Chapter 9: Examination and Treatment Areas

Three instruments you can sanitize and reuse are:

1.) Blood pressure cuff 2.) Stethoscope 3.) Reflex hammer 4.) Ophthalmoscope 5.) Otoscope 6.) Penlight 7.) Tuning fork

Describe the process you would use to sanitize surgical instruments:

1.) Gather instruments 2.) Separate sharps 3.) Soak in solution 4.) Drain solution 5.) Rinse in water 6.) Scrub with plastic brush/neutral pH 7.) Rinse again 8.) Roll in towel to dry

Three factors that can have an impact on the effectiveness of a disinfectant:

1.) Using the same solution too much 2.) The temperature isn't right 3.) Not washed long enough

When must you disinfect surfaces in an examination room?T

1.) When the patient is contagious 2.) With blood or bodily fluids 3.) At the end of every shift

Ideally, how many exam rooms should doctors have reserved for exclusive use?

2

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 accessibility guidelines require that doors be ____ wide to allow a person in a wheelchair to pass through.

36 in

The temperature of the laboratory refrigerators should be maintained between:

36-46 F

According to the American with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) guidelines, a clearance space in rooms and hallways must allow a person in a wheelchair to make a 180 degree turn. The minimum required clearance space is ____.

60 inches

The most appropriate temperature setting for the examination room is ____.

72 F

A common disinfectant used in exam rooms and on surfaces is:

A 10% bleach solution

Transcutaneous absorption is absorption through:

A cut or crack in the skin

A chemical agent that leaves an instrument clean, but not sterile, is:

A disinfectant

What is the traditional way to indicate that an examination room is occupied?

A light on the door is illuminated

What instrument is used in the collection of gynecological specimens?

A vaginal speculum

What is extremely corrosive and toxic to tissue and has strong killing power?

Acid

How often should you change the cover for the examination table?

After every use

What is commonly used to clean instruments and equipment that would be damaged by immersion in soap and water or other disinfectant solutions?

Alcohol

The appropriate way to handle disinfected supplies is to:

Always wear gloves

General Physical Examination

An examination performed by a physician to confirm a patient's health or to diagnose a medical problem.

Sandra arrived a little late this morning because her car wouldn't start. Although she usually checks the exam rooms for cleanliness before bringing a patient back to a room, the rooms are almost always in good shape, so she skips that step this morning. As she brings the first pt. into the exam room, she notices an unidentifiable clear gel-like substance on the edge of the exam table. The paper cover is clean and fresh. What should Sandra do?

Ask the patient to step back into the waiting area while she cleans up the table

If a medical assistant accidentally takes a patient into a room before it's cleaned, they should:

Ask the patient to wait outside for a moment while it's cleaned

What is used to disinfect surfaces and soak rubber equipment before sanitization?

Bleach

What activities does OSHA prohibit medical personnel from doing in a room where potentially infectious material is present?

Chewing gum and applying cosmetics

The last patient of the day was very ill and vomited twice in the exam room. The first time, she made it to the wastepaper basket, but the second time, she vomited on the exam table and floor. What should you do?

Clean up the vomit using Standard Precautions because the vomit is potentially infectious.

Lubricant is considered ____.

Consumable

What are examples of disposable instruments?

Curettes and needles

Consumable:

Description of items that are used up or emptied during an exam

What methods should be used to clean the work surfaces in the examination room, including the examining table, sink and countertop?

Disinfection

What is the appropriate way to dispose of paper coverings soiled by body fluids or blood?

Dispose of them in a bio-hazardous waste container

The first step in eliminating offensive odors from an exam room is to:

Eliminate the source of the odor

What statement about disenfectant is true?

Evaporation can alter the chemical makeup of the soloution

What statement about disinfectant is true?

Evaporation can alter the chemical makeup of the solution

What can be disinfected and used again without sterilization?

Glassware and enamel

What is commonly known as Cidex or Glutarex and is used in chemical sterilization processes?

Glutaraldehyde

The first step in preventing infection transmission in the exam room is:

Hand washing

A tuning fork is used to test a patients ____.

Hearing

The exam table should be:

In the center of the room extending from the wall

Otoscope:

Instrument used for inspecting the ear

Nasal Speculum:

Instrument used to enlarge the opening of the nose to permit viewing

Endotracheal tube:

Instrument used to establish an artificial airway

What is used as a disinfectant and as an antiseptic, but has limited effectiveness in the presence of blood products, mucus, and soap?

Iodine

What is an example of a consumable supply?

Isopropyl alcohol

What is the main reason for dusting shelves and furniture in the examination room?

It eliminates dust that harbors bacteria and allergens

Which of the following instruments reflects the inside of the mouth and throat for examination purposes?

Laryngeal mirror

One of Stan's duties is to check the laboratory equipment and machines each morning when he arrives at the office. This morning, when he checked the temperature in the laboratory refrigerator, he discovered that the temperature was 62°F. What should Stan do?

Notify all lab personnel that specimens in the refrigerator may be compromised.

An anoscope is an instrument that is used to ____.

Open the anus for examination

Which of the following can be reused after completing the sanitization process without further disinfection or sterilization?

Ophthalmoscopes and otoscopes

What is the most appropriate way to monitor the temperature in a laboratory refrigerator?

Place a thermometer in the refrigerator

If you cannot sanitize instruments immediately after using them:

Place them in water with a neutral-pH detergent

What is permissible in ultrasonic cleaning?

Reusing the ultrasonic cleaning solution for several baths

The use of alcohol is an effective means of:

Sanitization

Ultrasonic Cleaning:

Sending sound waves through a cleaning solution to clean delicate instruments

After a minor surgical procedure, Karen is scrubbing the instruments to sanitize them before disinfection and sterilization. She notices that one of the hinged instruments does not close properly. What should Karen do?

Set it aside and notify the physician or office manager

Which of the following is part of the sanitization of soiled instruments?

Soaking instruments in a detergent solution

An instrument used to take blood pressure:

Sphygmomanometer

An instrument used to measure size or development of a body part is:

Tape measurer

Accesibility is:

The ease with which people can move in and out of a space

Disinfection:

The process that destroys most organisms, except for spores and some viruses

What should you do when you sanitize instruments?

Wear utility gloves

Occult Blood:

blood present in such minute quantities that it cannot be detected with the unassisted eye

Fixative:

chemical spray used to preserve a specimen obtained from the body for a pathologic exam

The key piece of equipment in the examination room is the ____.

examining table

Which of the following is commonly used as a preservative in a 10% solution and as a germicide and sporicide in a 5% solution?

formaldehyde

Ophthalmoscope:

instrument used to examine the interior of the eye

When sanitizing instruments, it is best to use which detergent?

neutral-pH detergent

An instrument used to check the pupil response in the eye is a(n):

penlight

Which of the following is the appropriate way to remove a used examining table?

roll it up tightly and quickly

The process of cleaning and scrubbing the instruments and equipment, generally by washing with detergents and scrubbing as needed is ____.

sanitization

Which of the following procedures will the medical assistant use to clean blood pressure cuffs and reflex hammers?

sanitization

Sterilization is:

the killing or complete destruction of all living organisms in a material or on an object

The number of examination rooms in a medical office depends on:

the number of physicians who work there and on each physician's patient load.

Spores are:

thick-walled, reproductive bodies capable of resisting harsh conditions

Lubricant:

water-soluble gel used during a physical examination of the rectum or vagina