NPS Phlebotomy Practice Exam

Direct transmission means pathogens pass straight from one person to another through direct contact, such as touching a patient or their secretions, or touching contaminated skin or mucous membranes, without an intermediate object or organism. If gloves aren’t used and hands aren’t washed, the healthcare worker’s skin or contaminated hands become the direct bridge for transferring organisms to another person or surface. This is different from indirect transmission, which involves an intermediary object (like a doorknob or a contaminated instrument), vehicle transmission through contaminated food or water, or vector transmission by a living carrier such as a mosquito. The scenario described fits direct transmission because the infection moves directly without an intermediate carrier when proper hand hygiene and gloving aren’t used.