BHP Infection Control & Prevention 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The chain of infection model is used to understand disease transmission. Which link, if broken, would be most effective in preventing respiratory illness spread in a group therapy setting?
- Reservoir
- Portal of exit
- Mode of transmission (Correct answer)
- Susceptible host
Correct answer: Mode of transmission
Interrupting the mode of transmission (e.g., masking, ventilation, distancing) is typically the most practical intervention in group settings.
Question 2: According to CDC guidelines, which clients should be placed under droplet precautions in a behavioral health setting?
- Clients with varicella (chickenpox)
- Clients with influenza (Correct answer)
- Clients with C. diff
- Clients with HIV
Correct answer: Clients with influenza
Influenza spreads via respiratory droplets (>5 microns) and requires droplet precautions including surgical masks and private rooms when possible.
Question 3: A client in a residential behavioral health facility refuses to wash their hands before meals. The best response is to:
- Force the client to wash hands citing infection risk
- Document the refusal and allow the client to eat without handwashing
- Educate the client about hand hygiene benefits and offer alternatives like wipes (Correct answer)
- Isolate the client from other residents during mealtimes
Correct answer: Educate the client about hand hygiene benefits and offer alternatives like wipes
Respecting client autonomy while offering education and alternatives (like hand wipes) balances infection control with person-centered care.
Question 4: Which disinfectant level is appropriate for reprocessing non-critical items (items that contact intact skin only) in a behavioral health setting?
- Sterilization
- High-level disinfection
- Low-level disinfection (Correct answer)
- Intermediate-level disinfection
Correct answer: Low-level disinfection
Non-critical items (e.g., blood pressure cuffs) that contact only intact skin require low-level disinfection per the Spaulding classification.
Question 5: A behavioral health professional notices a colleague not performing hand hygiene after client contact. The best course of action is to:
- Ignore it to avoid workplace conflict
- Report it anonymously to administration only
- Politely remind the colleague of hand hygiene policy and model the behavior (Correct answer)
- Document it as a safety concern in the client's chart
Correct answer: Politely remind the colleague of hand hygiene policy and model the behavior
Peer-to-peer reminders are an evidence-based strategy for improving hand hygiene compliance and are part of a safety culture.
Question 6: What is the minimum recommended duration for performing hand hygiene with soap and water to effectively reduce microbial contamination?
- 5 seconds
- 10 seconds
- 20 seconds (Correct answer)
- 60 seconds
Correct answer: 20 seconds
The CDC recommends scrubbing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds to effectively reduce microbial load.
Question 7: In infection control, the term 'vector-borne transmission' refers to disease spread via:
- Contaminated water or food
- Living organisms such as mosquitoes or ticks (Correct answer)
- Direct person-to-person contact
- Airborne droplet nuclei
Correct answer: Living organisms such as mosquitoes or ticks
Vector-borne transmission involves living organisms (vectors) such as mosquitoes, ticks, or fleas that carry pathogens from one host to another.
BHP Infection Control & Prevention 3
The chain of infection model is used to understand disease transmission.
Which link, if broken, would be most effective in preventing respiratory illness spread in a group therapy setting?