Medical Assisting Module 2 Exam Review

True

True or False: Infection control is an ongoing responsibility in health care

Asepsis

the state of being free from pathogenic microorganisms.

Pathogens

microorganisms that cause disease.

True

True or False: Not all microorganisms are harmful. Some are helpful and are part of normal flora.

Normal flora

microorganisms that normally live in or on an organism and help provide natural protection
against certain infections.

What do microorganisms need to live and grow?

oxygen, appropriate pH, suitable temperature, nutrients, water, a host to inhabit

The order of the infection cycle:

1. Infectious Agent

2. Reservoir or Source

3. Portal of Exit

4. Means of Transmission

5. Portal of Entry

6. Susceptible Host

the 1st link in the infection cycle

infectious agent

2nd link in the infection cycle

Reservoir or Source

3rd link in the infection cycle

Portal of Exit

4th link in the infection cycle

Means of Transmission

5th link in the infection cycle

Portal of Entry

6th link in the infection cycle

Susceptible Host

Infectious Agent

The disease-causing microorganism. Examples include bacteria, viruses, fungi,
parasites, and rickettsiae.

Reservoir or Source

The place where conditions allow the microorganism to live and reproduce.
Examples include people, equipment, food, water, animals, and insects.

Portal of Exit

How the pathogen leaves the reservoir, such as through secretions, excretions, respiratory
droplets, or blood/body fluids.

Means of Transmission

How the infectious agent travels from its source to another person. Transmission
may be direct or indirect.

Portal of Entry

How the pathogen enters a new host. Examples include the mouth, nose, throat, ears,
eyes, intestinal tract, urinary tract, reproductive tract, and breaks in the skin

Susceptible Host

A person capable of becoming infected because disease-fighting defenses are low.

True

True or False: Control the infectious agent with cleansing, disinfection, and sterilization.

True

True or False: Control reservoirs with proper hygiene and clean supplies, equipment, and linen.

True

True or False: Control portals of exit with wound dressings, isolation techniques, and covering the mouth/nose when
coughing or sneezing.

True

True or False: Interrupt transmission with handwashing, PPE, aseptic technique, and proper disposal of contaminated
objects.

True

True or False: Protect portals of entry by maintaining skin integrity, covering wounds, using sterile technique, washing
hands, wearing PPE, and disposing of needles/sharps correctly.

True

True or False: Protect susceptible hosts through a healthy lifestyle, intact immune system, exercise, immunization, proper
nutrition, and stress reduction.

Types of Infectious Agents:

Bacteria

Viruses

Fungi

Parasites — including protozoa, metazoa, and ectoparasites

Rickettsiae

Direct Transmission

Person-to-person or immediate exposure

Examples of Direct Transmission

Touching, eating, drinking, kissing, sexual intimacy

Indirect Transmission

Transmission through another route or object

Examples of Indirect Transmission

Inhalation, fomites, vectors

susceptible host

• capable of being infected by a pathogen

• Susceptibility increases when disease-fighting capabilities are low

• Poor health, nutrition, or hygiene can increase susceptibility

• People who are elderly, frail, immunosuppressed, have chronic disease, or have experienced trauma may
  be particularly susceptible

Stages of the Infectious Disease Process

• Incubation stage

• Prodromal stage

• Acute stage

• Declining stage

• Convalescent stage

True

True or False: Immunity is strongest when the body is in good physical, emotional, and mental health.

True

True or False: Helpful habits include proper exercise, adequate rest, good nutrition, and proper hygiene.

Specialized Defense Mechanisms

• Hair-like cilia in the respiratory tract help protect the body.

• Coughing and sneezing help remove invaders.

• Tears, sweat, urine, and mucus help wash pathogens from the body.

• Hydrochloric acid in the stomach has a low pH that discourages bacterial growth.

Infection Control and Disease Prevention

• Provide patient education.
• Clean properly.
• Practice Universal and Standard Precautions.
• Follow OSHA guidelines.
• Follow the blood-borne pathogen standard.
• Report exposure incidents.
• Use safe practices with needlesticks and other sharps.
• Follow correct procedures for blood-spill cleanup.
• Dispose of hazardous and regulated waste correctly.
• Handle infectious laundry appropriately.
• Incineration is listed as a method related to hazardous/infectious waste.

True

True or False: Handwashing is essential for infection control and reducing the potential to contract disease

Handwashing

• Wash vigorously for at least 20 seconds.
• Before and after seeing each patient
• Before and after eating
• Before and after using the restroom
• Before and after handling specimens or soiled/contaminated materials
• After removing gloves

surgical scrub

handwashing before gloving for a surgical procedure.

how long should a surgical scrub last?

2- to 6-minute surgical scrub, or the time recommended by the soap manufacturer.

True

True or False: An alcohol-based hand rub may be used when a sink is not readily available or when hands are not visibly
soiled between patients.

Gloves & Gloving

• Wear gloves when exposure to blood or body fluids is possible.
• Gloves provide barrier protection and reduce pathogen transfer.
• Gloving is not a substitute for handwashing

what PPE should be worn when there is direct hand contact?

Gloves

what PPE should be worn when there are splashes, sprays, or droplets?

Gowns or lab coats, safety glasses, face shields

what PPE should be worn for airborne transmission?

Face shields or masks

Sanitization

Washing and scrubbing to remove materials

• Utility gloves are recommended to protect against contamination and injury.

Disinfection

Kills disease-producing microorganisms/pathogens

• Does not always kill spores; are used on objects, not people.

Sterilization

Destroys all forms of living organisms

• Methods listed: autoclave, chemical sterilization, and dry heat

Sanitization Steps

1. Rinse items in cool water.
2. Soak in warm detergent solution for about 20 minutes.
3. Wash and scrub thoroughly with a brush.
4. Rinse in warm to hot water.
5. Dry completely.

Steps for Autoclaving

• Sanitize articles first.
• Wrap articles in autoclave paper or cloth wrap.
• Several items may be wrapped together with a gauze square between them.
• Do not wrap too loosely or too tightly.
• Envelope packaging may be used.
• Use indicator tape for quality control.

Chemical Sterilization

• Used for sharp items/instruments that might otherwise become dull.
• Used for rubber or vinyl items that cannot withstand autoclave heat.
• The item must be completely covered by the chemical solution.
• Keep the item in solution for the exposure time recommended by the manufacturer.

Dry Heat Sterilization

• Used for instruments with sharp blades, such as scissors and scalpels.
• Time consuming: approximately 1–2 hours at 350°F (176.6°C), depending on the article.
• Spores can still be a threat with this method.
• Not used to sterilize rubber items.

True

True or False: Gloves are a barrier but do not replace handwashing.

True

True or False: Sanitization removes materials; disinfection kills pathogens but may not kill spores; sterilization destroys all
forms of living organisms.

Asepsis

practices used to prevent contamination and reduce the spread of microorganisms.

Two major levels of asepsis

medical and surgical

Medical asepsis

the use of practices that reduce the number and spread of disease-causing microorganisms. It is often called clean technique.

Goal of medical asepsis

Reduce microorganisms and prevent them from spreading from one person, object, or area to another.

Examples of Medical Asepsis

• Performing hand hygiene before and after patient contact
  • Wearing clean gloves when contact with blood, body fluids, mucous membranes, or non-intact skin is
  possible
  • Cleaning and disinfecting an exam table between patients
  • Disinfecting reusable equipment such as a stethoscope or blood pressure cuff as appropriate
  • Cleaning countertops and other frequently touched surfaces
  • Using Standard Precautions
  • Properly disposing of contaminated materials and biohazardous waste
  • Using respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette
  • Cleaning a minor wound when a sterile field is not required

Surgical asepsis

the use of practices designed to keep an area or object free from all
microorganisms. It is often called sterile technique.

goal of surgical asepsis

Prevent microorganisms from entering sterile tissue, a sterile body site, or a sterile field during an invasive
procedure.

examples of surgical asepsis

• Setting up and maintaining a sterile field for a procedure
• Using sterile gloves during procedures that require sterile technique
• Using sterile instruments for minor office surgery
• Preparing sterile supplies for suturing or other invasive procedures
• Assisting with procedures in which sterile tissue will be entered

• Using sterile dressings when ordered or required for a procedure
• Keeping sterile instruments and supplies from touching nonsterile objects or surfaces

Medical Asepsis

Also called Clean technique

Medical Asepsis

Expected environment - Clean

Surgical Asepsis

Also called Sterile technique

Surgical Asepsis

Expected environment - Sterile

Medical Asepsis

Common use Routine patient care and environmental cleaning

Medical Asepsis

Contamination rule - Prevent unnecessary spread of microorganisms

Surgical Asepsis

Contamination Rule - Any sterile item touching a nonsterile item is contaminated

True

True or False: Clean does not mean sterile

True

True or False: Medical asepsis reduces microorganisms; surgical asepsis is intended to maintain sterility.

True

True or False: A sterile item that touches a nonsterile item or surface is considered contaminated.

True

True or False: If you are unsure whether a sterile item has been contaminated, consider it contaminated.

True

True or False: Only sterile items should touch other sterile items or enter a sterile field.

True

True or False: Hand hygiene is important with both medical and surgical asepsis.

Medical Asepsis

Washing your hands before rooming a patient

Medical Asepsis

Wiping down an exam table after a patient leaves

Medical Asepsis

Putting on clean gloves to collect a urine specimen

Medical Asepsis

Disinfecting a stethoscope between patients

Surgical Asepsis

Opening sterile instruments for a minor surgical procedure

Surgical Asepsis

Putting on sterile gloves to assist with a sterile procedure

Surgical Asepsis

Maintaining a sterile field while assisting with suturing

Medical = Clean = Reduce.

Think routine patient care, cleaning, and preventing the spread of germs.

Surgical = Sterile = Eliminate/Maintain Sterility

Think sterile field, sterile gloves, sterile instruments, and invasive procedures.

True

True or False: Sterilization is the highest level of microbial control.

Antiseptic

chemical agent used on living tissue, such as skin, to reduce or inhibit
microorganisms.

Goal of Antiseptic

Reduce microorganisms on living tissue and lower the risk of infection.

True

True or False: A disinfectant and an antiseptic are not automatically interchangeable.

Hand Hygiene

cleaning the hands to remove soil and reduce microorganisms. It includes
washing with soap and water and, when appropriate, using an alcohol-based hand rub.

Sterilization = Sterile = ALL

microbial life, including spores

Disinfection

Objects and surfaces.

Antiseptic

Skin/living tissue.

Sanitization

Reduce contamination to a safer level.

Hand hygiene

Clean hands and stop the spread

protozoa

parasites that can cause disease in humans. single-celled that have a true nucleus and survive on living matter.
- flagella and tails

helminths

multicellular organisms that cause pinworms, hookworms, and tapeworms.

rickettsiae

known as obligate parasites because they depend completely on their host for survival

fungi

simple parasitic plants that depend on other life-forms for nutritional source

virus

smallest of microorganisms, classified by DNA or RNA.

• can reproduce itself only within a host by attaching itself to a cell and taking over the cell’s nucleus.

bacteria

single-celled microorganism that lacks a nucleus and organelles.

• reproduces by cell division and usually grouped into 3 categories (coccus, spirochete, and bacillus)