NHA Medical assistant study guide Module: 6

Purpose of infection control

Minimize and remove a variety of disease-causing micro-organisms from the health care environment

Mode or transmission for pertussis

Direct contact with respiratory secretion droplets

Examples of viruses

Rhinovirus (common cold)

Varicella (chicken pox)

HIV/AIDS

Hepatitis

Coronavirus

Examples of bacteria

E. Coli (Urinary tract infections)

Vibrio cholerae (cholera)

Bordetella pertussis (whooping cough)

Examples of fungi

Histoplasmosis (lung infection passed on by certain bird/ bat droppings)

Tinea pedis (athlete’s foot)

Candida albicans (yeast infection

Examples of parasites

Toxoplasmosis

Pinworm

Tapeworm

Scabies

Lice

Lyme disease

Chain of infection cycle

Infectious agent

Reservoir/ source

Portal of exit

Mode of transmission

Portal of entry

Susceptible host

Signs and symptoms of infectious disease

Fever, swollen lymph nodes chills, pain tachycardia, fatigue, nausea and headache

Three transmission- based precautions

Contact, droplet, airborne

Requirements for employers exposure control plan

Engineering controls, workplace controls, hepatitis B, vaccinations, post-exposure follow up, labels and signs to communicate hazards, information and training to employees, documented employee medical training records

Cheap and effective disinfection agent

1:10 bleach solution

Example of high-level disinfection

Cidex

Gloves should be worn during which of the following medical office tasks?

Handling anything contaminated with blood.

Which of the following items should a MA dispose of in a biohazard bag?

Gauze contaminated with blood.

What is the minimum temperature that must be reached to ensure the sterility of autoclaved items?

121 Celsius/ 250 degrees F

Which of the following can be further classified as Protozoa, helminths and ectoparasite?

Parasites

How long should unwrapped items be sterilized in an autoclave?

20 minutes

According to CDC guidelines, when can sterilized packages be used?

If the package has been stored in a cool, dry area and does not show watermarks

How often should the exposure control plan be updated if there are no changes?

Annually

According to the CDC, which of the following is the first step a MA should take after exposure to blood?

Wash the area with soap and water

OSHA regulations require employers to make which of the following vaccines available at no cost health care workers?

Hepatitis B

Which of the following precautions should a medical assistant consider when a person is coughing or sneezing?

Droplet precautions

Which of the following is common symptom of contracting an infectious disease?

Headache

When using chemical sterilization, how long do instruments need to be submerged to be considered sterilized?

8 hour

Which of the following is the goal of surgical asepsis?

To eliminate pathogenic microorganisms

A medical assistant is preforming aseptic handwashing. How long should the assistant rub their hands vigorously with soap?

15 to 20 seconds

In a health care setting, which of the following is the minimum amount of alcohol content that can be used in an alcohol-based sanitizer?

60%

A health care worker is not feeling well and have a fever. In which of the following scenarios can the health care worker resume caring for patients?

After being fever free for 24 hr without the help of fever reducing medications

Which of the following is a virus?

Varicella

Which of the following is a direct mode of transmission

Contact with an infected person

How often are health care facilities required to train their staff on guideline for exposure to blood borne pathogens

Annually

in which of the following scenarios should a MA use medical aseptic technique?

Washing hands prior to and after each patient encounter