RT-17 · Equipment

Infection Control, Sterilization & Equipment Quality Control

Isolation precautions, disinfection levels, equipment processing, and the quality control checks the exam expects you to perform and interpret.

~16 min read3 concept sections·4 questions with rationale

What you'll be able to do

  • Apply the correct isolation precautions by organism
  • Distinguish sterilization from high-level disinfection
  • Process respiratory equipment safely
  • Perform and interpret analyzer and device quality control
Concept breakdown
01

Precautions

Match the barrier to the transmission route, and standard precautions apply to everyone.

  • Contact: gown and gloves — C. difficile (soap and water, not alcohol gel), MRSA, VRE, RSV.
  • Droplet: surgical mask within about 6 feet — influenza, pertussis, meningococcus, mumps.
  • Airborne: N95 or PAPR plus a negative pressure room — tuberculosis, measles, varicella, disseminated zoster.
  • Aerosol-generating procedures — intubation, suctioning, bronchoscopy, nebulization, NIV, high-flow — raise exposure risk and require airborne-level protection during outbreaks.
At the bedside

The most effective infection control action remains hand hygiene before and after every patient contact.

Practice quiz

Check yourself before you read the rationale.

Question 1 of 1

A patient with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis requires nebulized therapy. Required precautions include:

Practice questions

Answer first, then read why the distractors fail.

Question 1

A patient with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis requires nebulized therapy. Required precautions include:

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2 more concept sections, 3 more questions, and the exam-day playbook for this module.

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