Chapter 50: Clinical Laboratory Safety

Which OSHA standard is meant to minimize exposure to hazardous chemicals in the laboratory setting?

Universal Precautions Standards

Blood Borne Pathogens Standard

Hazard Communication Standard

Standard Precautions and Transmission Precautions

Hazard Communication Standard

Which piece of equipment, with moving parts, must the medical assistant (MA) handle with special care in the clinical laboratory setting due to mechanical hazards?

Autoclaves

Centrifuge

Surge protectors

Heating elements

Centrifuge

Which tasks are the medical assistants (MA) responsible for in terms of fire extinguishers in the clinical laboratory?

Select all that apply

Inspecting fire extinguishers

Recharging used fire extinguishers

Knowing how to use the fire extinguishers

Knowing the location of fire extinguishers

Maintaining records on the care and maintenance of fire extinguishers

Knowing how to use the fire extinguishers

Knowing the location of fire extinguishers

Maintaining records on the care and maintenance of fire extinguishers

Which type of clinical laboratory hazard increases the risk of infection?

Fire

Biological

Chemical

Mechanical

Biological

What must be on file for all chemicals used in the clinical laboratory setting?

SDS

Daily inventory

Company invoices

Transportation manifests

SDS (safety data sheets)

Which resource provides information related to potential health, flammability, and chemical reactivity hazards found in the clinical laboratory setting?

Safety Data Sheets (SDS)

NFPA hazard identification system

OSHA's hazard communication standards

CDC recommendations in Standard Precautions and Transmission Precautions

NFPA hazard identification system

What is a possible consequence of uncapping a specimen tube in the clinical laboratory setting without the use of a mask?

Contamination of the contents

Aspiration of aerosolized pathogens

Inoculation by an accidental needle-stick

Contents can be corrosive to mucous membranes

Aspiration of aerosolized pathogens

Which of these are elements of standard precautions?

Select all that apply.

Hand hygiene

Cough etiquette

Safe needle practices

Sterilization of equipment

Wear gloves, mask, and gown

Hand hygiene

Cough etiquette

Safe needle practices

Wear gloves, mask, and gown

Which fluid is not included in the Blood-borne Pathogen Standard?

Urine

Semen

Sputum

Spinal fluid

Urine

Which substances, handled in the clinical laboratory, place the medical assistant at risk for exposure to a blood-borne pathogen?

Select all that apply.

Urine

Sputum

Spinal fluid

Vaginal secretions

Laboratory reagents

Urine

Sputum

Spinal fluid

Vaginal secretions

What item should never be used in the clinical laboratory environment?

Centrifuges

Extension cords

Surge protectors

Fire safety blankets

Extension cords

What has the potential of causing a fire in the chemical laboratory environment?

Select all that apply

Sparks

Smoking

Extension cords

Heating elements

Surge protectors

Sparks

Smoking

Extension cords

Heating elements

Which common chemical hazards should the medical assistant (MA) expect to work with in the clinical laboratory setting?

Select all that apply

Acetone

Sulfuric acid

Glutaraldehyde

Hydrochloric acid

Sodium hypochlorite

Acetone

Glutaraldehyde

Sodium hypochlorite

The medical assistant's skin (MA) is contaminated with a chemical in the clinical laboratory setting and must rinse the affected area with water for at least....minutes.

5

Which action by the medical assistant (MA) could cause a mechanical hazard in the clinical laboratory environment?

Opening the autoclave prematurely

Spilling sodium hypochlorite on the skin

Placing uncapped tubes in a centrifuge

Using an extension cord to plug multiple items into an outlet

Opening the autoclave prematurely

What represents a biologic hazard in the clinical laboratory?

Select all that apply.

Ingestion of acetone

Centrifuge accidents

Accidental inoculation

Aspiration of a pathogen

Exposure to wound drainage

Centrifuge accidents

Accidental inoculation

Aspiration of a pathogen

Exposure to wound drainage

Which entity is responsible for providing SDS used by the medical assistant (MA) in the clinical laboratory setting?

The employer

The Food and Drug Administrationa

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration

The employer

According to OSHA requirements, who is responsible for producing the Safety Data Sheet?

The supervisor of the lab

The manufacturer of a chemical

The company selling supplies to the lab

The medical assistant using the equipment

The manufacturer of a chemical

The MA spills a chemical on the hands. What is the best source to obtain information about the hazard posed by this chemical coming in contact with the MA's skin?

OSHA

A co-worker

The lab supervisor

The safety data sheet

The safety data sheet

The medical assistant (MA) is working with a flammable chemical in the clinical laboratory setting that is classified with a 4. Based on the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) hazard identification system, which conclusion by the MA is accurate?

Chemical is not combustible.

Chemical is combustible if heated.

Chemical is flammable below 100oF.

Chemical is a flammable gas or extremely flammable liquid.

Chemical is a flammable gas or extremely flammable liquid.

The medical assistant (MA) is working with a chemical with a blue diamond. What personal protective equipment should the MA use when working with this chemical?

Select all that apply

Mask

Gown

Gloves

Fume Hood

Shoe covers

Mask

Gown

Gloves

Fume Hood

When should the medical assistant perform hand hygiene with soap and water in the clinical laboratory setting?

Select all that apply

Before eating

After gloving

After removing gloves

Before leaving the area

Before contact with body fluid

Before eating

After removing gloves

Before leaving the area

Which situation necessitates the use of standard precautions in the clinical laboratory setting?

Select all that apply.

Drawing blood

Assisting with an exam

Centrifuging specimens

Maintaining the autoclave

Cleaning a blood spill from equipment

Drawing blood

Assisting with an exam

Centrifuging specimens

Cleaning a blood spill from equipment

Which action is supported by safety guidelines when handling a specimen that is classified as OPIM, other potentially infectious material?

Cleaning a spill with a disinfectant

Following local guidelines during disposal

Wearing sterile gloves when touching the container

Disinfecting the outer portion of the container with warm water

Cleaning a spill with a disinfectant

The patient asks the MA why everyone wears gloves while collecting blood samples. What is the MA's best response to the patient's question?

To protect the patient from becoming infected by the MA

To protect the MA from infection from the patient's blood

To prevent contamination of the blood samples being collected

To protect everyone in any situation where there is a chance for contact with blood

To protect everyone in any situation where there is a chance for contact with blood