Infection Control and Safety
Infection control rests on standard precautions: treat all blood and body fluids as infectious. Candidates must know hand hygiene (soap and water when visibly soiled or after C. difficile exposure; alcohol rub otherwise), correct glove use, and the sequence for donning and doffing PPE. Know the exposure protocol after a needlestick: wash the site with soap and water, do not squeeze or scrub, report immediately, and follow post-exposure evaluation and prophylaxis per policy. Time matters; source testing and employee testing follow protocol.
Traps include questions about recapping needles (never recap by hand; use a safety device or one-handed scoop only if no alternative and permitted), sharps container fill limits (replace at about three-quarters full, never above the fill line), and transporting specimens without secondary containment. Another trap is confusing isolation precautions: contact (gloves and gown), droplet (mask), airborne (N95 or higher plus negative pressure).
Safety also covers ergonomics, spill cleanup with appropriate disinfectant and contact time, and recognizing latex allergy. Hand hygiene is the single most effective prevention measure and is heavily tested.
Worked example: a needle slips and punctures your glove. Rule of thumb-wash, report, document, and let the exposure control plan drive testing; do not wait for symptoms and do not attempt to milk blood from the wound. Remember that PPE is removed in order from most contaminated to least, with hand hygiene after removal.