Deck 13: Infection Control in Healthcare Facilities

Question 1

If a patient becomes infected via an instrument which had been contaminated when used on another patient,the route of transmission is termed

A)common vehicle transmission.
B)direct contact transmission.
C)indirect contact transmission.
D)hospital-acquired transmission.
E)non-compliance transmission.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

The presence and growth of bacteria on the skin or mucous membranes without causing disease is called

A)contamination.
B)colonisation.
C)infection.
D)latency.
E)opportunism.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

The proportion of hospitalised people in developed countries who have an infection at any one time is around

A)0)1 to 0.9%.
B)1 to 3%.
C)7 to 12%.
D)20 to 30%.
E)none of the above,because hospital infection is very rare.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

A nosocomial infection is one which is

A)caused by the normal microbiota of the nose.
B)incubating in a patient at the time of their admission to hospital.
C)acquired while in a healthcare facility.
D)present in a patient at the time of hospitalisation.
E)readily treated with antibiotics.

Question 5

Which of the following statements is TRUE concerning methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)?

A)It is resistant to methicillin but not to other drugs.
B)Only healthcare workers carry this organism.
C)It is only found in hospitals with poor infection control practices.
D)It causes infections in hospitals and in the community.
E)All of the above.

Question 6

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

A)is commonly found in moist areas in the hospital environment.
B)often causes burns wound infections.
C)often causes infections in patients with cystic fibrosis.
D)is naturally resistant to some antibiotics and disinfectants.
E)all of the above.

Question 7

Which of the following are the most common causes of hospital-acquired infections?

A)Blood-borne viruses.
B)Bacteria.
C)Fungi.
D)Gastrointestinal viruses.
E)Candida.

Question 8

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)most commonly colonises

A)the bladder.
B)the liver.
C)the nose.
D)the lungs.
E)all of the above.

Question 9

Which of the following is NOT an exogenous source of hospital-acquired infection?

A)Other patients.
B)The patient's own microbiota.
C)The hospital environment.
D)A contaminated fluid for injection.
E)The hands of staff.

Question 10

Which body site is most commonly associated with a hospital-acquired infection?

A)Urinary tract.
B)Surgical site.
C)Lower respiratory tract.
D)Skin.
E)Wound.

Question 11

There is a high incidence of infection in hospitals because

A)many medical procedures breach the patient's external barriers.
B)many patients in hospitals have lowered body defences.
C)there are many sources of pathogenic organisms in hospitals.
D)many patients are immunocompromised in some way.
E)all of the above.

Question 12

Which of the following organisms is usually transmitted by droplet transmission?

A)Staphylococcus aureus.
B)Escherichia coli.
C)Norovirus.
D)Influenza virus.
E)Candida albicans.

Question 13

The physician who demonstrated in the 19th century that hand disinfection significantly reduced infection rates in a hospital was

A)Oliver Wendell Holmes.
B)Ignaz Semmelweis.
C)James Simpson.
D)Joseph Lister.
E)Robert Koch.

Question 14

Which of the following most often predisposes hospitalised patients to urinary tract infections?

A)Urinary catheterisation.
B)Antibiotic therapy.
C)Frequent bedpan use.
D)Immunosuppressive therapy.
E)Diabetes.

Question 15

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci

A)are resistant to vancomycin but not to other drugs.
B)most often cause infections in healthy people.
C)can cause surgical wound infections.
D)don't survive well in the hospital environment.
E)all of the above.

Question 16

Which of the following Gram-negative bacteria is frequently associated with hospital-acquired infections?

A)Escherichia coli.
B)Klebsiella.
C)Enterobacter.
D)Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
E)All of the above.

Question 17

Which of the following opportunistic organisms can cause diarrhoea or a pseudomembranous colitis following broad spectrum antibiotic therapy?

A)E)coli.
B)Streptococcus pyogenes.
C)Candida albicans.
D)Clostridium difficile.
E)Vancomycin-resistant enterococci.

Question 18

An example of an endogenous infection would be a(n)

A)infection of a surgical wound with organisms from another patient.
B)lung infection in which the causative organisms are inhaled.
C)cystitis caused by organisms from the person's own gastrointestinal tract.
D)infection which relates to some genetic abnormality.
E)all of the above.

Question 19

A superbug is a microorganism which

A)has a high degree of virulence.
B)is better at causing disease.
C)is only found in hospitals.
D)is able to mutate very quickly.
E)is resistant to multiple types of antibiotics.

Question 20

Which of the following is a common type of hospital-acquired infection?

A)Urinary tract infection.
B)Surgical wound infection.
C)Lower respiratory tract infection.
D)Wound infection.
E)All of the above.

Question 21

Aseptic no touch technique

A)requires that no part of the patient's body is touched under any circumstances.
B)requires that equipment can only be touched after performing hand hygiene.
C)should be observed when inserting a urinary catheter.
D)emphasises the proper disposal of contaminated waste.
E)all of the above.

Question 22

Hand hygiene should be practised

A)before touching a patient.
B)after touching a patient.
C)before undertaking a procedure on a patient.
D)after touching a patient's surroundings.
E)all of the above.

Question 23

Which of the following terms means the absence of all disease-producing microorganisms?

A)Disinfection.
B)Antisepsis.
C)Barrier nursing.
D)Asepsis.
E)Sanitisation.

Question 24

Which of the following treatments would lower a person's resistance to infection?

A)Cytotoxic drugs.
B)Radiotherapy.
C)Immunosuppressive drugs.
D)Corticosteroids.
E)All of the above.

Question 25

Sterile gloves should be used when

A)taking a patient's blood pressure.
B)assisting a patient to walk to the toilet.
C)inserting a urinary catheter.
D)taking a patient's temperature.
E)all of the above.

Question 26

Infections that result from medical procedures are called

A)iatrogenic.
B)induced.
C)opportunistic.
D)contagious.
E)endogenous.

Question 27

In which of the following areas of a hospital are patients at a high risk of infection?

A)The burns unit.
B)An intensive care unit.
C)A transplant unit.
D)An oncology ward.
E)All of the above.

Question 28

Which of the following is FALSE? Standard Precautions

A)are the first line of approach to infection control.
B)stress the importance of hand hygiene.
C)include the appropriate use of personal protective equipment by staff.
D)are only followed for symptomatic patients.
E)are followed regardless of a patient's infectious status.

Question 29

Which of the following tends to have the highest incidence of healthcare associated infections?

A)Large public hospitals.
B)Small public hospitals.
C)Small private hospitals.
D)Aged-care facilities.
E)Dental surgeries.

Question 30

Transmission-based Precautions should be used for patients who

A)have hepatitis C.
B)are suffering from malaria.
C)have HIV.
D)are suspected of having TB.
E)all of the above.

Question 31

Alcohol-based handrubs (ABHR)are more effective than soap-and-water handwashing at achieving hand hygiene in the hospital because ABHR

A)require less time.
B)cause less skin irritation.
C)can be made available at point of care.
D)achieve a better reduction in bacterial numbers.
E)all of the above.

Question 32

Which of the following infections would NOT be classed as iatrogenic?

A)Urinary tract infection following catheterisation.
B)Influenza acquired in hospital.
C)Septicaemia after insertion of an IV cannula.
D)Bacterial abscess following epidural anaesthetic.
E)Pneumonia following tracheostomy.

Question 33

If a patient is diagnosed with tuberculosis,which infection control procedures should be observed?

A)Standard Precautions.
B)Airborne precautions.
C)Droplet precautions.
D)Standard Precautions and airborne precautions.
E)Standard Precautions and contact precautions.

Question 34

The organism that most often causes septicaemia associated with an intravenous catheter is

A)Escherichia coli.
B)Staphylococcus epidermidis.
C)Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
D)hepatitis B virus.
E)none of the above because an intravenous catheter is sterile.

Question 35

Standard Precautions are followed in hospitals because

A)most patients in hospitals are not a source of disease.
B)hospitals are extremely clean and thus special precautions are not required.
C)antibiotics cure most infections and so they are readily treated.
D)infectious patients do not always have obvious signs and symptoms.
E)it is important for patient care to be standardised.

Question 36

Standard Precautions are recommended for the handling of

A)blood.
B)saliva.
C)broken skin.
D)mucous membranes.
E)all of the above.

Question 37

Which of the following would NOT be regarded as an iatrogenic infection?

A)Surgical wound infection.
B)Infection of a burn site.
C)Infection of a catheter insertion site.
D)Lung infection associated with a tracheostomy.
E)Brain abscess following neurosurgery.

Question 38

If a patient is known to have a wound infection caused by MRSA,which infection control procedures should be observed?

A)Standard Precautions only.
B)Standard Precautions and droplet precautions.
C)Standard Precautions and contact precautions.
D)Airborne precautions.
E)Droplet precautions.

Question 39

Which of the following would help reduce the rate of surgical wound infection?

A)Reducing the patient's preoperative stay in hospital.
B)Use of filtered air in the operating suite.
C)Use of prophylactic antibiotics.
D)Surgical scrubbing before gloving.
E)All of the above.

Question 40

Transmission-based Precautions

A)replace Standard Precautions when certain diseases are known to be present.
B)replace Standard Precautions when certain diseases are suspected to be present.
C)are rarely necessary in large,metropolitan hospitals.
D)should be applied whenever a patient has any infection.
E)include contact,droplet and airborne precautions.