Cleaning, Decontamination and Disinfection is 21% of the scored CRCST exam. Answer 10 exam style questions on decontamination and PPE and see exactly which concepts would cost you points on test day.
Start the 10 questions →A technician is about to start manual cleaning at the decontamination sink. Which set of PPE is appropriate for this task?
These questions cover decontamination PPE, eye protection, donning order, hand hygiene and gloves. Each one shows the correct answer and why every other option is wrong, so a miss tells you exactly what to review before the CRCST.
Prefer to read first? Every question from the practice set above, with the correct answer and why each wrong option is wrong.
Answer: B. Decontamination involves splashes, sprays, and sharp contaminated items, so full PPE is required. This includes a fluid-resistant gown with sleeves, heavy-duty utility gloves, a face shield or goggles with a mask, a hair cover, and shoe covers. Each item blocks a specific route of exposure to blood and body fluids.
Why not A: Scrubs and thin exam gloves give no protection from splashes or punctures.
Why not C: A cloth coat absorbs fluid, and prescription glasses lack side protection.
Why not D: Sink splashes still reach the face, so eye, nose, and mouth protection cannot be skipped.
Exam tactic: Head to toe in decon: hair, face, body, hands, feet.
Answer: C. Regular eyeglasses do not seal around the eyes and leave the sides, top, and bottom open to splashes. Goggles or a full face shield must be worn over or in place of them. Mucous membranes of the eyes are a direct portal of entry for bloodborne pathogens.
Why not A: Shatterproof lenses protect from impact, not from fluid entering around the frames.
Why not B: A mask protects the nose and mouth but does nothing for the open sides of the glasses.
Why not D: Splashes happen at the sink, the hopper, and during sorting, not only at the ultrasonic.
Exam tactic: Glasses are not goggles. Gaps let splashes in.
Answer: D. The CDC sequence for putting on PPE is gown first, then mask or respirator, then goggles or face shield, and gloves last. Gloves go on last so their cuffs extend over the gown sleeves and the clean hands are not used to adjust other items after gloving.
Why not A: Putting gloves on first means the gloved hands touch and adjust every other item.
Why not B: Gloves before the gown cannot cover the gown cuffs.
Why not C: Gloves must be last, and the gown must come before the face protection.
Exam tactic: On: Gown, Mask, Goggles, Gloves. Gloves go on last.
Answer: C. When hands or skin are visibly soiled, soap and running water are required because alcohol rubs do not remove organic material. Alcohol-based rubs are acceptable when hands are not visibly soiled. Hand hygiene is performed after every glove removal.
Why not A: Alcohol rub does not remove visible soil and is not used when skin is visibly dirty.
Why not B: Surface disinfectant wipes are made for equipment, not for skin.
Why not D: Water alone does not remove soil and organisms effectively without soap.
Exam tactic: See it? Wash it with soap. Don't see it? Rub is fine.
Answer: D. A torn glove no longer protects the skin, so work stops. The technician removes the glove, washes her hands, checks for a cut or puncture, and puts on a new glove. If the skin was broken, it is treated and reported as an exposure following facility policy.
Why not A: Tape does not restore the barrier and delays checking for a possible injury.
Why not B: Covering the tear hides a possible puncture wound and contaminated skin underneath.
Why not C: Alcohol does not repair a breach in the glove or treat the skin beneath it.
Exam tactic: Torn glove = stop, strip, wash, check, report if skin broken.
Answer: A. Decontamination PPE is considered contaminated and must be removed before leaving the dirty area. Hand hygiene follows removal. Wearing soiled attire into prep and pack carries organisms into a clean area and breaks the dirty to clean separation.
Why not B: The gown is contaminated too, so keeping it on still carries soil into the clean area.
Why not C: Saving time never justifies bringing contaminated PPE into a clean area.
Why not D: Spraying a gown does not decontaminate it and the PPE still must be removed.
Exam tactic: Decon PPE stays in decon.
Answer: B. At point of use, gross soil is wiped off with a sponge moistened with sterile water, lumens are flushed with water when possible, and items are kept moist with a damp towel or an enzymatic product for transport. This prevents soil from drying and makes cleaning in decontamination effective.
Why not A: Saline contains chlorides that cause pitting and corrosion of stainless steel.
Why not C: Hot water coagulates blood proteins and bonds them to the instrument.
Why not D: Dried soil is much harder to remove and helps biofilm form.
Exam tactic: Point of use: wipe with water, never saline, and keep it moist.
Answer: B. Disposable sharps such as blades and needles are removed and placed in a sharps container by the user at point of use. Leaving them on trays exposes everyone down the line to puncture injuries. When a decontamination technician finds one, it is removed with an instrument, not fingers, and the event is reported.
Why not A: Decontamination staff handle stray sharps as an exception, but the duty belongs to the user.
Why not C: Transport staff do not open trays or sort sharps.
Why not D: Prep and pack receives clean items and should never see used disposable sharps.
Exam tactic: You use it, you dispose of it.
Answer: C. Never reach blindly into a sink or basin where sharps cannot be seen. Draining the sink or retrieving items with an instrument lets the technician see and handle sharp items safely. Puncture injuries in decontamination expose workers to bloodborne pathogens.
Why not A: Double gloves do not stop a blade or needle from puncturing the skin.
Why not B: Grabbing items after feeling around is still blind handling of hidden sharps.
Why not D: Extra detergent does not clear the water and wastes chemical.
Exam tactic: If you can't see the bottom, don't put your hand in.
Answer: C. Leaking soiled transport is a containment failure that exposes staff along the route. The cart is cleaned in decontamination, and the event is reported so liquids are emptied and items are contained correctly at point of use. Reporting turns a single incident into a process fix.
Why not A: Case carts are reusable after cleaning and disinfection in decontamination.
Why not B: Soiled carts are cleaned in the cart washer area, not sent back dirty.
Why not D: Keeping it informal means the cause is never corrected and the leak repeats.
Exam tactic: Clean the mess, then report the cause.
The free 20 question diagnostic covers all 7 areas of the CRCST outline and shows the 3 fixes worth the most points.
Take the free diagnosticSee all 32 CRCST practice topics →