Hand Hygeine
How long should you scrub your hands with soap and water?
At least 20 seconds
Which PPE item is donned first?
Gown
What type of precautions are used for MRSA or VRE?
Contact precautions
True or False: Bed rails are considered a high-touch surface
True
A patient with influenza is admitted. Which type of precautions do you use?
Droplet precautions
Name 2 “hot spots” people commonly miss while handwashing
Thumbs, between fingers, fingertips/nails, back of hands, or wrists
Which PPE item is doffed last?
Respirator or mask
Name the minimum PPE you must wear before entering a contact precautions room?
Gloves and gown
Name 3 items in a patient’s room that should be disinfected daily
Examples: Call button, over-bed table, IV pump, doorknob, bedside table, light switches
After removing gloves, you forget to perform hand hygiene. What’s the main risk?
Cross-contamination/spread of pathogens to yourself, patients, or environment.
In what situations is soap and water required instead of an alcohol-based hand rub?
When hands are visibly dirty or greasy, or when dealing with specific infections like Clostridioides difficile (C. diff)
During doffing, you accidentally touch the outside of your gown with bare hands. What should you do immediately?
Perform hand hygiene and continue doffing safely
A patient with C. diff is on contact precautions. What is one additional step required for hand hygiene compared to MRSA?
Must use soap and water (not just alcohol-based sanitizer)
If you use a stethoscope on a patient in contact precautions, what must you do before using it again?
Clean/disinfect it before reuse (or dedicate equipment to that patient)
You’re about to enter a room with a COVID-19 patient. List the correct donning order for PPE (5 steps):
Hand hygiene → gown → mask/respirator → goggles/face shield → gloves.