MEDICAL ASSISTANT STUDY GUIDE 2026/2027 QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔What is the chain of infection? - ✔✔1. agent
2. portal of exit
3. mode of transmission
4. portal of entry
5. susceptible host
✔✔What is used to prevent diseases? - ✔✔vaccines
✔✔Where do agents initially live? - ✔✔in a reservoir
✔✔Most illnesses are transmitted via what part of the body? - ✔✔the triangle of death
✔✔What is the difference between a vector and a fomite? - ✔✔a vector moves, a fomite
doesn't
✔✔Define medical asepsis - ✔✔the destruction of pathogenic microorganisms after they
leave the host.
✔✔How is medical asepsis accomplished? - ✔✔by standard and thransmission based
precautions.
✔✔What is disinfection - ✔✔destruction of many pathogenic microorganisms on
inanimate objects only.
✔✔What is the least expensive disinfection solution? - ✔✔bleach and water
✔✔To make a disinfecting solution, what is the ration of bleach to water? - ✔✔1:9
✔✔Where can you NOT use a disinfectant? - ✔✔in an invasive procedure or on or in a
body orifice
✔✔Define surgical asepsis - ✔✔Every microorganism is destroyed before an invasive
procedure
✔✔What are the 4 methods of sterilization? - ✔✔1. gas
2. dry heat
3. chemical sterilization
4.steam sterilization
✔✔Where is gas sterilization used and for what? - ✔✔used in hospitals for sterilization
of:
, 1. wheelchairs
2. bedside tables
3. hospital beds
✔✔What is dry heat sterilization used for? - ✔✔instruments that easily corrode (IE
rubber tubing, or flexible tubing)
✔✔What is important to know about chemical sterilization? - ✔✔used as a disinfectant,
and requires hours of exposure
✔✔What is the most popular form of sterilization? - ✔✔steam sterilization (aka
autoclave)
✔✔At what temperatures does an autoclave run? - ✔✔250-270 F
✔✔What are the 3 principles of an autoclave? - ✔✔1. time
2. pressure
3. heat
✔✔What is the most important way to stop the spread of infection? - ✔✔hand washing
✔✔What is the function of plain soap - ✔✔to remove transient bacteria
✔✔Hand asepsis requires what? - ✔✔an antimicrobial soap to kill or inhibit transient
microorganisms
✔✔What can you assume about any bodily fluid? - ✔✔it contains blood
✔✔What is the only bodily fluid not to contain blood - ✔✔sweat
✔✔What are the 4 basic PPE devices? - ✔✔1. gloves
2. mask
3. goggles
4. respirator
✔✔Where does gas exchange occur? - ✔✔at the capillaries
✔✔Why does gas exchange occur at the capillaries? - ✔✔because it's one cell layer
thick
✔✔When is dermal puncture used? - ✔✔1. when small amounts of blood is needed
2. the elderly
3. infants
AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔What is the chain of infection? - ✔✔1. agent
2. portal of exit
3. mode of transmission
4. portal of entry
5. susceptible host
✔✔What is used to prevent diseases? - ✔✔vaccines
✔✔Where do agents initially live? - ✔✔in a reservoir
✔✔Most illnesses are transmitted via what part of the body? - ✔✔the triangle of death
✔✔What is the difference between a vector and a fomite? - ✔✔a vector moves, a fomite
doesn't
✔✔Define medical asepsis - ✔✔the destruction of pathogenic microorganisms after they
leave the host.
✔✔How is medical asepsis accomplished? - ✔✔by standard and thransmission based
precautions.
✔✔What is disinfection - ✔✔destruction of many pathogenic microorganisms on
inanimate objects only.
✔✔What is the least expensive disinfection solution? - ✔✔bleach and water
✔✔To make a disinfecting solution, what is the ration of bleach to water? - ✔✔1:9
✔✔Where can you NOT use a disinfectant? - ✔✔in an invasive procedure or on or in a
body orifice
✔✔Define surgical asepsis - ✔✔Every microorganism is destroyed before an invasive
procedure
✔✔What are the 4 methods of sterilization? - ✔✔1. gas
2. dry heat
3. chemical sterilization
4.steam sterilization
✔✔Where is gas sterilization used and for what? - ✔✔used in hospitals for sterilization
of:
, 1. wheelchairs
2. bedside tables
3. hospital beds
✔✔What is dry heat sterilization used for? - ✔✔instruments that easily corrode (IE
rubber tubing, or flexible tubing)
✔✔What is important to know about chemical sterilization? - ✔✔used as a disinfectant,
and requires hours of exposure
✔✔What is the most popular form of sterilization? - ✔✔steam sterilization (aka
autoclave)
✔✔At what temperatures does an autoclave run? - ✔✔250-270 F
✔✔What are the 3 principles of an autoclave? - ✔✔1. time
2. pressure
3. heat
✔✔What is the most important way to stop the spread of infection? - ✔✔hand washing
✔✔What is the function of plain soap - ✔✔to remove transient bacteria
✔✔Hand asepsis requires what? - ✔✔an antimicrobial soap to kill or inhibit transient
microorganisms
✔✔What can you assume about any bodily fluid? - ✔✔it contains blood
✔✔What is the only bodily fluid not to contain blood - ✔✔sweat
✔✔What are the 4 basic PPE devices? - ✔✔1. gloves
2. mask
3. goggles
4. respirator
✔✔Where does gas exchange occur? - ✔✔at the capillaries
✔✔Why does gas exchange occur at the capillaries? - ✔✔because it's one cell layer
thick
✔✔When is dermal puncture used? - ✔✔1. when small amounts of blood is needed
2. the elderly
3. infants
