11.3 Infection Control Reference Checklist
Key Takeaways
- Standard precautions apply to all patients.
- PPE is based on anticipated exposure and transmission risk.
- Cleaning, disinfection, sterilization, sharps disposal, and exposure response are sequence-sensitive.
Infection Control Reference
Infection control is one of the easiest areas to lose points by choosing a step out of sequence. The safest CCMA answer prevents exposure now, then documents and explains later. Standard precautions apply to all patients. Transmission-based precautions add extra controls when the route of spread requires them.
PPE And Hand Hygiene
| Situation | Strong response |
|---|---|
| Routine patient contact | Hand hygiene before and after patient contact |
| Blood draw or capillary stick | Gloves plus hand hygiene after glove removal |
| Splash risk | Gloves, gown, mask, and eye or face protection |
| Respiratory symptoms | Source control and office respiratory-hygiene process |
| Visible soil on hands | Soap and water rather than relying only on sanitizer |
Processing Terms
| Term | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaning | Removes visible soil and organic material | Wash instrument before disinfection or sterilization |
| Disinfection | Reduces microorganisms on surfaces or items | Exam table or noncritical equipment |
| Sterilization | Destroys all microbial life including spores | Critical instruments entering sterile tissue |
| Medical asepsis | Reduces organism transfer | Routine clean technique |
| Surgical asepsis | Maintains sterile field | Sterile procedures or instruments |
Exposure Response
For a needlestick or cut, wash immediately with soap and water. For mucous membrane exposure, flush with water. Then report promptly and follow the exposure control plan. Do not recap contaminated needles, overfill sharps containers, or hand-pass exposed sharps.
Exam Cue Table
Use these cues during the last pass through this section. They are designed to make the answer choice obvious when a question mixes several topics at once.
| Cue in the question | Best decision habit |
|---|---|
| Contamination | Stop the unsafe action and contain exposure risk. |
| PPE choice | Base it on anticipated exposure. |
| Processing item | Match cleaning, disinfection, or sterilization to item risk. |
Last-Minute Self-Test
Cover the right column and explain the decision habit out loud. Then add one example from a practice question you missed. If the example involves a patient identifier, abnormal result, unclear order, privacy issue, failed QC, specimen problem, or urgent symptom, include the exact first action and the exact documentation or reporting step. This is the level of specificity needed for CCMA scenario questions.
What should happen after glove removal?
Which process destroys spores?
What is first after a mucous membrane blood exposure?