Infection Control, Safety, and Mandatory Reporting Obligations
Infection control, safety, and mandatory reporting items combine regulatory obligations with public protection. The exam expects standard-precaution literacy, awareness of bloodborne pathogen rules, and an understanding that some reporting duties are personal and cannot be delegated up the chain.
Standard precautions
- Hand hygiene before and after every patient contact; gloves when contact with blood, body fluids, or non-intact skin is possible.
- PPE selected by anticipated exposure; masks and eye protection for splash risk; gowns when clothing contamination is likely.
- Sharps handled with safety devices and disposed of in rigid containers; no recapping by hand.
- Equipment and treatment tables cleaned between patients; linens changed; contaminated items bagged at the point of use.
- A written exposure control plan, hepatitis B vaccination offered, and post-exposure evaluation and documentation for needlesticks.
Safety and environment
Modality safety turns on contraindications and monitoring - thermal agents on impaired sensation, electrical stimulation on patients with pacemakers or over the thorax, and traction with an unstable spine. Fall risk screening, equipment inspection, and emergency response planning fall under the same duty. Document the safety education given to patients.
Mandatory reporting
Georgia requires health care providers to report suspected child abuse (O.C.G.A. § 19-7-5) and suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of disabled adults and elder persons (O.C.G.A. § 30-5-4). Reports go to the designated agency, not merely to a supervisor, and good-faith reporters have immunity. Impaired colleagues who pose a risk to patients must also be addressed through the Board's process.
Worked example
A therapist notices a pattern of bruises on a child's thighs during a session. The parent gives an explanation that does not match the pattern. The therapist reports to child protective services the same day, documents the observation and the report, and does not investigate further or confront the parent. Telling the clinic director is not a substitute for the report.
Traps
Assuming confidentiality blocks a report; deferring to a supervisor who says 'we'll handle it'; reporting only to the employer; waiting for proof rather than reasonable suspicion; assuming infection control is housekeeping's job alone.