CAii/CMII flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Spaulding classification

System that categorizes medical devices as critical, semicritical, or noncritical based on infection risk, determining required disinfection or sterilization level.

Standard precautions

Infection control practices applied to all patients regardless of diagnosis, including hand hygiene, PPE, and safe injection practices.

Airborne precautions

Precautions for pathogens transmitted via small droplets that remain suspended in air, requiring N95 respirator and negative-pressure room.

Hand hygiene moments

WHO's five indications for hand hygiene: before patient contact, before aseptic procedure, after body fluid exposure, after patient contact, after touching surroundings.

Sterile field

Area around a sterile drape where only sterile items may contact; 1-inch border is considered nonsterile.

Steam sterilization parameters

Gravity displacement: 121–123°C for 15–30 min; pre-vacuum: 132–134°C for 3–4 min with 20–30 min dry time.

Ethylene oxide sterilization

Low-temperature sterilization using EO gas at 37–63°C, 40–80% humidity, 450–1200 mg/L for 1–6 hours, followed by aeration.

Biological indicators

Test organisms used to verify sterilization efficacy: Geobacillus stearothermophilus for steam and hydrogen peroxide; Bacillus atrophaeus for EO and dry heat.

Bowie-Dick test

Daily test for pre-vacuum steam sterilizers run at 132–134°C for 3.5–4 min in an empty chamber to verify air removal and steam penetration.

High-level disinfection

Process that kills all microorganisms except high numbers of bacterial spores, used for semicritical items like endoscopes.

Immediate-use steam sterilization

Sterilization of urgently needed items at point of use, not intended as routine reprocessing; requires covered transport and prompt use.

Instrument inspection

Visual and functional check of instruments for cleanliness, damage, alignment, and sharpness before packaging and sterilization.

Scissor sharpness test

Cut a single layer of test material along full blade length; sharp scissors cut cleanly to the tip without tearing.

Lumen patency

Verification that hollow instruments are clear of debris and obstruction, using appropriate-diameter brushes, flush, and borescope inspection.

Flexible endoscope leak test

Test performed before and after each procedure to detect damage to the endoscope's outer sheath and internal channels.

Powered equipment inspection

Check cords for fraying, test insulation, verify battery function, and follow manufacturer's preventive maintenance schedule.

Loaner instrument processing

Inspect, verify function, obtain IFU, and validate cleaning efficacy before processing loaner instruments.

AAMI ST79

Comprehensive guidance for steam sterilization in healthcare facilities, covering reprocessing, packaging, and quality assurance.

OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard

29 CFR 1910.1030 requires exposure control plan, hepatitis B vaccination offer, PPE, and post-exposure evaluation.

Joint Commission infection control

Accreditation standards requiring written infection prevention plan, surveillance, and annual evaluation.

FDA sterilant regulation

Sterilants and high-level disinfectants are regulated as medical devices, requiring premarket notification or approval.

Record retention

Sterilization records kept per facility policy and accreditation requirements, often at least 3 years or longer for implantables.

Glutaraldehyde exposure limit

NIOSH ceiling limit of 0.05 ppm; use closed containers, local exhaust ventilation, and PPE.

Ethylene oxide hazard

Carcinogen and reproductive hazard; requires exposure monitoring and separate ventilated aeration area.

RACE fire response

Rescue, Alarm, Confine, Extinguish/Evacuate-standard fire response sequence in healthcare facilities.

PASS fire extinguisher

Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep-technique for using a fire extinguisher.

Biohazardous waste

Waste contaminated with blood or body fluids; disposed in red bags and sharps containers per regulations.

Biological indicator failure

Positive BI requires recall of all items from that load, notification of users, and documentation of corrective actions.

Load record contents

Cycle parameters, biological and chemical indicator results, operator ID, and load contents documented for each sterilization cycle.

Documentation correction

Use single line, initial, and date; no erasures or white-out; maintain legibility and traceability.

SBAR communication

Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation-structured hand-off tool for clear communication.

Just culture

Patient safety culture encouraging error reporting without blame, while maintaining accountability for reckless behavior.