Patient Care Technician Certification (PCTC) AMCA Practice Exam

What should be done with instruments that touch ONLY healthy intact skin?

1. Discarded

2. Sterilized

3. Sanitized

4. Disinfected

The correct answer is: Sanitized

Instruments that only come into contact with healthy, intact skin do not require the same level of processing as those that interact with mucous membranes or breaks in the skin. Sanitization is the appropriate method for treating these instruments because it effectively reduces the number of microorganisms to a safe level without the need for extensive sterilization. Sanitization typically involves cleaning the instruments with soap and water or using a chemical sanitizer, which removes dirt and lowers microbial counts. This process is sufficient for items that touch the skin as long as the skin is not compromised, making it a practical and efficient choice in a healthcare setting. Sterilizing the instruments would be excessive in this case since it involves eliminating all forms of microbial life, including spores, which is unnecessary for interactions with healthy skin. Similarly, discarding the instruments isn't practical or efficient when they are safe for reuse, and disinfecting is reserved for tools that require a higher level of microbial control due to exposure to more vulnerable areas of the body.