Deck 14: Infection Prevention and Control

Question 1

A nurse is coaching a student on the proper method of applying surgical gloves.One step in the proper donning of sterile gloves requires the nurse to:

A) with thumb and first two fingers of nondominant hand, touch only the glove's outer surface.
B) with gloved dominant hand, slip fingers inside the second glove and pull onto the nondominant hand.
C) carefully pull the glove over the dominant hand, leaving a cuff and being sure the cuff rolls up over the wrist.
D) carefully pull the glove over the dominant hand, leaving a cuff and being sure the cuff does not roll up over the wrist.

Answer 1

carefully pull the glove over the dominant hand, leaving a cuff and being sure the cuff does not roll up over the wrist.

Question 2

The nurse and is very concerned about infection control in the Surgery Department.Recently she provided education to the surgery staff on ways to eliminate transient hand flora.The most precise description for this is hand:

A) hygiene.
B) washing.
C) antisepsis.
D) rub.

Answer 2

antisepsis.

Question 3

The nurse is working for a postsurgical unit.He is caring for four postsurgical patients,all of whom have been in the hospital for 3 days or more.Which of the following patients should he be most concerned about regarding a health care-associated infection?

A) An asymptomatic elderly patient with bacteria in his urine
B) A middle-aged woman with a white blood cell count of 10,000/mm3
C) A young adult woman who is 1 day postoperative with redness at incision site
D) A middle-aged man with temperature of 101.3° F and complaints of malaise

Answer 3

A middle-aged man with temperature of 101.3° F and complaints of malaise

Question 4

A patient with a history of poor nutrition and chronic illness is admitted to the medical unit.The nurse caring for this patient is preparing to provide the patient with a bed bath and recalls that normal body flora:

A) are only found on the skin surface.
B) are beneficially aided by the use of antibiotics.
C) are primary sources of infection when balanced.
D) help to maintain health.

Question 5

Standard precautions involve using personal protective equipment with all patients regardless of the presence of infections.Therefore when obtaining a blood sample,the nurse must wear:

A) a mask.
B) gloves.
C) gloves and a mask.
D) gloves, a mask, and a gown.

Question 6

A nurse is assigned to multiple patients on a busy surgical unit.To minimize the onset and spread of infection,the nurse should:

A) insert indwelling catheters to prevent incontinence.
B) use aseptic technique when performing procedures.
C) use barriers sparingly to reduce the patient's sense of isolation.
D) keep mucus membranes dry to prevent maceration.

Question 7

An emergency department nurse is caring for a patient with a laceration on the lower leg that has become infected.On assessment the nurse realizes that a sign of an inflammatory response consists of:

A) wound blanching.
B) coolness at the site of injury.
C) a vascular reaction that delivers fluid, blood, and nutrients to the area.
D) decreased pain sensation.

Question 8

A patient is admitted for treatment of a home-acquired pressure ulcer.The patient is incontinent of urine and has Alzheimer disease.A Foley catheter is inserted.The nurse recognizes that the best way to break the infection chain is to:

A) discontinue the Foley as soon as possible.
B) wear a mask when working with the patient if she or he has a cold.
C) wear sterile gloves if there is a chance of contact with blood.
D) use surgical asepsis when handling body fluids.

Question 9

A senior nursing student is working on a community health project for the local homeless shelter.There are several indigent men who come to the shelter in cold weather to sleep for the night.The student nurse knows that these men do not bathe on a regular basis.One of the men has been sick several times recently with skin infections.Which of the following is the best way for the student nurse to explain the importance of personal hygiene to this individual?

A) "You don't have to shower every day. You only need to take a shower when you feel like you're going to be sick."
B) "Take a shower. If you don't take a shower, you will continue to get sick."
C) "Showering regularly will remove germs that cause skin infections. What do you think we should do about these skin infections of yours?"
D) "Showering with warm water is enough to wash away bacteria. Soap is not needed if you don't like it."

Question 10

A nurse is concerned with the chain of infection when taking care of contaminated care items.Semicritical items that require disinfection include:

A) linens.
B) bedpans.
C) blood pressure cuffs.
D) gastrointestinal endoscopes.

Question 11

The student nurse caring for a postsurgical patient who has developed a health care-acquired wound infection that has become systemic.Which of the following should be the student nurse's top priority?

A) Providing emotional support
B) Managing vital signs
C) Providing patient education
D) Providing personal hygiene

Question 12

The nurse has had a nasal culture performed and has been found to be MRSA positive.Because the nurse has not been ill from the bacteria,the nurse's nasal cavity can best be described as a:

A) susceptible host.
B) reservoir.
C) portal of entry.
D) mode of transmission.

Question 13

There was an outbreak of Salmonella poisoning at a nursing home.Several residents were hospitalized as a result of their infections.What is the best term to describe this infection?

A) Exogenous infection
B) Endogenous infection
C) Community-acquired infection
D) Asepsis

Question 14

The nursing assistive personnel (NAP)is working on a busy pediatric unit in a hospital.She has a cut on her hand that has not been kept covered.It hurts her to wash her hands or sanitize them,so she has been providing patient care without performing hand hygiene.Several of the patients on the pediatric unit have suffered hospital-associated infections of rotavirus.This was thought to be a result of the NAP's lack of hand hygiene.This type of disease transmission can best be described as:

A) indirect.
B) natural active immunity.
C) direct.
D) natural passive immunity.

Question 15

The nurse has noticed slight redness when washing her hands.She is concerned about developing a latex allergy.To prevent this,the nurse should:

A) wear only powdered gloves to help protect her skin.
B) wear gloves constantly to decrease the number of handwashings.
C) apply only oil-based hand care products to her hands.
D) report to employee health services and/or seek immediate medical care.

Question 16

An 89-year-old patient who lives in a nursing home has been admitted to the hospital for observation after falling,and is exhibiting confusion and malaise in the nursing home.He had a urinary catheter inserted 2 weeks ago when he complained of difficulty urinating.Lab work was ordered and the nurse notes that his neutrophil count is elevated.She knows that this,combined with the other clinical signs and symptoms,most likely indicates what condition?

A) Tuberculosis
B) Parasitic infection
C) Acute bacterial infection
D) Viral infection

Question 17

Which of the following situations is most likely to contribute to a health care-acquired infection?

A) A closed urinary drainage system
B) Use of aseptic technique during dressing changes
C) Foley catheter drainage bag touching the floor
D) Changing IV access site when site is red and warm

Question 18

A nursing student is working on a surgical unit in the hospital.Included in her job description is to assist in the cleaning and disinfection of equipment stored on the unit.Which of the following is the best explanation of disinfection?

A) Removing organic material
B) Removing inorganic material
C) Eliminating almost all pathogenic organisms
D) Destroying all forms of microbial life

Question 19

The student nurse who is developing a plan of care for a postoperative patient who underwent abdominal surgery to remove a tumor.The student has chosen Risk for Infection as a nursing diagnosis.Which of the following is the most appropriate goal for this diagnosis?

A) The patient's wound drainage will decrease in 2 days.
B) The patient will report decrease in incisional pain by discharge.
C) The progression of infection will be controlled or decreased.
D) The patient will describe signs/symptoms of wound infection.

Question 20

The infection control nurse is presenting an in-service presentation on infection prevention and control.A participating nurse identifies what patient as most susceptible to acquiring an infection?

A) An 81-year-old patient with a fractured hip
B) A 10-month-old patient with a first-degree burned hand
C) A 40-year-old patient with a recent uncomplicated laparoscopic cholecystectomy
D) A 16-year-old athlete with a repair of the medial collateral ligament

Question 21

The nurse is admitting a patient with a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)infection isolated in his stage III pressure ulcer.The nurse places the patient on:

A) contact precautions.
B) airborne precautions.
C) droplet precautions.
D) protective environment.

Question 22

A nurse sets up a sterile field.A break in the sterile field occurs when the nurse does which of the following? (Select all that apply.)

A) Drops a sterile capped needle onto the sterile field
B) Spills solution onto the sterile field
C) Keeps the top of the table above waist level
D) Keeps sterile objects within a 1-inch border of the field