Infection Prevention - Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam Ptce

1. Which action best prevents contamination when working in a laminar airflow workbench (LAFW)?

   Keep critical sites in first air and unobstructed. First air from the HEPA filter provides ISO Class 5 protection, and unobstructed exposure maintains sterility of critical sites.

2. Which item is the most important single barrier to prevent hand-to-product contamination?

   Properly performed hand hygiene. Effective hand hygiene disrupts microbial transmission chains, serving as the foundational defense against introducing contaminants into products.

3. What is the primary purpose of disinfecting vial stoppers with 70% isopropyl alcohol?

   To reduce microbial contamination before needle entry. Disinfection kills or inactivates surface microbes on the stopper, preventing their introduction into the vial contents via the needle.

4. What is a "critical site" in sterile compounding contamination control?

   A sterile surface that contacts sterile fluid or components. Critical sites are vulnerable points where exposure to non-sterile elements could directly contaminate the sterile product or pathway.

5. What should you do immediately after removing gloves used for handling hazardous drugs?

   Perform hand hygiene immediately. Hand hygiene removes any hazardous drug residues from skin contact after glove removal, preventing absorption or further contamination.

6. What is a "critical surface" in sterile compounding contamination control?

   A sterile surface that must remain sterile to prevent contamination. Critical surfaces require sterility to avoid serving as sources of microbial or particulate contamination in the compounding process.

7. What is the correct action if a tablet falls onto the counter during counting?

   Discard it; do not return it to stock. Fallen tablets may pick up contaminants from the counter, making them unsuitable for return to stock to avoid patient harm.

8. What is the appropriate nail condition for personnel performing sterile compounding?

   Natural nails kept short and clean. Short, clean natural nails minimize microbial harboring and reduce the risk of glove punctures during sterile compounding activities.

9. Which situation requires changing gloves even if they appear intact?

   After contamination, after a task, or when moving to a new task. Changing gloves in these scenarios prevents cross-contamination and maintains hygiene standards across tasks or after potential breaches.

10. Which action best prevents cross-contamination between patients when counting tablets?

    Clean counting tray/spatula between different medications. Cleaning removes residual drug particles, preventing unintended transfer of medications to subsequent batches for different patients.

11. Which surfaces of sterile gloves should you avoid touching to prevent contamination?

    Any sterile glove surface that will contact critical sites. Touching these surfaces with non-sterile items introduces contaminants that could transfer to sterile products or sites.

12. Identify the error: placing hands upstream of an uncapped sterile syringe in first air.

    Hands block first air; move hands downstream of the critical site. Upstream hand placement disrupts laminar airflow, potentially contaminating the syringe by allowing particles to reach it.

13. What is the minimum handwashing time with soap and water for routine decontamination?

    At least 20 seconds of scrubbing. This duration ensures sufficient mechanical action and soap contact to remove dirt, organic material, and transient microorganisms from the hands effectively.

14. Which practice is correct for placing supplies in a hood to maintain airflow and sterility?

    Arrange items to avoid blocking airflow to critical sites. Proper arrangement maintains laminar airflow patterns, ensuring continuous first air protection over sterile items and sites.

15. Which situation requires soap-and-water handwashing instead of alcohol-based hand rub?

    When hands are visibly soiled. Soap and water are necessary to physically remove soil, debris, and certain pathogens like Clostridium difficile spores that alcohol does not inactivate.

16. What is the required technique for disinfecting a vial stopper before puncture?

    Scrub with 70% IPA and allow to dry. Scrubbing removes debris and applies alcohol to achieve microbial reduction, with drying ensuring full antimicrobial efficacy before puncture.

17. What should you do if you have artificial nails or nail extenders and must compound sterile products?

    Do not compound; artificial nails are not permitted. Artificial nails trap dirt and microbes, compromising hand hygiene and sterility standards in USP <797> for compounding personnel.

18. Which glove practice is required when handling hazardous drugs outside of sterile compounding?

    Use chemotherapy-rated gloves; change if torn or contaminated. Chemotherapy-rated gloves provide permeation resistance to hazardous drugs, and changing them maintains protection if integrity is compromised.

19. Which jewelry practice best meets contamination prevention standards during compounding?

    Remove hand and wrist jewelry (no rings, watches, bracelets). Jewelry harbors microorganisms and interferes with proper hand hygiene and glove integrity, increasing contamination risks in compounding areas.

20. Which hand hygiene method is preferred when hands are not visibly soiled in pharmacy work?

    Alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR). ABHR provides rapid antimicrobial action against most pathogens and is convenient for frequent use in healthcare settings without visible soil.

21. What is the correct response if a chemotherapy glove becomes torn during hazardous drug handling?

    Stop, remove gloves safely, perform hand hygiene, don new gloves. Tearing compromises the barrier, requiring safe removal and hygiene to prevent exposure, followed by new gloves for continued protection.

22. Identify the correct action if a sterile glove touches a nonsterile surface during compounding.

    Replace the contaminated glove immediately. Immediate replacement prevents the spread of contaminants from the nonsterile surface to sterile products or critical sites.

23. What action should you take if you touch your face while wearing gloves during a task?

    Remove gloves, perform hand hygiene, don new gloves. Touching the face transfers skin flora and potential contaminants to gloves, necessitating replacement to maintain asepsis during tasks.

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