ELCS Exam 1 UPDATED QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Universal precautions - CORRECT ANSWER Approach to infection control
All human blood and certain human body fluids are treated as if known to be infectious for
HIV, HBV, and other blood borne pathogens
Assume that everyone has some sort of blood borne pathogen
When was Universal Precautions created? - CORRECT ANSWER 1985 with the
emergence of HIV
What do universal precautions pertain mostly to? - CORRECT ANSWER Blood
Standard precautions - CORRECT ANSWER Standard Precautions are the minimum
infection prevention practices that apply to all patient care, regardless of suspected or
confirmed infection status of the patient, in any setting where health care is delivered. These
practices are designed to both protect DHCP and prevent DHCP from spreading infections
among patients.
When were standard precautions developed? - CORRECT ANSWER 1996
To supplement universal precautions
Standard precautions examples - CORRECT ANSWER Hand hygiene
PPE
Respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette
Sharps safety
Safe injection practices
Sterile instruments
Clean and disinfected environmental surfaces
,When must hand hygiene be performed? - CORRECT ANSWER When hands are
visibly soiled
After touching contaminated objects with bare hands
Before and after treating a patient
Before putting on gloves and n95
After taking off gloves and n95
What can be used if hands are not visibly soiled? - CORRECT ANSWER Alcohol
based antiseptic hand rub
How to wash your hands - CORRECT ANSWER Wet hands first with water, apply
amount of soap recommended by manufacturer
Rub hands for about 15 seconds, cover all surfaces
Rinse hands with water, dry with disposable towel, use towel to turn off faucet
Hand washing - CORRECT ANSWER Washing hands with plain soap and water
Antiseptic hand wash - CORRECT ANSWER Washing hands with water and soap or
other detergents containing antiseptic agent
Unless hands are visibly soiled, what is preferred for handwashing? - CORRECT
ANSWER Alcohol based hand rub
What is the order of best to worst hand washing mechanisms? - CORRECT
ANSWER Alcohol based hand rubs, anti microbial soap, plain soap
Chlorhexidine soap has - CORRECT ANSWER Substantivity, meaning the bacteria
killing effect continues even after use
Required PPE - CORRECT ANSWER Gown
, Mask
Gloves
Protective eyewear with side shields
Engineering controls - CORRECT ANSWER Controls that isolate or remove blood
borne pathogens hazard from the workplace
Ex: sharps container, safer medical devices, self-sheathing needles
Work practice controls - CORRECT ANSWER Controls that reduce the likelihood of
exposure by altering the manner in which a task is performed
Ex: prohibiting recapping of needles by a two handed technique
Sterilize - CORRECT ANSWER Use of a chemical or physical procedure to destroy all
microbial life including bacterial endospores
Methods of sterilizing dental equipment - CORRECT ANSWER Steam sterilization
Dry heat
Unsaturated chemical vapor sterilizers
Cold sterilization
Who sets standards for temp of the autoclave/sterilization and disinfection guidelines? -
CORRECT ANSWER CDC
How does the autoclave sterilize instruments? - CORRECT ANSWER Uses heated-
saturated steam under pressure to inactivate or kill microorganisms via desaturation of
macromolecules
What is the standard time/temp for autoclaving? - CORRECT ANSWER 121 degrees C
(250 degrees F) with 15 PSI pressure for 15-20 min
AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Universal precautions - CORRECT ANSWER Approach to infection control
All human blood and certain human body fluids are treated as if known to be infectious for
HIV, HBV, and other blood borne pathogens
Assume that everyone has some sort of blood borne pathogen
When was Universal Precautions created? - CORRECT ANSWER 1985 with the
emergence of HIV
What do universal precautions pertain mostly to? - CORRECT ANSWER Blood
Standard precautions - CORRECT ANSWER Standard Precautions are the minimum
infection prevention practices that apply to all patient care, regardless of suspected or
confirmed infection status of the patient, in any setting where health care is delivered. These
practices are designed to both protect DHCP and prevent DHCP from spreading infections
among patients.
When were standard precautions developed? - CORRECT ANSWER 1996
To supplement universal precautions
Standard precautions examples - CORRECT ANSWER Hand hygiene
PPE
Respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette
Sharps safety
Safe injection practices
Sterile instruments
Clean and disinfected environmental surfaces
,When must hand hygiene be performed? - CORRECT ANSWER When hands are
visibly soiled
After touching contaminated objects with bare hands
Before and after treating a patient
Before putting on gloves and n95
After taking off gloves and n95
What can be used if hands are not visibly soiled? - CORRECT ANSWER Alcohol
based antiseptic hand rub
How to wash your hands - CORRECT ANSWER Wet hands first with water, apply
amount of soap recommended by manufacturer
Rub hands for about 15 seconds, cover all surfaces
Rinse hands with water, dry with disposable towel, use towel to turn off faucet
Hand washing - CORRECT ANSWER Washing hands with plain soap and water
Antiseptic hand wash - CORRECT ANSWER Washing hands with water and soap or
other detergents containing antiseptic agent
Unless hands are visibly soiled, what is preferred for handwashing? - CORRECT
ANSWER Alcohol based hand rub
What is the order of best to worst hand washing mechanisms? - CORRECT
ANSWER Alcohol based hand rubs, anti microbial soap, plain soap
Chlorhexidine soap has - CORRECT ANSWER Substantivity, meaning the bacteria
killing effect continues even after use
Required PPE - CORRECT ANSWER Gown
, Mask
Gloves
Protective eyewear with side shields
Engineering controls - CORRECT ANSWER Controls that isolate or remove blood
borne pathogens hazard from the workplace
Ex: sharps container, safer medical devices, self-sheathing needles
Work practice controls - CORRECT ANSWER Controls that reduce the likelihood of
exposure by altering the manner in which a task is performed
Ex: prohibiting recapping of needles by a two handed technique
Sterilize - CORRECT ANSWER Use of a chemical or physical procedure to destroy all
microbial life including bacterial endospores
Methods of sterilizing dental equipment - CORRECT ANSWER Steam sterilization
Dry heat
Unsaturated chemical vapor sterilizers
Cold sterilization
Who sets standards for temp of the autoclave/sterilization and disinfection guidelines? -
CORRECT ANSWER CDC
How does the autoclave sterilize instruments? - CORRECT ANSWER Uses heated-
saturated steam under pressure to inactivate or kill microorganisms via desaturation of
macromolecules
What is the standard time/temp for autoclaving? - CORRECT ANSWER 121 degrees C
(250 degrees F) with 15 PSI pressure for 15-20 min
