Infection Control, Sterilization and Safety
Domain 4: Infection Control, Sterilization and Safety
This domain tests the chain of infection, hand hygiene, PPE, asepsis, sterilisation versus disinfection, biomedical waste and sharps safety. Questions often describe a lapse and ask the correct practice.
Core rules
- Hand hygiene is the single most important measure; use soap and water when hands are visibly soiled and alcohol rub otherwise.
- PPE order: gown, mask, goggles, gloves; remove gloves first, then goggles, gown and mask; perform hand hygiene after.
- Sterilisation destroys all micro-organisms including spores; autoclave at 121 °C, 15 psi for 15–20 minutes. Disinfection reduces pathogens but may not kill spores.
- Biomedical waste: yellow-infectious and soiled waste; red-contaminated recyclable plastic; white-sharps; blue-glass and metallic implants. Never recap needles.
- Needle-stick: wash with soap and water, do not squeeze, report immediately and follow post-exposure prophylaxis protocol.
- Manage spills by absorbing, disinfecting and discarding according to waste rules.
Worked example
A worker sustains a needle-stick after injecting a patient. Reasoning: wash the wound, report to the infection-control nurse at once, document the source and exposure, and start post-exposure prophylaxis assessment; do not wait for symptoms.
Traps
Using alcohol as a sterilant; overloading the autoclave; mixing sharps with yellow bags; recapping needles.