Infection Prevention and Control
What this domain tests
Standard precautions for every patient, transmission-based precautions for some, and safe handling of sharps, waste and equipment, aligned with the Kuwait MOH infection control manual and WHO hand hygiene guidance.
Core rules
- Hand hygiene at the WHO five moments: before patient contact, before aseptic tasks, after body-fluid exposure risk, after patient contact, after touching surroundings.
- Gloves are task-specific, not a substitute for hand hygiene; remove and perform hand hygiene after each care episode.
- Follow aseptic technique for invasive devices, and respect the separation of clean and dirty zones.
- Segregate waste at the point of generation; sharps go straight into puncture-resistant containers, never recapped by hand.
- Use contact, droplet or airborne precautions according to the suspected organism, and clean shared equipment between patients.
Worked example
A laboratory assistant sustains a needlestick. Correct sequence: encourage bleeding under running water with soap, do not squeeze or scrub the wound, cover it, report immediately to the infection control team, take baseline serology as directed, and have post-exposure prophylaxis assessed within the recommended window. Complete the incident form and attend follow-up serology. Delaying report to finish the shift is the classic error.
Traps that cost marks
- Alcohol rub used where soap and water are required, such as spore-forming organisms like Clostridioides difficile.
- Wearing the same gloves for two patients or for documentation.
- Reusing single-use vials or devices because supply is short.
- Cleaning a spill by hand rather than with the correct agent and contact time.