CNOR STUDY GUIDE EXAM 2025
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Categories of items to be reprocessed for sterilization - answer✔✔-critical, semicritical, and
noncritical
Critical reprocessing - answer✔✔-items that enter sterile tissue or the vascular system. Sterility may
be achieved by physical or chemical processes
Spaulding classification system (1968) - answer✔✔-classification system for preparing instruments
etc, for patient use
Microorganism - answer✔✔-a microscopic organism, especially a bacterium, virus, or fungus
Bacterial spore - answer✔✔-structure produced by bacteria that is resistant to many environmental
or induced factors that the bacteria may be subjected to (ex. Endospores, exospores, and spore-like
structures)
Examples of critical surgical items - answer✔✔-surgical instruments, cutting endoscopic accessories
that break the mucosal barrier; endoscopes used in sterile body cavities; cardiac, vascular, and
urinary catheters; implants; needles; and us probes used in sterile body cavities
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
, Semicritical reprocessing - answer✔✔-items that come in contact with nonintact skin or mucous
membranes; should receive a minimum of high-level disinfection (hld)
Examples of semicritical surgical items - answer✔✔-vaginal and rectal probes, even when sheaths
are used; respiratory therapy equipment; anesthesia equipment; bronchoscopes; and gastrointestinal
endoscopes and accessories
True or false: semicritical devices contaminated or potentially contaminated with hep b virus (hbv),
hep c virus (hcv), hiv, multi-drug resistant bacteria, or tb should receive a minimum of high-level
disinfection - answer✔✔-true
Noncritical reprocessing - answer✔✔-items that contact only intact skin; should receive
intermediate-level disinfection, low-level disinfection, or cleaning
Examples of noncritical surgical items - answer✔✔-tourniquets and blood pressure cuffs; linens;
mayo stands; and other or furnishings
Cleaning - answer✔✔-must always precede high-level disinfection (removes) and sterilization (kills)
Disinfection and sterilization - answer✔✔-are both decontamination processes.
Disinfection - answer✔✔-is the process of elimination or reducing harmful microorganisms from
inanimate objects
What are the initial and most critical steps in breaking the chain of disease transmission -
answer✔✔-cleaning and decontamination
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Categories of items to be reprocessed for sterilization - answer✔✔-critical, semicritical, and
noncritical
Critical reprocessing - answer✔✔-items that enter sterile tissue or the vascular system. Sterility may
be achieved by physical or chemical processes
Spaulding classification system (1968) - answer✔✔-classification system for preparing instruments
etc, for patient use
Microorganism - answer✔✔-a microscopic organism, especially a bacterium, virus, or fungus
Bacterial spore - answer✔✔-structure produced by bacteria that is resistant to many environmental
or induced factors that the bacteria may be subjected to (ex. Endospores, exospores, and spore-like
structures)
Examples of critical surgical items - answer✔✔-surgical instruments, cutting endoscopic accessories
that break the mucosal barrier; endoscopes used in sterile body cavities; cardiac, vascular, and
urinary catheters; implants; needles; and us probes used in sterile body cavities
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
, Semicritical reprocessing - answer✔✔-items that come in contact with nonintact skin or mucous
membranes; should receive a minimum of high-level disinfection (hld)
Examples of semicritical surgical items - answer✔✔-vaginal and rectal probes, even when sheaths
are used; respiratory therapy equipment; anesthesia equipment; bronchoscopes; and gastrointestinal
endoscopes and accessories
True or false: semicritical devices contaminated or potentially contaminated with hep b virus (hbv),
hep c virus (hcv), hiv, multi-drug resistant bacteria, or tb should receive a minimum of high-level
disinfection - answer✔✔-true
Noncritical reprocessing - answer✔✔-items that contact only intact skin; should receive
intermediate-level disinfection, low-level disinfection, or cleaning
Examples of noncritical surgical items - answer✔✔-tourniquets and blood pressure cuffs; linens;
mayo stands; and other or furnishings
Cleaning - answer✔✔-must always precede high-level disinfection (removes) and sterilization (kills)
Disinfection and sterilization - answer✔✔-are both decontamination processes.
Disinfection - answer✔✔-is the process of elimination or reducing harmful microorganisms from
inanimate objects
What are the initial and most critical steps in breaking the chain of disease transmission -
answer✔✔-cleaning and decontamination
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
