Sterile Processing and Distribution Exam Questions and Correct Answers Latest Update

Sterile Processing and Distribution Exam Questions and Correct Answers Latest Update AAMI: Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation - Answers Association responsible for standards for steam sterilization, EO sterilization, chemical disinfection, and other types of sterile processing that are recognized as the primary measure of good practice in SPD. Acid - Answers Substance having a pH of less than 7. Action level - Answers Level at which additional monitoring for chemical exposure must be performed. Aerate - Answers To subject EO sterilized items to warm, circulating air. Air exchanges - Answers Process of removing air from an area and replacing it with fresh air. Alkaline - Answers Substance having a pH greater than 7. Alkylation - Answers Process by which EO destroys microorganisms. ANSI: American National Standards Institute - Answers Organization that oversees the development of voluntary consensus standards for products, services, processes, systems, and personnel in the U.S. AORN: Association of periOperative Registered Nurses - Answers Organization that facilitates the management, teaching, and practice of perioperative nursing. Aseptic technique - Answers Maintaining sterility or preventing contamination. ASGE: American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy - Answers Association of physicians dedicated to improving endoscopy. Autoclave - Answers Vessel used for sterilization by saturated steam under pressure. Bacillus atropheus - Answers Microorganism used to biologically monitor EO and dry heat sterilizers. Antibacterial - Answers Chemical agent or compound that counteracts, inhibits, and/or destroys bacteria. Antimicrobial - Answers Chemical or material capable of destroying or inhibiting the growth of microorganisms. Antiseptic - Answers Germicidal process that inhibits, inactivates, or destroys microorganisms present on skin. Aseptic - Answers Free from pathogenic organisms. Abrasive - Answers Material used for grinding, rubbing away, wearing down or smoothing. Airborne - Answers Suspended or carried through the air. Aqueous - Answers Water, prepared with water. Bactericide - Answers Chemical agent that kills bacteria. Bacteriostatic - Answers Chemical agent that retards, inhibits, and/or prevents the growth of bacteria. Bevel - Answers Angle of the point of a needle. Bioburden - Answers Number of microorganisms on a contaminated object. Biodegradable - Answers Capable of being decomposed by bacteria or enzymatic solutions. Biological indicator - Answers Sterilization process monitoring device consisting of a viable population of microorganisms (usually bacterial spores) known to be resistant to the mode of sterilization being monitored. Bloodborne pathogens - Answers Transmissible microorganisms present in blood and blood products. Bowie-Dick test - Answers Test used daily to evaluate the ability of a prevacuum sterilizer to remove air from the chamber under specific conditions. Capital equipment - Answers Major fixed equipment (e.g. new sterilizers or washers) for which the cost is spread over a period of time or the life of the equipment. Carcinogen - Answers Cancer-causing substance. Case cart - Answers Distribution and inventory handling system that provides supplies for specialty areas (e.g. OR). Caustic - Answers Corrosive alkali that destroys living tissue. Cavitation - Answers Process employed by ultrasonic cleaners that causes bubbles to implode and dislodge soil from instruments. CDC: Centers for Disease Control - Answers Agency who's goal is to protect public health and safety through through the control and prevention if disease, injury, and disability. Centigrade - Answers Temperature scale between the melting point of ice and the boiling point of water. Chelating agent - Answers Chemical that prevents soap or detergent from reacting with minerals in hard water (water softener). Chemical indicator - Answers Device used to monitor one or more if the sterilization parameters required for the sterilization process. Cleaning - Answers Removal of all visible dirt, soil, and foreign matter to the extent necessary for further processing. Combustible - Answers Substance that reacts with oxygen and, if ignited, will burn. Come-up time - Answers Time to reach preset temperature. Compressed air - Answers Air under greater than atmospheric pressure. CQI (continuous quality improvement) - Answers Statistical method used to improve work processes that effect quality. Convection - Answers Transport of heat from a location of higher temperature to an area if lower temperature by a flow of current of liquids or gases. Corrosion - Answers Process by which a substance produces a chemical reaction that causes a physical change in material; wearing away. Craze - Answers Cracking of plastics caused by chemicals. Critical device - Answers Device entering sterile tissue. Cross-contamination - Answers Movement of contaminants from one person, object, or work location to another. Culture - Answers Growing of microorganisms on a nutrient medium. Cycle buying - Answers Purchasing method in which orders are placed at regular intervals. Decontamination - Answers Use of physical or chemical means to reduce the number of pathogenic microorganisms from objects to the point where they are no longer capable if transmitting infectious particles. Degassing - Answers Process by which air is removed from water in an ultrasonic cleaner. Deionization - Answers Removal of ions from a substance, free of minerals. Denaturing protein - Answers Changing the molecular structure and characteristics of a protein by a chemical or physical means. Detergent - Answers Water-soluble cleaning agent that decreases surface tension while increasing the wetness of the object being cleaned. Diffusion - Answers Process of becoming widely spread. Direct contact - Answers Spread of disease from person to person. Disinfectant - Answers Chemical that destroys or inhibits the growth of microorganisms. Disinfection - Answers Destruction of most microorganisms, excluding spores, on inanimate objects. Distill - Answers To vaporize by heat and collect the distillate. Distilled water - Answers Water that has been heated to boiling, vaporized, cooled, and condensed into a liquid. Droplet infection - Answers Infection spread by sputum or nasal secretions (coughing, sneezing). Dry time - Answers Time required to dry steam sterilized items before they are handled. Ebonize - Answers Exposure if instruments to a chemical dip to blacken the handles. EOQ - Answers Economic Order Quantity Electrolysis - Answers Conduction of electricity through metal, which causes staining when dissimilar metals are exposed to a solution at the same time. Emulsification - Answers Process if breaking down oil into small bits and holding it in suspension. Endemic - Answers Continuous, low-mortality disease that occurs in a particular population (e.g. measles). Endoscope - Answers Instrument used to visually examine internal parts of hollow structures of the body. Endotoxin - Answers Toxin that is produced within some bacteria and that is released only when the bacteria disintegrate. Enteric - Answers Relating to the intestines. AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) - Answers Viral disease that attacks the immune system. Aerobe - Answers Microorganism that requires air or oxygen for growth. Amylase - Answers Group of enzymes that are capable of splitting or hydrolyzing starches. Anaerobe - Answers Microorganism that grows in the absence of oxygen. Anoxia - Answers Absence of oxygen. Antisepsis - Answers Removal of pathogenic organisms from the skin or mucous membranes.