CAii/CMII key terms

A model describing how an infectious agent leaves a reservoir, travels by a mode of transmission, and enters a susceptible host; breaking any link prevents spread.

The route by which a pathogen moves from source to host, such as contact, droplet, airborne, or vector-borne; determines the precautions required.

A person with insufficient immunity or defense against a pathogen, making infection more likely after exposure.

Baseline infection control practices applied to all patients regardless of diagnosis, including hand hygiene, gloves, gowns, masks, and safe sharps handling.

Additional precautions beyond standard precautions used for patients with known or suspected pathogens spread by contact, droplet, or airborne routes.

Cleaning hands with soap and water or alcohol-based rub at defined moments to remove transient organisms and reduce cross-contamination.

Barrier garments such as gloves, gowns, masks, respirators, and eye protection worn to prevent exposure to blood, body fluids, and infectious agents.

A process verifying that a tight-fitting respirator seals to the wearer's face; required before use and repeated periodically.

Contact of mucous membranes, non-intact skin, or a sharps injury with blood or other potentially infectious material; requires immediate first aid and reporting.

A percutaneous wound caused by a needle or other sharp device, creating risk of transmitting bloodborne viruses; must be reported and evaluated promptly.

A system categorizing medical devices as critical, semi-critical, or non-critical based on the risk of infection if contaminated, which determines the required reprocessing level.

An item that enters sterile tissue or the vascular system, such as a surgical instrument or implant, and must be sterilized before use.

An item that contacts mucous membranes or non-intact skin but not sterile tissue, requiring at least high-level disinfection.

An item that contacts only intact skin, such as a blood pressure cuff, and requires low-level disinfection or cleaning.

A validated process that destroys all forms of microbial life, including bacterial spores, on an item.

A process that kills all microorganisms except high numbers of bacterial spores, used for semi-critical devices such as endoscopes.

Physical removal of soil, organic matter, and microorganisms from a device, usually with water, detergent, and mechanical action; a prerequisite for effective disinfection or sterilization.

The process of reducing or removing contamination from reusable items so they are safe to handle during further reprocessing.

A preparation of known resistant spores used to monitor whether a sterilization cycle achieved the conditions needed to kill microorganisms.

A test strip or label that changes color or form in response to one or more sterilization parameters, such as temperature, steam, or chemical exposure.

A daily test for dynamic air removal steam sterilizers that detects air leaks or inadequate steam penetration in the chamber.

Sterilization using saturated steam under pressure in an autoclave to denature microbial proteins; requires direct steam contact with all surfaces.

The unit responsible for cleaning, assembling, packaging, sterilizing, and storing reusable medical devices for patient care.

A container holding a set of surgical instruments arranged for a specific procedure, often with a rigid container or wrap for sterilization.

Visual and functional examination of a device for cleanliness, damage, corrosion, alignment, and proper function before packaging and sterilization.

Application of a compatible lubricant to instrument joints and moving parts to maintain function and prevent corrosion, using products compatible with sterilization.

Chemical or electrochemical deterioration of metal instruments, often caused by moisture, blood, or incompatible cleaning chemicals, leading to pitting and failure.

A process that restores a protective oxide layer on stainless steel instruments, improving corrosion resistance after manufacturing or damage.

The inner channel of a hollow device such as a cannula or endoscope, which must be cleaned and sterilized because it is difficult to reach.

The scheduled use of biological indicators to verify that a sterilizer consistently achieves sterilization conditions.

A rule or requirement issued by a government or standards body that defines minimum acceptable practice for safety, quality, or performance.

Formal recognition by an independent body that an organization meets defined quality and safety standards, often required for reimbursement or licensure.

An organized set of policies, surveillance, education, and practices designed to prevent healthcare-associated infections and improve patient safety.

Ongoing systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of infection or process data to detect problems and guide improvement.

Planned activities and checks that confirm processes and products meet defined requirements before and during use.

Specific tests and measurements performed on equipment, materials, or processes to verify they are functioning within established limits.

Written or electronic records of actions, tests, and results that provide traceability and evidence of compliance with standards.

The ability to track a sterilized item back to the specific load, sterilizer, cycle, and operator that processed it.

A document providing hazard, handling, storage, and first-aid information for a chemical product, required in workplaces using hazardous chemicals.

A workplace program ensuring workers are informed about chemical hazards through labels, safety data sheets, and training.

Design of tasks, tools, and workstations to fit the worker, reducing strain, repetitive motion injury, and musculoskeletal disorders.

A sharp with an engineered safety feature that reduces the risk of accidental injury during use or disposal.

Clear, respectful, and accurate exchange of information among staff, patients, and other teams, including handoffs and escalation of concerns.