PPE
This simple piece of PPE is placed over your hands to create a protective barrier against germs during patient care.
What are gloves?
Placing a used needle directly into a designated puncture-proof container is considered this kind of sharps handling: a “win” or a “fail”?
What is a sharps win?
When someone sneezes without covering their mouth, tiny droplets carrying germs fly through the air. This is an example of this type of pathogen spread.
What is droplet transmission?
What is the minimum recommended time for washing your hands with soap and water?
At least 20 seconds.
Often paired with a mask during procedures that may involve splashing, this see-through barrier covers the entire face.
What is a face shield?
Recapping a used needle—even “just for a second”—is considered this type of sharps action.
What is a sharps fail?
Touching a contaminated doorknob and then rubbing your eyes can spread pathogens through this route.
What is indirect contact transmission?
Name two moments when healthcare workers should perform hand hygiene.
Before touching a patient and after touching a patient.
This type of respirator, known by its letter-and-number name, filters out at least 95% of airborne particles when fitted properly.
What is an N95 mask?
Using this method—sliding a needle carefully across a flat surface instead of holding it in your hand—prevents punctures when passing sharps.
What is the scoop technique?
Diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis B commonly spread through this specific type of exposure involving infected blood.
What is bloodborne transmission?
Which method is more effective at killing most germs: soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer?
Alcohol-based hand sanitizer is more effective for most germs, except when hands are visibly dirty.
When removing PPE, this item should come off first, since it is usually the most contaminated.
What are gloves?
Accidental needlestick injuries can transmit pathogens such as HIV and Hepatitis B, making them a serious example of this kind of sharps situation.
What is a sharps fail?
People who carry a pathogen but show no symptoms can still pass it on to others. These individuals are known by this term.
Who are asymptomatic carriers?
What is the proper technique for using hand sanitizer to ensure it covers all surfaces of your hands?
Apply enough sanitizer to cover all hand surfaces and rub until dry, including between fingers, fingertips, thumbs, and wrists.
This critical mistake—often caused by touching the front of a used mask or adjusting PPE mid-procedure—is one of the most common ways healthcare workers accidentally contaminate themselves.
What is breaking aseptic technique through self-contamination?
During a procedure, a scalpel blade becomes loose. Immediately stopping the procedure, securing the blade with tools instead of fingers, and replacing it safely represents this type of sharps action.
What is a sharps win?
A nurse touches a patient with a disease without gloves, then touches another patient. What type of pathogen spread is this?
Contact transmission; it’s dangerous because it can directly transfer a resistant pathogen from one person to another, increasing the risk of infection.
A healthcare worker washes their hands but misses scrubbing under their nails and between fingers. Why could this still lead to the spread of pathogens?
Because germs can hide in areas like under nails and between fingers, so incomplete hand hygiene may leave pathogens that can be transmitted to patients or surfaces.