Deck 3: Workplace Issues and Staff Safety

Question 1

What is the purpose of a Safety Data Sheet (SDS)?

A) To recommend exposure limits of all chemicals in the workplace over a working lifetime
B) To inform all employees of the presence, characteristics, handling, and risks of chemicals in the workplace
C) To provide a structured design for inservices and skill stations on hazardous chemical safety
D) To support the development of manuals and log books for accrediting bodies surveys

Answer 1

B
The purpose of the OSHA standards is to ensure that all hazards of chemicals produced or imported are evaluated and that information concerning hazards is transmitted to employers and employees.Responsibility to inform workers about chemical hazards and to use control measures,including providing PPE,rests with the employer.The OSHA hazard communication standard requires all manufacturers and importers of hazardous chemicals to develop SDSs for all chemicals and mixtures of chemicals.

Question 2

Perioperative personnel historically have relied on numerous types of precautions to protect themselves and others from bloodborne pathogens and other infectious diseases.Select the statement that best describes standard precautions.

A) It requires the use of gown and gloves.
B) It requires that gowns, gloves, masks, and eye protective should be worn when within 3 feet of the patient.
C) It applies to blood; all body fluids, secretions, and excretions (except sweat), regardless of whether they contain visible blood; mucous membranes; and nonintact skin.
D) It includes the use of work practice controls such as the neutral zone.

Answer 2

C
Standard precautions apply to: (1)blood; (2)all body fluids,secretions,and excretions (except sweat),regardless of whether they contain visible blood; (3)mucous membranes; and (4)nonintact skin.Standard precautions apply to all patients receiving care,regardless of diagnosis or presumed infection status.

Question 3

Contact with infected patients or infectious material places healthcare workers at risk for occupational-acquired infection.Which communicable disease are healthcare workers most commonly at risk for acquiring or transmitting?

A) Hepatitis B
B) HIV
C) Seasonal influenza
D) Hepatitis C

Answer 3

C
Patients transmit influenza to healthcare workers and,in turn,healthcare workers who are clinically or subclinically infected with influenza can transmit seasonal influenza to patients or others.Studies demonstrate seasonal influenza antibodies in healthcare workers who did not recall ever having a respiratory tract infection.By receiving the seasonal influenza vaccination,healthcare workers protect themselves,their patients,and their families.

Question 4

The Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act requires employers to introduce work practice controls to protect healthcare workers from bloodborne pathogen exposure.Examples of work practice controls during surgery include:

A) use of a sharps zone.
B) use of a hands-free zone.
C) use of a neutral zone.
D) use of a safety zone.

Question 5

Elevated noise levels and distractions in the OR can make communication difficult and may impact patient safety.Behavioral noise reduction strategies may include:

A) implementing a No Interruption Zone (NIZ) during the preprocedure time-out.
B) counting instruments quietly after the patient enters the room.
C) playing music softly.
D) turning off alarms.

Question 6

Which of the following may be a consequence of high-dose or full-body radiation?

A) Yellow sclera, dark urine
B) Perioral numbness and tingling
C) Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
D) Wheezing, dyspnea, and tachycardia

Question 7

Wet floors are a common hazard causing slips,trips,and falls (STFs).Select a prevention strategy that is a best practice for preventing STFs from spills on wet floors.

A) Transport liquids in covered containers with lids in place.
B) Place bright yellow low-profile pop-up signs in areas where STFs are most likely to occur.
C) Position highly visible yellow absorptive pads in areas where STFs are most likely to occur.
D) Use a dripless, brush-free gel solution for surgical patient skin preps.

Question 8

Latex allergy develops from exposure to natural rubber latex and plant cytosol,used extensively to manufacture medical gloves and other devices,as well as numerous consumer products.Allergic reactions to latex range from skin disease to asthma and anaphylaxis that can result in chronic illness,disability,career loss,hardship,and death.Which signs and symptoms would be indicative of an allergic contact dermatitis response to contact with natural rubber latex?

A) Pruritus, edema, erythema, and vesicles that develop 6 to 48 hours after exposure
B) Dry, reddened, itchy skin with hives and peeling patches
C) Cracked hands, nausea, and vomiting,
D) Generalized urticaria, wheezing, dyspnea, and tachycardia

Question 9

Which list of medications best reflects medications indicated for latex sensitivity therapeutic management?

A) Epinephrine, prednisone, and a beta-agonist inhaler
B) Atropine, dopamine, and beta-blockers
C) Dopamine, mannitol, and sodium bicarbonate
D) Dimethylxanthine, atropine, and mannitol

Question 10

Waste anesthetic gases are small amounts of gases that may leak either from the patient's anesthetic breathing circuit into the OR air while anesthesia is being administered or from exhalation of the patient during recovery.Both mechanisms of exposure create risks for OR personnel.What is an effect of short-term exposure for the healthcare worker?

A) Spontaneous abortion
B) Infertility
C) Cancer
D) Lethargy and fatigue

Question 11

Select the statement that best describes a culture of safety in the perioperative area.

A) The culture of safety includes openness and mutual trust when discussing safety issues and solutions.
B) The culture of safety is a requirement for ensuring accrediting bodies expectations are met.
C) The culture of safety is mandated by regulatory agencies to structure environmental rounds.
D) The exposure control plan (ECP) was designed to provide the framework for the culture of safety.

Question 12

Healthcare professionals should employ strategies to reduce their risk of allergic reaction to latex in the perioperative environment.Which of the following represents a best practice for minimizing the risk of latex allergy development?

A) Use powder-free gloves that have low levels of protein and chemical allergens.
B) Use sterile oil-based hand creams before donning gloves if latex gloves must be worn.
C) Sprinkle hands with cornstarch to create a barrier between skin and gloves before donning latex gloves.
D) Use hypoallergenic gloves.

Question 13

Where are the sources of radiation exposure in an operating room setting?

A) Ionizing sources (e.g., ultrasound machines) and nonionizing sources (e.g., magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] scanners)
B) Nonattenuated fluorescent lights and portable X-ray machines without lead guards
C) Radioactive seed implants not contained in a lead container
D) Nonionizing sources (e.g., lasers) and ionizing sources (e.g., X-ray machines and C-arms)

Question 14

The lifting equation provides a mathematical calculation to determine the recommended weight limit (RWL)and lifting index (LI)for selected two-handed manual lifting tasks.What is the recommended maximum weight limit for one person in a patient handling task,and what is the best option when the weight limit exceeds the recommendation?

A) 25 lb; bend from the knees, not the waist
B) 32 lb; use good body mechanics
C) 35 lb; wear a support belt
D) 37 lb; use assistive lift devices

Question 15

One example of personal protective equipment (PPE)is the N95 respiratory mask.When is use of this respirator indicated?

A) To limit the spread of large-sized droplet secretions.
B) When working in the OR during smoke-generating procedures.
C) To protect the perioperative nurse from splashed of blood or other fluids.
D) Only if the OR does not have an exhaust ventilation system.

Question 16

Select the true statement that best explains the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)exposure control plan (ECP).

A) OSHA has developed the Hierarchy of Controls model, which protects the workplace from lawsuits stemming from worker injury from sharps and blood exposure.
B) The OSHA ECP is similar to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in that it protects the workplace from being exposed when a worker injury occurs that could harm the facility's reputation.
C) The OSHA ECP is designed to provide guidelines to control risks and protect workers from sharps injury and bloodborne pathogens.
D) The OSHA ECP is a materials management strategy to explore replacements for sharps and other healthcare devices that can cause sharps injury and blood exposure.

Question 17

Select the guideline that complements the design of the culture of safety model.

A) Take advantage of a personal injury event to learn about future prevention strategies.
B) Comply with those policies that fit your current practice.
C) Incorporate safe practices into your daily work when handling sharps.
D) Observe local, state, and federal regulations as they fit your current practice.

Question 18

If a staff person receives a needlestick injury,what is the first corrective action?

A) Immediately report to employee health, the emergency department (ED), or the designated facility.
B) Wash wound with soap and water; flush mucous membranes.
C) Alert the supervisor of the injury.
D) Undergo immediate testing; ensure confidentiality for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections.

Question 19

A nurse anesthesia provider has an allergy to latex.When she is at work,she always carries an epinephrine autoinjector and a beta-agonist inhaler.What type of latex allergy does she have?

A) Allergic contact dermatitis
B) Irritant contact dermatitis
C) Type I IgE-mediated hypersensitivity reaction
D) Combined-effect latex allergy

Question 20

What one factor contributes the most to the high incidence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)among surgical technologists and perioperative nurses?

A) Pulling a large, heavy piece of equipment rather than pushing it
B) The cumulative effect of repeated patient handling events
C) The growing high obesity rate and heavier patients and care providers
D) The cumulative effect of pushing, pulling, and carrying heavy instrument sets and rolling carts

Question 21

To prevent slips,trips and fall,pathways must be kept clear,particularly of low-profile equipment and cords.Keeping pathways clear is difficult in the OR,where multiple cables and cords are used in surgical procedures.Controls for cords and cables include:

A) bundling, taping, or braiding them.
B) taking care when routing across walking paths.
C) suspending them from the ceiling.
D) preplanning.
E) marking with a bright color or a taped X.

Question 22

Compassion fatigue (CF)may develop when a nurse feels overwhelmed with emotional challenges.Which of the following statements is true of compassion fatigue?

A) Nurses are especially vulnerable to compassion fatigue.
B) The terms burnout and compassion fatigue are interchangeable.
C) Compassion fatigue can be prevented and treated by the use of effective coping strategies.
D) Compassion fatigue is work setting focused.

Question 23

Exposure to surgical smoke may be harmful to anyone who is in the room.Hazards presented by exposure to surgical smoke may be reduced by:

A) wearing a surgical mask.
B) using a smoke evacuator at the request of the surgeon.
C) using a smoke evacuator during all procedures which generate smoke.
D) using a smoke evacuator during laser procedures.

Question 24

A new graduate perioperative nurse was consistently verbally criticized and teased by her preceptor.The ensuing stress caused her to make mistakes and contributed to lost time from work.She was experiencing:

A) unlawful discrimination.
B) physical violence.
C) horizontal violence.
D) psychological demise.

Question 25

Exposure to bloodborne pathogens occurs during all phases of the perioperative process,although cuts or needlestick injuries are more likely during the intraoperative phase.What factors increase the risk of a sharps injury?

A) Fatigue resulting from working extended hours
B) Double gloving
C) Intermittent use of the neutral zone
D) Use of sharp needles
E) Prolonged contact with open surgical sites