IPC

Question 1

Name 2 HAIs

Answer 1

C. difficile and MRSA

Question 2

What are signs and symptoms of infection?

Answer 2

Fever
Chills
Redness
Pain
Puss
Vomiting and diarrhoea

Question 3

What are the 6 links in the chain of infection?

Answer 3

Infectious Agent
Reservoir
Portal of Exit
Mode of Transmission
Portal of Entry
Susceptible Host

Question 4

What should you do before performing hand hygiene?

Answer 4

Expose forearms
Remove all hand/wrist jewellery
Ensure nails are clean, short and artificial nails are not worn
Cover all cuts or abrasions with a waterproof dressing

Question 5

When should hand hygiene be performed?

Answer 5

Before touching a patient
Before clean/a sceptic procedures 
After body fluid exposure risk
After touching a patient
After touching a patient’s immediate surroundings

Question 6

When should hands be washed with non-antimicrobial liquid soap and water specifically?

Answer 6

If hands are visible soiled or dirty
Caring for patients with vomiting or diarrhoea illness
Casting for a patient with a suspected or known GI infection eg - norovirus or C. difficile

Question 7

When should a disposable tissue be used in cough hygiene?

Answer 7

Cover nose sand mouth when sneezing, wiping and blowing the nose
Dispose into a waste bin

Question 8

What should be used for sneezing in the absence of a disposable tissue?

Answer 8

Your elbow/sleeve

Question 9

What should be done after dealing with a blood/bodily fluid spillage?

Answer 9

Wash area with disposable paper towels and a solution of general purpose detergent and warm water
Dry area or allow to air dry
Discard paper towels and disposable PPE into a healthcare waste bag
Perform hand hygiene

Question 10

What is healthcare waste?

Answer 10

Produced as a direct result of healthcare activities eg - soiled dressings, sharps

Question 11

What is special or hazardous waste?

Answer 11

Arises from the delivery of healthcare in both clinical and non-clinical settings
Contains dangerous and hazardous substances eg - chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Question 12

What is domestic waste?

Answer 12

Segregated into:
Dry recyclates - glass, paper and plastics, metals, cardboard
Residual waste - any other domestic waste that cannot be recycled

Question 13

What goes in the black waste stream?

Answer 13

Domestic waste

Question 14

What goes in the orange waste stream?

Answer 14

Low risk clinical waste eg - soiled dressings

Question 15

What goes in the blue waste stream?

Answer 15

Medicinal waste

Question 16

What goes in the red waste stream?

Answer 16

Chemical waste eg - amalgam

Question 17

What is an occupational exposure?

Answer 17

A percutaneous or mucotaneous exposure to blood or other bodily fluids

Question 18

What is a significant occupational exposure?

Answer 18

A percutaneous or mucotaneous exposure to blood or other body fluids from a source that is known or found to be positive for a BBV

Question 19

What is the first step of managing a blood and bodily fluid spillage?

Answer 19

Cordon off the spillage:
Put up a wet floor sign
If none, stay beside spillage to protect it
Never touch spillage without PPE

Question 20

What is the second step of handling a blood and bodily fluid spillage?

Answer 20

Assess type of spillage:
Is spillage on soft furnishing or a hard surface
Is it blood or a bodily fluid

Question 21

How should a blood spillage be handled?

Answer 21

Pour chlorine releasing granules or solution of 10,000ppm chlorine on the spillage

Question 22

Name 2 chlorine releasing granules

Answer 22

Sodium hypochlorite

Dichloroisocyanurate

Question 23

How should a urine spillage be handled?

Answer 23

Use disposable paper towels and a non-chlorine releasing gelling agent to absorb the spill
Apply a chlorine releasing agent of 1,000ppm to decontaminate

Question 24

Why shouldn’t a chlorine agent be applied directly to a urine spillage?

Answer 24

It will react and produce toxic chlorine gas

Question 25

How should a spillage of vomit/faeces/sputum be handled?

Answer 25

Use disposable paper towels

Apply a chlorine releasing agent of 1,000ppm chlorine

Question 26

What are the different Spaulding classifications?

Answer 26

Minimal risk
Non-Critical (Low risk)
Semi-Critical (Medium risk)
Critical (High risk)

Question 27

Describe the minimal risk Spaulding classification

Answer 27

Items not normally in contact with intact skin

Eg - dental chair

Question 28

Describe the non-critical Spaulding classification

Answer 28

Items in contact with intact skin

Eg - light cure, blood pressure cuff

Question 29

Describe the semi-critical Spaulding classification

Answer 29

Items in contact with intact mucous membranes

Eg - dental handpieces, dental mirrors

Question 30

Describe the critical Spaulding classification

Answer 30

Items in contact with normally sterile body sites

Eg - forceps, scalpal, perio, scaler, dental burs

Question 31

How should a needle and syringe be disposed?

Answer 31

If contains no medicinal product then orange lidded sharps box
If contains some medicinal product then blue lidded sharps box

Question 32

How should a soiled dressing be disposed?

Answer 32

Contaminated with blood/bodily fluids so orange waste bag

Question 33

How should a tooth be disposed?

Answer 33

Red lidded bin - amalgam or no amalgam doesn’t matter

Question 34

How should PPE be disposed?

Answer 34

Orange waste stream bag

Question 35

Give examples of good practice for waste disposal bags

Answer 35

No more than 3/4 full of 4kg
Locate close to point of use
Don’t use for sharp objects
Never remove items

Question 36

Give examples of good practice for waste disposal containers

Answer 36

Don’t fill above fill line (3/4)
Locate close to point of use
Never reopen sealed containers
Never remove items after disposal 
Out of reach of children