CAii/CMII study plan
CAii/CMII · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Infection prevention and control principles
Define the chain of infection and map each link to at least two specific reprocessing-department control measures
Differentiate standard precautions from transmission-based precautions and state when each applies in a sterile processing or endoscopy setting
Explain the Spaulding classification (critical, semicritical, noncritical) and assign 15 named instruments to the correct category
Describe correct hand hygiene indications and personal protective equipment sequencing for decontamination work
Your checkpoint
A one-page chain-of-infection map with Spaulding classification table covering 15 instruments, self-scored against a checklist
Infection prevention and control principles & Medical device reprocessing and sterilization
Sequence the complete reprocessing workflow from point of use through storage and identify the failure point at each handoff
Compare manual cleaning, mechanical washer-disinfector cycles, and ultrasonic cleaning by indication, parameters, and verification method
State the critical parameters (time, temperature, concentration, contact) for at least three high-level disinfectants and their compatibility limits
Explain why cleaning must precede disinfection and sterilization and cite the organic-soil interference mechanism
Your checkpoint
A workflow diagram with critical parameters annotated at every step, plus a 20-item self-quiz scored at 80% or higher
Medical device reprocessing and sterilization
Distinguish sterilization modalities (steam, ethylene oxide, hydrogen peroxide gas plasma, dry heat, vaporized hydrogen peroxide) by mechanism, cycle parameters, and material compatibility
Interpret a steam cycle profile and explain the roles of air removal, condensate removal, and drying
Explain Bowie-Dick testing, biological indicator placement, chemical indicator classes, and the rationale for each
Describe load configuration, packaging, and loading rules that determine steam penetration
Your checkpoint
A comparison matrix of five sterilization modalities plus a written interpretation of three hypothetical cycle failures
Medical device reprocessing and sterilization & Instrumentation inspection, testing, and maintenance
Explain the principles of instrument inspection: visual, magnification, functional, and lumened-device checks
Identify common damage modes (corrosion, pitting, staining, cracked insulation, misaligned jaws, worn ratchets) and their root causes
Describe routine testing and maintenance intervals for powered instruments, flexible endoscopes, and rigid scopes
Explain how to verify cleanliness of a lumen and what to do when a check fails
Your checkpoint
An instrument inspection checklist covering 10 instrument types with accept/reject criteria, plus a log of 5 practice inspections
Regulatory standards and accreditation requirements
Map the standards landscape: identify which body governs device reprocessing, which governs sterilizer performance, and which governs water quality for reprocessing
Summarize the key requirements of a sterilization quality management system, including recall and implant-load release rules
Explain the difference between a regulation, a standard, and an accreditation survey requirement, with one example of each
List the documentation a surveyor would request during a reprocessing audit
Your checkpoint
A regulatory crosswalk table listing at least 8 requirements, their source, and the evidence you would produce for each
Environmental safety and occupational health
Identify occupational hazards in decontamination (sharps, aerosol generation, chemical exposure) and the hierarchy of controls for each
Explain safe handling, storage, and spill response for high-level disinfectants and sterilants, including exposure monitoring
Describe engineering controls (ventilation, eyewash, negative pressure) and their verification
Outline the elements of an exposure-control plan and post-exposure response
Your checkpoint
A hazard-control table covering 8 hazards with controls ranked by hierarchy, plus a written spill-response drill plan
Quality assurance and documentation
Design a quality monitoring plan including mechanical, chemical, and biological monitoring frequency and acceptance criteria
Explain how to investigate a positive biological indicator, from immediate containment to root cause and corrective action
Describe documentation requirements for traceability, load records, and equipment maintenance logs
Apply a corrective-and-preventive-action framework to a hypothetical repeat failure
Your checkpoint
A complete quality monitoring plan with a worked positive-BI investigation write-up including root cause and CAPA
Professional practice and communication & Infection prevention and control principles & Medical device reprocessing and sterilization & Instrumentation inspection, testing, and maintenance & Regulatory standards and accreditation requirements & Environmental safety and occupational health & Quality assurance and documentation
Communicate a reprocessing concern to a clinical team using a structured, non-defensive format
Deliver a 5-minute in-service explanation of one sterilization failure mode to a mock audience
Complete a full-length timed practice exam and categorize every miss by domain
Build a personal remediation list for the three weakest domains and schedule review sessions
Your checkpoint
A timed practice exam score report with per-domain breakdown, plus a written 90-day remediation and review schedule
Milestones
Week 2: Score 80% or higher on a 20-item self-quiz covering infection prevention and cleaning/disinfection fundamentals, and explain the cleaning-before-sterilization rationale aloud without notes
Week 4: Correctly classify all 10 practice instruments as pass or reject with a stated reason, and explain three sterilization modality failures accurately
Week 6: Complete the regulatory crosswalk and hazard-control table; verify you can name the governing source for at least 8 requirements without reference
Week 8: Achieve 75% or higher on the full-length timed practice exam with no domain below 60%, and have a written remediation plan for the three weakest domains