Ch. 20 Review

If a blood vessel is permeable, it is protected from the transfer of substances from the outside environment.

False

If a medical assistant performs medical aseptic hand washing or hand sanitization routinely, he or she does not have to wear disposable gloves when sanitizing contaminated surfaces.

False

Most pathogens prefer dry, hot environments for growth and multiplication.

False

The presence of adequate amounts of oxygen is one of the keys for the spread of anaerobic microorganisms.

False

What should be done if the eyes are exposed to potentially infectious bodily fluids?

Flush the eyes with warm water as soon as possible.

Which of the following CDC recommendations is NOT considered adequate hand hygiene?

Artificial nails no longer than ¼ inch.

__________ infections persist for a long time.

Chronic

Direct transmission occurs through which of the following?

Discharges from an infected person.

Which of the following terms is associated with the process of killing pathogenic organisms or of rendering them inactive?

Disinfection.

A palliative treatment is designed to cure a particular disease.

False

Healthcare workers who wear artificial fingernails have no greater risk of transmitting infectious diseases as long as they perform adequate hand washing.

False

Which of the following is an example of cell-mediated immunity?

Phagocytosis.

Which of the following procedures is appropriate for preparing blood and other potentially infectious materials for transport?

Placing the materials in a leakproof container during collection.

__________ are surface bacteria introduced by contaminated objects or by exposure to microorganisms; they can be destroyed if managed properly.

Transient bacteria

An example of parenteral administration of a medication is a subcutaneous injection.

True

What is the first step that should be taken after exposure to contaminated waste?

Wash or flush the exposed area.

Cell-mediated immunity

causes destruction of pathogens at the site of infection.

Macrophage action occurs with

cell-mediated immunity.

A(n) __________ is a contaminated object, such as an improperly sterilized instrument, that causes the transmission of a disease.

fomite

Inflammation mediators that are released at the site of cellular damage perform which of the following functions?

Both A and B.

As a medical assistant, it is important that you understand the inflammatory response. Describe the step-by-step process that occurs with an inflammatory reaction.

Cellular damage causes the release of inflammatory mediators, which combine processes that increase the movement of WBCs to the site. Three actions occur: blood vessels dilate, causing an increase in the amount of blood at the site; the vessel walls become more permeable so that WBCs can pass through the vessel wall to the site; and chemotaxis attracts WBCs to the site. The increased blood supply to the area results in erythema and heat, and increased vessel wall permeability allows fluid to escape from the vessel, resulting in edema and ultimately pressure on surrounding tissues, which causes pain. Ultimately all these actions combine to bring about phagocytosis.

Employees must provide their own alternative to latex gloves if they show signs of latex anaphylaxis.

False

HIV is transmitted by blood that splatters onto intact skin or mucous membranes.

False

If the eyes come in contact with body fluids, continuously flush the eyes with water as soon as possible for a minimum of 5 minutes using an eye wash unit.

False

Pyemia is a condition marked by infectious microorganisms in the patient's urine.

False

Relapse is the disappearance of the clinical symptoms of disease.

False

Spore structures protect viral cells from immune system action.

False

The medical term for hives is rhinitis.

False

What are the two important factors in performing an effective hand wash?

Friction and running warm water.

Which of the following diseases are caused by a virus?

Herpes.

Describe the difference between cell-mediated and humoral immunity.

Humoral immunity creates specific antibodies to combat antigens. Cell-mediated immunity attacks the source of the infection at the cellular level.

Which of the following substances protects nearby cells from viral invasion?

Interferon.

In the normal state, which of the following are free of all living microorganisms?

Internal body organs.

Relapse and remission are seen frequently in what types of infections?

Latent infections.

Which of the following terms defines the destruction of disease-causing organisms after they leave the body?

Medical asepsis.

Before disposing of a contaminated needle into a sharps container, the medical assistant should

None of the above.

What is considered the second link in the chain of infection?

Reservoir.

Which of the following microorganisms are large, obligate parasites that can be viewed with a microscope?

Rickettsiae.

Rosa is assisting with a procedure and has an accidental exposure of potentially infectious mucous in her right eye. What should Rosa do?

Rosa should immediately go to the eyewash station and remove any contact lenses or eye glasses. She should put on disposable gloves, turn on the unit, and while holding the eye open with the thumb and index finger, direct water toward the eye but not directly onto the eyeball. She should continue the eyewash for 15 minutes to make sure all contaminated material has been removed. She then should follow office policy regarding completing an exposure incident form and seeking medical advice.

On the basis of your understanding of the chain of infection, what would be the most effective method of controlling the spread of conjunctivitis in a day care center?

Sanitize hands thoroughly after each contact with a symptomatic child.

Which of the following is not a major area that must be covered in the medical facility's Exposure Control Plan required by OSHA?

Specific steps for providing effective patient treatment.

Sam Anderson, a 28-year-old patient, calls the office and asks Rosa how he would be able to tell if his wound is getting infected. Based on your understanding of the inflammatory response, how should Rosa answer this question? Include in your answer the four classic symptoms of inflammation.

The classic symptoms of inflammation are erythema, edema, pain, and heat. Rosa should ask Mr. Anderson whether he has noticed an increase in redness, whether there is increased swelling and pain, if there is a change in drainage from the wound, and if the wound feels warm to the touch.

Rosa is responsible for administering the hepatitis B vaccine to a new employee. Describe the immunization schedule for this vaccine.

The vaccine is administered by intramuscular injection in three doses. The second injection is administered 4 weeks after the first, and the third injection 6 months after the first. The U.S. Public Health Service does not currently recommend routine boosters for hepatitis B immunization. However, if they are recommended in the future, boosters must be made available to eligible employees without cost.

A 14-year-old patient is diagnosed with strep throat. Applying your understanding of the chain of infection, how can Rosa prevent the spread of the infection to herself and others?

To prevent the spread of infection, the infectious process must be stopped by breaking one or more links in the chain of infection. The chain of infection spreads from the infectious agent (e.g., Streptococcus organism) to the reservoir host (the infected patient) via the portal of exit (oral secretions), with the mode of transmission (contaminated tissue) through the portal of entry (contaminated hands touching the face, nose, or mouth) into a susceptible host. The medical assistant should perform careful hand washing, wear disposable gloves, disinfect areas before the next patient is seen, and dispose of all contaminated supplies in a biohazardous waste container.

A germicide is an agent that destroys pathogenic microorganisms.

True

A patient who is in remission has a disease but is not showing symptoms at the time.

True

Alcohol hand rubs, when used properly, are as effective at reducing the incidence of nosocomial infections.

True

An antiseptic is an agent that can be used on the skin to inhibit the growth of microorganisms.

True

An antiseptic is used to cleanse the patient's skin before a surgical procedure.

True

An example of a vector is a tick that transmits disease.

True

Anaphylaxis is a serious systemic response to an allergic substance.

True

Employers must provide employees with hepatitis B immunizations free of charge within 10 days of the start of employment.

True

Hands do have to be sanitized even if the healthcare worker conscientiously uses gloves during all possible times of exposure.

True

Interferon is a naturally occurring protein that helps protect cells from viral invasion.

True

Most pathogenic microorganisms prefer a neutral pH for optimum growth.

True

Reservoir hosts who are unaware of their ability to spread an infectious disease are identified as carriers.

True

The CDC recognizes the use of alcohol-based hand rubs as an adequate replacement for traditional hand washing.

True

The most effective treatment for viral infections is palliative in nature.

True

Rosa is responsible for training a new employee in medical aseptic hand washing. Which of the following should Rosa emphasize?

Using an adequate amount of soap and rubbing in a circular motion around all fingers.

What should not be done when sanitizing an instrument?

Wear latex gloves when cleaning sharp instruments.

A 62-year-old patient with shingles is seen in the office. The physician would classify this disease as

a latent infection.

Items contaminated with any of the following potentially infectious materials require special handling

all of the above.

A(n) __________ is a foreign substance that results in the production of a specific antibody.

antigen

Viral infections

are treated with a focus on palliative care.

Any disease caused by the growth of pathogenic microorganisms in the body falls into the category of

infectious.

Adequate infection control procedures include all of the following except

intermittent hand washing.

The key to reducing the prevalence of antibiotic resistance is to

limit the use of antibiotics to one that is specific to the pathogen.

Fungal infections are also called __________ infections.

mycotic

A(n) __________ is an infection that is acquired in a healthcare setting and is often caused by failure to follow Standard Precautions in the facility.

nosocomial infection

A(n) __________ agent is a medication that relieves a patient's symptoms but does not cure a disease.

palliative

The __________ route of administration is the injection or introduction of substances into the body by means other than through the digestive tract.

parenteral

The immune system response that is identified as humoral immunity is

production of antibodies in response to a foreign substance in the body.

The most important step in achieving hand asepsis is

removing jewelry.

The process used to wash and remove blood and tissue from medical instruments is called

sanitization.

The method that completely destroys microorganisms is

sterilization.

The safest method to achieve adequate sanitization is to

use an ultrasonic sanitizer bath.

A(n) __________ is an insect or tick that transmits the causative organisms of a disease.

vector

According to the CDC, proper hand hygiene must be performed in all the following instances except

when hands move from a clean body site to a contaminated body site during patient care.