Clean Needle Technique (CNT) Written Practice Exam

Used acupuncture needles are single-use and must be treated as biohazard waste. After removal, they should be immediately placed into a puncture-resistant sharps container to prevent accidental needle-stick injuries and exposure to blood-borne pathogens. Do not recap, bend, or otherwise manipulate needles, as that increases the risk of puncturing your skin or someone else’s. Reusing needles after sterilization isn’t acceptable in practice because sterilization between patients isn’t reliable enough to guarantee safety, and sharing needles between patients poses direct infection risks. Letting needles sit on a tray or handling them in any way other than disposal after use also increases hazard. Following these steps protects both you and your patients and aligns with standard infection-control guidelines.