National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) Quiz: Infection Control
20 questions · exam conditions
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Infection ControlQuestion 1 of 20

A physical therapist is working with a patient who recently underwent a lung transplant and is being kept in protective isolation. The therapist plans to use a stationary bicycle in the patient's room for aerobic conditioning. The bicycle was used earlier in the day by a patient with no known infections.

What is the MOST critical infection control action the therapist must take regarding the equipment BEFORE bringing it into the patient's room?

Ensure the bicycle has been stored in a clean supply room for at least 2 hours to allow any potential pathogens to become non-viable.
Wipe down all surfaces of the bicycle with a standard hospital-grade, alcohol-based disinfectant wipe.
Thoroughly clean and disinfect all patient-contact surfaces of the bicycle according to facility protocol for equipment entering a protective isolation room.
Request that the patient wear gloves during the exercise session to prevent contact with the equipment surfaces.
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National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) Quiz

National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) Quiz: Infection Control

Practice Infection Control in National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) with focused quiz questions that help you check what you know, review explanations, and build confidence with test-style prompts.

What this quiz covers

This quiz focuses on Infection Control, giving you a quick way to practice the rules, question types, and explanations that matter most for National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE).

How to use this quiz

Try each quiz question before looking at the correct answer. Use the explanations to review missed ideas, then come back to similar questions until the pattern feels familiar.

All questions

Question 1

A physical therapist is working with a patient who recently underwent a lung transplant and is being kept in protective isolation. The therapist plans to use a stationary bicycle in the patient's room for aerobic conditioning. The bicycle was used earlier in the day by a patient with no known infections.

What is the MOST critical infection control action the therapist must take regarding the equipment BEFORE bringing it into the patient's room?

  1. Ensure the bicycle has been stored in a clean supply room for at least 2 hours to allow any potential pathogens to become non-viable.
  2. Wipe down all surfaces of the bicycle with a standard hospital-grade, alcohol-based disinfectant wipe.
  3. Thoroughly clean and disinfect all patient-contact surfaces of the bicycle according to facility protocol for equipment entering a protective isolation room. (correct answer)
  4. Request that the patient wear gloves during the exercise session to prevent contact with the equipment surfaces.
Explanation: Protective isolation is used for patients who are highly susceptible to infections, such as transplant recipients. The goal is to protect the patient from pathogens in the environment. Therefore, any equipment entering the room must be meticulously cleaned and disinfected just before entry, even if it appears clean or was cleaned earlier. This action minimizes the risk of introducing opportunistic pathogens. Option (B) is a correct action but less precise than (C), which emphasizes following specific facility protocol for this high-risk situation. Option (A) is not a valid method of disinfection. Option (D) places the responsibility on the vulnerable patient rather than on the healthcare provider, which is inappropriate.

Question 2

A physical therapist is working in an acute care hospital and is scheduled to treat two patients consecutively. The first patient is in a private room on contact precautions for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in a surgical wound. The second patient is in a semi-private room and is severely neutropenic following a recent bone marrow transplant. The therapist plans to perform manual therapy on the first patient and gait training with a rolling walker on the second patient.

Which of the following infection control sequences is MOST appropriate for the physical therapist to follow when transitioning between these two patients?

  1. Don gown and gloves, treat first patient, doff gown and gloves inside the room, perform hand hygiene, retrieve walker from hallway, treat second patient.
  2. Don gown and gloves, treat first patient, doff gloves, push walker to second patient's room, doff gown, perform hand hygiene, treat second patient.
  3. Don gown and gloves, treat first patient, doff gown and gloves inside the room, perform hand hygiene, and then don new gown, gloves, and a surgical mask before treating the second patient. (correct answer)
  4. Don gown, gloves, and mask, treat first patient, doff all PPE, perform hand hygiene, and request the second patient be moved to a private room before treatment.
Explanation: The correct answer requires a multi-step analysis of two different infection control situations. The first patient has MRSA, requiring contact precautions (gown, gloves). The second patient is neutropenic, meaning they are highly susceptible to infection and require protective (reverse) isolation. The therapist must first follow contact precautions for the MRSA patient, which includes doffing PPE and performing hand hygiene before leaving the room. Then, to protect the neutropenic patient, the therapist must don fresh PPE (gown, gloves, and mask as per facility protocol for protective isolation) to prevent transmitting any organisms to this vulnerable patient. This is the highest standard of care to prevent a healthcare-associated infection in an immunocompromised individual.

Question 3

A patient in a rehabilitation unit is diagnosed with an active Clostridioides difficile infection. The physical therapist needs to use a portable pulse oximeter and a blood pressure cuff during the treatment session in the patient's room. The facility's policy is to use dedicated or disposable equipment when possible, but a dedicated automatic blood pressure machine is not available.

What is the MOST appropriate procedure for handling the non-disposable equipment used with this patient immediately following the session?

  1. Wipe the pulse oximeter and blood pressure cuff with an alcohol-based disinfectant wipe before returning them to the common supply area.
  2. Clean the equipment with a quaternary ammonium compound wipe and place it in a biohazard bag for central sterile processing.
  3. Use a sporicidal agent, such as a bleach-based disinfectant wipe, to thoroughly clean the equipment before using it on another patient. (correct answer)
  4. Wipe the equipment with soap and water, dry it thoroughly, and then use an alcohol-based wipe for final disinfection.
Explanation: C. difficile forms spores that are highly resistant to standard disinfectants, including alcohol-based solutions and quaternary ammonium compounds. To effectively decontaminate surfaces and reusable equipment, a sporicidal agent is required. The most common and effective agent used in healthcare settings for this purpose is a diluted bleach solution (sodium hypochlorite) or a commercial, EPA-registered sporicidal disinfectant. This is a critical distinction in infection control that an entry-level therapist must know.

Question 4

A physical therapist is initiating wound care for a patient with a deep sacral pressure injury that requires sharp debridement. The therapist is setting up a sterile field on a bedside table. After washing hands and donning sterile gloves, the therapist opens a package of sterile 4x4 gauze, allowing the gauze to drop onto the center of the sterile field. The therapist then turns to reach for a bottle of sterile saline on the supply cart behind them.

Which action has resulted in the contamination of the sterile field?

  1. Dropping the gauze onto the sterile field from the package.
  2. Turning their back on the sterile field to retrieve an item. (correct answer)
  3. Placing the sterile field on a bedside table instead of a dedicated Mayo stand.
  4. Failing to don a sterile gown in addition to sterile gloves for the procedure.
Explanation: A fundamental principle of sterile technique is that a sterile field must always be kept in view to be considered sterile. Turning one's back on the field means it is no longer directly observed, and therefore it must be considered contaminated. This is a subtle but critical error. Dropping items from a sterile package onto the field is an accepted technique (A). Using a properly disinfected bedside table is acceptable if a Mayo stand isn't available (C). A sterile gown is not always required for this type of procedure unless significant splash is anticipated; sterile gloves are the key PPE (D).

Question 5

A physical therapist is working in a long-term care facility and has just finished a session involving wound dressing change for a resident with vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) in their urine and a pressure injury. The therapist is wearing a gown and gloves. The resident's family member is waiting outside the room to speak with the therapist.

What is the correct sequence of actions for the therapist to take immediately after completing the wound care?

  1. Remove gloves, then gown. Perform hand hygiene. Exit the room and speak to the family. (correct answer)
  2. Remove gown and gloves together. Perform hand hygiene. Exit the room and speak to the family.
  3. Step outside the room to briefly update the family, then return to the room to doff PPE and perform hand hygiene.
  4. Remove gloves, perform hand hygiene, remove gown, perform hand hygiene again, then exit the room.
Explanation: The CDC recommends a specific sequence for doffing PPE to minimize self-contamination. For a gown and gloves, the gloves are considered the most contaminated and should be removed first. The gown is removed next, turning it inside out during removal. Hand hygiene is the final, critical step performed before leaving the room. This sequence prevents the transfer of VRE from the contaminated PPE to the therapist's hands and clothing, and subsequently to the environment outside the patient's room. Removing the gown and gloves together (B) is an acceptable technique, but A describes the more classically taught component method. Going outside the room with contaminated PPE (C) is a major breach. The double hand hygiene in (D) is unnecessary if the procedure is done correctly.

Question 6

A physical therapist is treating a patient diagnosed with bacterial meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis. The patient is in a private room, and the door is closed. The therapist is providing bedside exercises and education.

According to the principles of transmission-based precautions, which action is required for this patient?

  1. The therapist must wear a fit-tested N95 respirator at all times while in the patient's room.
  2. The therapist must wear a surgical mask if working within 3 to 6 feet of the patient. (correct answer)
  3. The patient must wear a surgical mask any time the physical therapist enters the room.
  4. The therapist must wear a gown and gloves for any interaction with the patient, regardless of anticipated contact with body fluids.
Explanation: Bacterial meningitis requires droplet precautions for at least 24 hours after effective antibiotic therapy is initiated. Droplet precautions are designed to prevent transmission of pathogens spread through close respiratory or mucous membrane contact with respiratory secretions. The key elements include wearing a surgical mask when working in close proximity (typically defined as within 3 to 6 feet) to the patient. An N95 respirator (A) is for airborne precautions (e.g., TB). The patient should wear a mask if they leave the room, but not necessarily when staff enter (C). A gown and gloves (D) are part of standard precautions and used based on anticipated contact with fluids, not universally for droplet precautions.

Question 7

Two adolescents with cystic fibrosis (CF) are scheduled for physical therapy in the same outpatient clinic, one after the other. The first patient is known to be colonized with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The second patient's colonization status is negative. The clinic uses a shared gym space and equipment.

Which infection control policy is MOST critical for the clinic to implement to prevent cross-contamination between these two patients?

  1. Ensure all equipment used by the first patient is wiped down with standard disinfectant wipes before the second patient arrives.
  2. Require the first patient to wear a mask during their therapy session to reduce environmental contamination.
  3. Schedule the patients at least 4 hours apart to allow for aerosolized particles to settle and be removed by the HVAC system.
  4. Segregate patients by known colonization status, treating all colonized patients at the end of the day. (correct answer)
Explanation: Patients with CF are highly susceptible to respiratory infections, and cross-contamination with specific bacteria (like Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Burkholderia cepacia) can lead to significant morbidity. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation strongly recommends strict segregation policies. This includes separate waiting rooms, exam rooms, and scheduling practices. The most effective strategy among the choices is to schedule patients colonized with specific bacteria at the end of the day to minimize environmental contact for non-colonized patients. While cleaning equipment (A) and having the patient wear a mask (B) are important components, they are insufficient alone to prevent transmission. Scheduling apart by time (C) is helpful but segregation is the primary, most critical strategy.

Question 8

A physical therapist is instructing a student on the differences between hand hygiene techniques. The student asks when it is mandatory to use soap and water instead of an alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR).

The therapist would be MOST accurate in telling the student that washing with soap and water is required in which of the following clinical situations?

  1. Before and after direct contact with a patient who is on droplet precautions for influenza.
  2. After removing gloves following contact with a patient's intact skin during a transfer.
  3. Immediately after contact with inanimate objects in the vicinity of a patient with MRSA.
  4. After providing care to a patient with infectious diarrhea, even if hands are not visibly soiled. (correct answer)
Explanation: While ABHR is effective for most clinical situations, there are specific instances where soap and water is superior and required. The most critical of these is after contact with a patient with infectious diarrhea, particularly from spore-forming organisms like C. difficile or viruses like norovirus. Alcohol does not effectively kill these pathogens. Therefore, the mechanical action of washing with soap and water is necessary to physically remove the organisms. In the other situations (A, B, C), an ABHR would be an effective and appropriate method of hand hygiene, assuming hands are not visibly soiled.

Question 9

A patient with a known latex allergy is admitted to the rehabilitation unit for post-operative care. The physical therapist is preparing for the initial evaluation, which will involve manual muscle testing and goniometry. The therapist's facility stocks both latex and non-latex gloves in all clinical areas.

To ensure patient and provider safety, what is the MOST appropriate course of action for the therapist?

  1. Use standard latex gloves but ensure they are powder-free to minimize the risk of an allergic reaction.
  2. Use non-latex gloves and check that all other equipment, such as resistance bands, are also designated as latex-free. (correct answer)
  3. Proceed with the evaluation without gloves, using rigorous hand hygiene, as the patient's skin is intact.
  4. Place a sign on the patient's door indicating a latex allergy and assume other staff will use appropriate materials.
Explanation: This question integrates infection control (use of gloves) with patient safety related to allergies. For a patient with a known latex allergy, the primary responsibility is to create a latex-safe environment. This involves more than just the therapist's choice of gloves. The therapist must use non-latex gloves and also be vigilant about other potential sources of latex in the environment that may come into contact with the patient, such as resistance bands or some types of electrode adhesives. Using powder-free latex gloves (A) is still dangerous. Proceeding without gloves (C) may violate standard precautions. Placing a sign (D) is a good system-level action, but the therapist has a direct responsibility to ensure the items they are personally using are safe.

Question 10

A physical therapist working in an acute rehabilitation facility notices that a patient they treated in the morning has developed symptoms of scabies (intense itching and a pimple-like rash). The therapist had performed hands-on manual therapy and used a gait belt and linens with the patient.

Upon learning of the suspected diagnosis, what is the therapist's MOST appropriate immediate response?

  1. Notify their supervisor, place the used gait belt in a sealed plastic bag for 72 hours, and ensure the patient is placed on droplet precautions.
  2. Immediately wash their hands and arms with soap and water and continue treating other patients using standard precautions.
  3. Inform their supervisor, ensure the patient is placed on contact precautions, and have the used linens laundered in hot water. (correct answer)
  4. Seek prophylactic treatment for scabies and refrain from all patient contact until cleared by employee health services.
Explanation: Scabies is an infestation caused by a mite and is spread by direct, prolonged, skin-to-skin contact. Therefore, contact precautions are required. The therapist's primary responsibilities are to report the situation for tracking and to ensure proper patient isolation and environmental controls are implemented. This includes placing the patient on contact precautions and ensuring any contaminated linens or clothing are properly handled (laundered in hot water and dried on high heat). Seeking prophylactic treatment (D) may be necessary, but the immediate responsibility is patient safety and facility-level infection control. Droplet precautions (A) are incorrect. Simply washing hands (B) is insufficient as it doesn't address the patient's isolation or environmental contamination.

Question 11

A physical therapy department is reviewing its infection control data and finds an increase in healthcare-associated infections on the orthopedic floor. The department manager suspects a breakdown in the proper doffing of personal protective equipment (PPE) after treating patients in isolation. The manager decides to observe staff.

Which of the following observed actions during the doffing of a gown and gloves would represent the MOST significant risk for self-contamination?

  1. Removing the gown by rolling it away from the body, containing the contaminated outer surface.
  2. Untying the gown's waist tie before removing gloves, allowing for easier removal of the gown.
  3. Removing the gloves first by using a gloved hand to grasp the opposite glove's palm and pulling it off.
  4. Touching the front of the contaminated gown with bare hands while untying the neck closure. (correct answer)
Explanation: The front of the gown and the outside of the gloves are the most contaminated surfaces of the PPE. The core principle of doffing is to avoid touching these contaminated surfaces with bare hands. Touching the front of the gown with ungloved hands directly transfers pathogens to the skin, which can then be carried to the face or other surfaces, leading to self-contamination or transmission. The other actions describe correct or less critical steps in the doffing process. Rolling the gown (A) is a correct technique. Untying the waist tie first (B) is acceptable. The glove-in-glove technique (C) is a standard method for removing the first glove.

Question 12

A patient is hospitalized with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) and has been placed in an airborne infection isolation room (AIIR). A physical therapist is asked to perform a bedside mobility assessment. The therapist has successfully passed a fit test for an N95 respirator.

Which of the following procedures regarding PPE and the environment is ESSENTIAL for the therapist to follow?

  1. Don the N95 respirator after entering the patient's room to avoid contaminating it in the hallway.
  2. Keep the door to the patient's room open during the assessment to improve ventilation.
  3. Perform a user seal check on the N95 respirator each time it is donned before entering the room. (correct answer)
  4. Remove the N95 respirator immediately upon exiting the patient's room before performing hand hygiene.
Explanation: Airborne precautions for TB are stringent. While a fit test ensures the correct size and model of N95 is chosen, a user seal check (formerly known as a fit check) is required every time the respirator is put on. This involves inhaling and exhaling to ensure a tight seal with no air leakage. This step confirms the respirator is functioning correctly at that moment. The respirator must be donned before entering the room (A). The door to an AIIR must be kept closed to maintain negative pressure (B). The respirator should be removed after exiting the room and closing the door, as the final step of doffing (D).

Question 13

A physical therapist is teaching a family member how to perform a sterile dressing change for a patient's central venous catheter site at home. The therapist provides the family member with a kit containing sterile gloves, a mask, sterile gauze, and cleaning solutions.

What is the MOST critical instruction the therapist can give the family member to prevent contamination during the procedure?

  1. Ensure the patient turns their head away from the catheter site or wears a mask during the dressing change. (correct answer)
  2. Wash your hands thoroughly for 20 seconds before opening the sterile kit and starting the procedure.
  3. Set up the sterile field on a freshly cleaned kitchen table, ensuring a 1-inch border is considered non-sterile.
  4. Wear the sterile gloves for the entire duration of the procedure, from opening the old dressing to applying the new one.
Explanation: This is a high-level question requiring knowledge of a specific, high-risk procedure. A central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) is a serious complication. A primary source of contamination is the patient's own respiratory droplets. Therefore, the most critical instruction to prevent direct inoculation of the site is to have the patient wear a mask or turn their head away. While hand washing (B), setting up a sterile field (C), and proper glove use (D) are all essential components of the overall sterile procedure, the direct contamination from the patient's airway is a unique and paramount risk for central lines that is often overlooked by laypersons.

Question 14

A physical therapist sustains a puncture wound from a solid-filament needle immediately after performing trigger point dry needling on a patient with no known infectious diseases. The therapist has completed the full Hepatitis B vaccination series and a subsequent titer confirmed immunity.

What is the MOST appropriate immediate action for the physical therapist to take?

  1. Squeeze the puncture site to express blood, wash with soap and water, and report the incident to their supervisor. (correct answer)
  2. Immediately seek post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV and Hepatitis C due to the percutaneous nature of the injury.
  3. Wash the area with soap and water, report the incident, and confirm that no further medical follow-up is needed due to their HBV immunity.
  4. Irrigate the wound with an iodine solution, cover it with a sterile dressing, and complete an incident report within 24 hours.
Explanation: The immediate first aid for a needlestick injury is to encourage bleeding (but not excessively milk or squeeze the site), then wash the area thoroughly with soap and water. Following immediate first aid, the incident must be reported to a supervisor to initiate the facility's exposure control plan. This plan will determine the need for further testing of the source patient and the employee, regardless of the therapist's vaccination status. Squeezing the site is recommended to encourage bleeding and cleanse the wound from the inside out. Seeking immediate prophylaxis (B) is presumptive and depends on the source patient's status. Assuming no follow-up is needed (C) is incorrect, as exposure to other bloodborne pathogens is still possible. While irrigating and covering (D) are reasonable steps, they miss the critical step of washing with soap and water and the importance of immediate reporting.

Question 15

A child is admitted to the pediatric unit with a diagnosis of disseminated herpes zoster (shingles). The child has lesions that are both crusted and vesicular, present across multiple dermatomes. A physical therapy consult is placed for mobility assessment and therapeutic play.

What combination of transmission-based precautions is required when treating this child?

  1. Contact precautions only, as the primary mode of transmission is direct contact with the lesions.
  2. Droplet precautions only, due to the potential for respiratory involvement in pediatric cases.
  3. Airborne precautions and contact precautions, until all lesions have fully crusted over. (correct answer)
  4. Airborne precautions only, as the virus can be aerosolized from the disseminated lesions.
Explanation: This is an edge case that requires knowledge of a specific pathogen's transmission characteristics. Varicella-zoster virus, which causes both chickenpox and shingles, can be aerosolized, especially in cases of disseminated shingles or in immunocompromised hosts. Therefore, airborne precautions are necessary. Additionally, the virus is present in the vesicular fluid, making contact precautions essential to prevent transmission through direct contact with the lesions. Both sets of precautions must be maintained until all lesions are dry and crusted.

Question 16

A physical therapy clinic is located within a hospital that is experiencing an outbreak of norovirus. A patient with an orthopedic condition, who does not have any gastrointestinal symptoms, is scheduled for an appointment. The therapist notes that the waiting room is crowded.

Which of the following represents the MOST effective strategy for the physical therapist to employ to break the chain of infection for norovirus within the clinic setting?

  1. Requiring all patients to wear surgical masks while in the waiting room and treatment areas.
  2. Implementing meticulous hand washing with soap and water for all staff between every patient contact. (correct answer)
  3. Canceling all non-urgent appointments until the hospital-wide outbreak is officially declared over.
  4. Increasing the frequency of cleaning for all surfaces using a quaternary ammonium-based disinfectant.
Explanation: The chain of infection consists of an infectious agent, reservoir, portal of exit, mode of transmission, portal of entry, and susceptible host. Norovirus is primarily transmitted via the fecal-oral route, often through contaminated hands or surfaces. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers have limited effectiveness against norovirus. Therefore, the single most effective intervention to break the mode of transmission is meticulous hand washing with soap and water. Masks (A) are ineffective as norovirus is not primarily airborne. Canceling appointments (C) is a systemic response, not a direct clinical action by the therapist. Quaternary ammonium compounds (D) are often not effective against norovirus; a bleach-based solution is typically required.

Question 17

A physical therapist in a home health setting visits a new patient for an initial evaluation. The patient has a chronic, non-healing venous stasis ulcer on the lower leg with a large amount of serosanguinous drainage that has soaked through the existing dressing. The patient's home is cluttered, and the only surface available for the therapist to place their supply bag is the floor.

What is the BEST course of action for the therapist to take to maintain proper infection control in this environment?

  1. Place the supply bag on the floor but ensure it is zipped closed at all times when not in use.
  2. Ask the patient for a towel to place on the floor to serve as a barrier for the supply bag.
  3. Perform the evaluation without opening the supply bag and schedule a return visit after instructing the patient to clear a table.
  4. Bring a disposable, fluid-resistant barrier from the supply bag to place on the floor before setting the bag down. (correct answer)
Explanation: Home health settings require therapists to adapt hospital-based infection control principles. Supply bags are a major vector for contamination. The floor is always considered contaminated. The best practice is to carry a disposable barrier (like a chux pad) to place on the floor, creating a clean field for the bag. This prevents the bag from picking up contaminants and transferring them to other homes or the therapist's car. Using a patient's towel (B) is inappropriate as its cleanliness is unknown. Placing the bag directly on the floor (A) is a breach of protocol. Postponing the evaluation (C) delays necessary care.

Question 18

A physical therapist in a skilled nursing facility is treating a patient with copious, purulent sputum production secondary to a productive cough. The patient has a history of pneumonia, but the causative organism is not yet identified. The patient is co-morbid with dementia and is not able to reliably cover their mouth when coughing. The therapist plans to perform postural drainage and percussion, which will require close physical contact and is likely to generate aerosols.

Given the uncertainty of the diagnosis and the nature of the intervention, which combination of personal protective equipment (PPE) provides the MOST appropriate level of protection for the therapist?

  1. Gloves and a surgical mask, as the primary risk is from large respiratory droplets.
  2. A gown and gloves, as the sputum presents the most significant contact-based risk.
  3. A fit-tested N95 respirator, gown, gloves, and eye protection. (correct answer)
  4. A surgical mask, gown, and gloves, following standard droplet precautions.
Explanation: This scenario presents a high level of ambiguity and risk, which is a common clinical challenge. The patient has a productive cough with purulent sputum, and the intervention (percussion) is aerosol-generating. While the organism is unknown, conditions like tuberculosis (TB) must be considered, which require airborne precautions. Furthermore, the copious sputum and close contact pose a risk of droplet and contact transmission. Therefore, the MOST appropriate and safest approach is to use the highest level of precaution that covers all potential transmission routes until a diagnosis is confirmed. This includes an N95 respirator for airborne pathogens, eye protection for splashes/aerosols, and a gown and gloves for contact with sputum.

Question 19

A physical therapist is preparing to use a hydrotherapy tank for wound debridement on a patient with a large, heavily colonized venous ulcer. The previous patient who used the tank had no known infections or open wounds.

Which of the following represents the most critical infection control measure for the hydrotherapy unit between these two patient uses?

  1. Draining the tank and rinsing all surfaces thoroughly with hot water before refilling for the next patient.
  2. Adding a higher concentration of antimicrobial agent to the water for the patient with the colonized wound.
  3. Draining the tank, cleaning all surfaces with a detergent, and then disinfecting with an intermediate-level disinfectant before refilling. (correct answer)
  4. Running the turbine for 10 minutes with a disinfectant solution in the water after the first patient, then draining and refilling.
Explanation: Hydrotherapy tanks pose a significant risk for cross-contamination if not cleaned properly. The standard protocol for cleaning between patients, especially when a patient with a wound is involved, is a two-step process: cleaning followed by disinfection. The tank must be drained, all surfaces physically cleaned with a detergent to remove organic matter, and then disinfected with an appropriate agent (e.g., a bleach solution or other hospital-grade disinfectant). Simply rinsing (A) is inadequate. Altering antimicrobial concentrations (B) is not a substitute for cleaning and can be harmful. Running the turbine with disinfectant (D) without first cleaning is ineffective, as organic material inactivates many disinfectants.

Question 20

A physical therapist working in an outpatient clinic uses reusable carbon rubber electrodes for neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES). A patient with a history of recurrent herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) outbreaks, who does not have an active lesion, is scheduled to receive NMES to the shoulder.

What is the most appropriate infection control procedure for the electrodes after the treatment session?

  1. Wipe the electrodes with an alcohol-based sanitizer and place them in a sealed bag labeled with the patient's name for their exclusive use. (correct answer)
  2. Clean the electrodes with soap and water, then immerse them in a high-level disinfectant for the manufacturer-recommended time.
  3. Because the patient has no active lesions, cleaning the electrodes with a standard disinfectant wipe is sufficient before use on the next patient.
  4. Discard the reusable electrodes and use a new set, as any contact with a patient with a history of HSV-1 renders them contaminated.
Explanation: This question tests the application of infection control to a specific modality. Reusable electrodes are considered non-critical items if used on intact skin. However, to prevent any potential for cross-contamination, best practice is to assign reusable electrodes to a single patient for the duration of their treatment course. After each use, they should be cleaned according to manufacturer guidelines (typically with soap and water or a disinfectant wipe) and stored in a clearly labeled bag. High-level disinfection (B) is not required for items contacting only intact skin. Standard cleaning alone (C) is insufficient if the electrodes will be used on other patients. Discarding them (D) is unnecessary and not cost-effective.