

95
Q

What are EPA approved cleaners that serve as a mid-level hospital disinfected that kills the Tuberculosis virus?

A

Iodophors) are a broad-spectrum tuberculocidal cleaner that disinfects surface areas.

96
Q

What road-spectrum mid-level hospital disinfectant may be appropriate for use on disinfecting dental impressions?

A

Syntehtic Phenol Compounds) may be appropriate to use for disinfecting dental impressions, but the impression material should be checked first for compatibility.

97
Q

An assistant is cleaning up an operatory after an extraction that has resulted in large amounts of blood droplet splatter. Which of the following surface disinfectants are not effective against areas contaminated with blood or saliva?

A

Neither alcohol nor bleach (sodium hypochlorite and Chlorox) are appropriate surface decontaminants per the CDC and ADA.

98
Q

Gletaraldehyde is a _____-level disinfectant.

A

High-level disinfectant. It can also be used as a sterilant if immersion time is long enough.

99
Q

When deciding what instruments need to be sterilized vs. disinfected, the staff member knows that the instruments that penetrate body tissues must be sterilized. What is this type of instrument called?

A

Critical instruments) penetrate body tissues and bone structures, and should be heat sterilized.

100
Q

During tray clean up, certain instruments have only touched mucous membranes and have a lower risk of disease transmission. What type of instruments are these?

A

Semicritical instruments) have a low risk of disease transmission, but they do come into contact with mucous membranes.