Infection Prevention and Safety
Core concepts
Infection prevention follows standard precautions applied to every client. Know the chain of infection and where each control breaks it. Master hand hygiene, correct use of gloves, and the distinction between cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization. Critical items (probes, anything penetrating skin) require sterilization; semi-critical items require high-level disinfection; non-critical surfaces require cleaning and low-level disinfection. Understand single-use vs. reusable items, sharps handling, and safe disposal.
Safety also covers electrical and environmental hazards: equipment inspection, proper grounding, cord management, ventilation for chemical agents, and safe storage. Know exposure-response steps for a needlestick or blood contact and the reporting/documentation that follows.
Traps to watch
Questions swap disinfection for sterilization or apply the wrong level to an item. Watch for "double-gloving replaces hand hygiene" or "visible soil can be disinfected without cleaning" - both false; cleaning must precede disinfection/sterilization. Sharps questions reward never recapping by hand and disposing immediately in a proper container.
Worked example / rule of thumb
A probe contacts a small amount of blood. Because it is a critical item that penetrated skin, it must be handled as contaminated and either discarded as single-use or sterilized per protocol - not merely wiped with disinfectant. Rule of thumb: clean first, then match the disinfection level to the item's contact with skin and blood.
Study focus
Build a table of items by category (critical/semi-critical/non-critical) and the required processing for each.