Certified Medical Assistant (CMA AAMA)Safety and Infection ControlEasy
A medical assistant is preparing to dispose of a contaminated bandage from a patient's wound. According to OSHA regulations, which of the following is the correct disposal method for this type of waste?
- ARinse the bandage with disinfectant and then place in a regular trash
- BPlace in a regular trash can lined with a plastic bag
- CIncinerate the bandage immediately after removal
- DPlace in a biohazard bag (red bag) for regulated medical waste
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Place in a biohazard bag (red bag) for regulated medical waste
Contaminated bandages saturated with blood or other potentially infectious materials are classified as regulated medical waste by OSHA and must be placed in a biohazard bag for proper disposal.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Rinsing a contaminated bandage is unsafe as it could aerosolize pathogens and still leaves infectious material for regular disposal.
- B. Regular trash is only for non-infectious waste; contaminated bandages pose an infectious risk.
- C. Incineration is a method of final disposal, but it's not the immediate step a medical assistant would take for a single bandage.
Disposal of Contaminated Bandages
Bandages saturated with blood or other potentially infectious materials (OPIM) are regulated medical waste and must be placed in a biohazard bag for proper disposal.
- Saturated with blood/OPIM.
- Regulated medical waste.
- Disposed of in biohazard (red) bags.
Memory trick: Bloody Bandage? Biohazard Bag it!