Certified Healthcare Safety Professional (CHSP) Practice Exam

What type of materials does contaminated laundry typically include?

1. Regularly soiled items

2. Patient bedding and clothing only

3. Items with blood or infectious materials

4. Laboratory waste products

The correct answer is: Items with blood or infectious materials

Contaminated laundry typically includes items that have been in contact with blood or other infectious materials. This classification is essential for maintaining infection control standards in healthcare settings, as such items pose a significant risk of spreading pathogens. When soiled with body fluids, these textiles require special handling and processing to ensure they do not contribute to healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) or other types of contamination. Items defined as contaminated usually encompass surgical gowns, gloves, sheets used in patient care, and any other textile that may have been exposed to blood or bodily fluids. Proper identification and segregation of these materials are critical steps within the infection prevention protocols, which helps to protect both healthcare workers and patients. In contrast, the other options mainly describe laundry items that do not necessarily carry a high risk of infection. Regularly soiled items may not include biological hazards; patient bedding and clothing only focus on non-contaminated items; and laboratory waste products refer to materials deemed as hazardous but are not classified as laundry items. Therefore, understanding the definition and handling of contaminated laundry is vital for ensuring safety protocols in healthcare environments.