What is the hierarchy of controls for preventing needlestick injuries, and which measure provides the greatest protection?
Infection control in the ADC exam tests decision-making around exposure incidents, instrument classification, and decontamination protocols. This exam-level vignette tests your ability to work through clinical details and arrive at the correct management.
You are reviewing sharps safety protocols in your practice after an injury. What is the hierarchy of controls for preventing needlestick injuries, and which measure provides the greatest protection?
- A. Two-handed recapping is the recommended technique
- B. Staff training alone prevents all needlestick injuries
- C. Gloves prevent all needlestick injuries
- D. The hierarchy (most to least effective): (1) ELIMINATION
The only ADC prep platform where every answer is traced to the guideline source.
No invented explanations. No guesswork content. Every question mapped to Therapeutic Guidelines, Odell's, IADT, and more — so you study what the exam actually tests.
Score high, pay less.
Make your next practice session count. Explore five selected chapters in a 48-hour trial, with an opportunity to earn up to 25% off through the trial challenge. Qualifying steps and deadlines apply.
Try Reviz on WhatsApp.
Explore selected chapters in a 48-hour trial. Account setup is required; continued access needs a paid plan.
Show the answer and cited explanation
The hierarchy (most to least effective): (1) ELIMINATION — avoid sharps where possible (use needleless systems for irrigation, jet injectors where available), (2) ENGINEERING CONTROLS — self-sheathing needles, safety-engineered devices, rigid sharps containers at point of use (this provides the greatest practical protection), (3) WORK PRACTICE CONTROLS — single-handed recapping technique (never two-handed), do not pass sharps hand-to-hand, always use a neutral zone/kidney dish for sharps transfer, never overfill sharps containers, (4) PPE — gloves (reduce inoculum volume by ~50% but do not prevent penetration). Training supports all levels but alone is the weakest intervention. Engineering controls are mandated by occupational health regulations
Exam preparation FAQ
Every answer, traced to the source.
Remy — the AI tutor inside Reviz — drills you on 7,000+ ADC-style cited questions with spaced repetition, on WhatsApp and the web.
Explore the Reviz trial