CSLB General Building (B) — All Questions

According to CDC guidance, which practice is considered the single most effective way to prevent the spread of infection in healthcare settings?

• a.Wearing gloves at all times
• b.Using a face mask during all care
• c.Performing proper hand hygiene✓
• d.Wearing a gown for every patient

Hand hygiene is recognized by the CDC as the single most effective measure to prevent the spread of healthcare-associated infections. It should be performed before and after patient contact, after glove removal, and after touching contaminated surfaces. Gloves and gowns supplement, but never replace, hand hygiene.CDC

A technician has cared for a patient with Clostridioides difficile (C. diff), whose spores are not killed by alcohol. What is the correct hand hygiene method after this care?

• a.Alcohol-based hand rub only
• b.No hand hygiene is needed if gloves were worn
• c.A quick water rinse
• d.Wash hands with soap and running water✓

C. diff spores are resistant to alcohol-based hand rubs, so hands must be washed with soap and running water to physically remove them. The friction and rinsing action mechanically removes spores that alcohol cannot destroy. Alcohol rubs are appropriate for most other organisms when hands are not visibly soiled.CDC

Standard precautions are applied to which patients?

• a.All patients, regardless of diagnosis or infection status✓
• b.Only patients known to have an infection
• c.Only patients in isolation rooms
• d.Only patients who are bleeding

Standard precautions are used for the care of all patients at all times, treating blood and body fluids as potentially infectious. They include hand hygiene, appropriate PPE, and safe handling of sharps and contaminated equipment. Transmission-based precautions are added for specific known or suspected infections.CDC

A patient is placed on contact precautions for a multidrug-resistant organism. What PPE should the technician don before entering the room to provide direct care?

• a.N95 respirator only
• b.Gown and gloves✓
• c.Surgical mask and goggles only
• d.No PPE is required

Contact precautions require a gown and gloves for direct patient contact or contact with the patient's environment. This prevents transfer of organisms spread by touch, such as MRSA and VRE. Dedicated or disposable equipment is also used and cleaned between patients.CDC

Droplet precautions are used for organisms spread by respiratory droplets. How far do these large droplets typically travel?

• a.Up to 20 feet
• b.Through a building's ventilation system
• c.About 3 to 6 feet✓
• d.They do not travel through the air at all

Large respiratory droplets generally travel about 3 to 6 feet before falling, so droplet precautions require a surgical mask when within this distance of the patient. Examples include influenza and pertussis. Unlike airborne particles, droplets do not remain suspended in the air over long distances.CDC

A technician must enter the room of a patient with active pulmonary tuberculosis, which spreads by airborne transmission. Which respiratory protection is required?

• a.A standard surgical mask
• b.No mask if staying near the door
• c.A cloth face covering
• d.A fit-tested N95 respirator or higher✓

Airborne precautions for tuberculosis require a fit-tested N95 respirator or higher-level respirator because the tiny particles remain suspended in the air. The patient is placed in an airborne infection isolation (negative pressure) room with the door kept closed. A standard surgical mask does not filter these small airborne particles.CDC

What is the correct sequence for donning (putting on) personal protective equipment?

• a.Gown, mask/respirator, goggles/face shield, gloves✓
• b.Gloves, gown, mask, goggles
• c.Mask, gloves, gown, goggles
• d.Goggles, gloves, gown, mask

The correct donning order is gown first, then mask or respirator, then goggles or face shield, and finally gloves. Gloves are put on last so they cover the cuffs of the gown. Following this sequence ensures each item is properly positioned for protection.CDC

When doffing (removing) PPE after patient care, which item is generally removed first?

• a.The mask or respirator
• b.The gloves✓
• c.The goggles before anything else
• d.The gown before the gloves

Gloves are removed first during doffing because they are the most contaminated item. The typical order is gloves, then goggles or face shield, then gown, and finally the mask or respirator, which is removed last outside the room. Hand hygiene is performed immediately after removing all PPE.CDC

Under the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, what is the correct way to handle a contaminated needle after use?

• a.Recap it by hand and set it aside
• b.Bend the needle before disposal
• c.Do not recap it, and dispose of it immediately in a puncture-resistant sharps container✓
• d.Place it in the regular trash

OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard prohibits recapping needles by hand and requires immediate disposal of contaminated sharps into a labeled, puncture-resistant, leak-proof sharps container. This prevents needlestick injuries and exposure to bloodborne pathogens such as HIV and hepatitis B. Bending or breaking needles is also prohibited.OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1030

A sharps container is about three-quarters full. What is the appropriate action?

• a.Push the contents down to make more room
• b.Continue filling it until it overflows
• c.Empty it into the regular trash and reuse it
• d.Close and replace it before it becomes overfilled✓

Sharps containers should be replaced when they reach the fill line, generally about two-thirds to three-quarters full, and never overfilled. Overfilling increases the risk of needlestick injury when adding or removing items. Containers must never be emptied by hand or reused, per OSHA requirements.OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1030

Using proper body mechanics, how should a technician lift a heavy object from the floor?

• a.Bend at the knees and hips, keep the back straight, and lift with the leg muscles✓
• b.Bend at the waist and lift with the back
• c.Keep the legs straight and twist while lifting
• d.Hold the object away from the body while lifting

Proper lifting means bending at the knees and hips with a straight back and lifting using the strong leg muscles rather than the back. The object is held close to the body, and the feet are shoulder-width apart for a stable base. Twisting while lifting should be avoided to prevent back injury; turn the whole body instead.

A technician enters a room and finds a patient's call light out of reach and the bed in a high position. Which action reduces this patient's fall risk?

• a.Leave the bed high for easier care access
• b.Lower the bed to its lowest position and place the call light within reach✓
• c.Remove the non-slip footwear
• d.Keep the room dimly lit at all times

Keeping the bed in the lowest position and the call light within reach are basic fall-prevention measures. Other measures include non-slip footwear, adequate lighting, clear pathways, and responding promptly to call lights. A safe environment reduces the chance of falls and injury.

During a fire, the acronym RACE guides the response. What does RACE stand for?

• a.Run, Alert, Contain, Escape
• b.Rescue, Alarm, Confine, Evacuate in reverse order
• c.Rescue, Alarm, Contain, Extinguish✓
• d.Report, Assist, Cover, Exit

RACE stands for Rescue anyone in immediate danger, Alarm by activating the fire alarm and calling for help, Confine the fire by closing doors, and Extinguish the fire if small and safe or Evacuate. Following RACE provides an organized response that protects patients and staff. Staff should know the location of alarms and extinguishers.

When using a fire extinguisher, the acronym PASS is followed. What does PASS stand for?

• a.Point, Alarm, Squeeze, Stop
• b.Pull, Alert, Spray, Signal
• c.Push, Aim, Slide, Sweep
• d.Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep✓

PASS stands for Pull the pin, Aim at the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle, and Sweep from side to side. Aiming at the base rather than the flames targets the fuel source. This technique should be used only on small, contained fires when it is safe to do so.

A technician finds a patient unresponsive and not breathing. After ensuring scene safety, what is the immediate priority action?

• a.Call for help/activate the emergency response system and begin CPR if trained✓
• b.Leave to document the finding
• c.Offer the patient water
• d.Wait 10 minutes to see if the patient recovers

For an unresponsive, non-breathing patient, the technician should immediately activate the emergency response system (call a code or 911) and begin CPR if trained and within scope. Early activation and high-quality chest compressions improve survival. Delaying care reduces the chance of a good outcome.

A confused patient keeps trying to climb out of bed. According to safe practice, restraints should be:

• a.Applied immediately for any confused patient
• b.Used only as a last resort after less restrictive alternatives fail, with an order✓
• c.Applied whenever staffing is low
• d.Tied to the movable side rail for quick release

Restraints are a last resort used only after less restrictive alternatives (such as bed alarms, closer observation, and frequent toileting) have failed, and they require a provider's order. They are never used for staff convenience or discipline. Restraints must be tied to the non-movable part of the bed frame with a quick-release knot.

A patient is in a physical restraint. How often should the technician typically check the patient and release the restraint for circulation, toileting, and repositioning?

• a.Once per shift
• b.Every 4 hours
• c.At least every 2 hours (or per facility policy), with frequent monitoring✓
• d.Only at the end of the day

A restrained patient must be monitored frequently, with the restraint typically released at least every 2 hours for repositioning, range of motion, toileting, and skin and circulation checks. Continuous monitoring guards against injury, impaired circulation, and skin breakdown. Documentation of checks and the patient's response is required.

When removing a contaminated isolation gown, which part is considered the most contaminated and should not touch the technician's clothing?

• a.The inside back of the gown
• b.The neck ties
• c.The inner sleeves
• d.The front and sleeves of the gown✓

The front and sleeves of an isolation gown are considered the most contaminated areas and must not touch the technician's uniform during removal. The gown is unfastened at the neck and waist, then peeled away and rolled inward so the contaminated surface is contained. Hand hygiene is performed immediately after removal.CDC