CBIC Hand Hygiene 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Surgical hand antisepsis differs from routine hand hygiene primarily in that it:
- Uses plain soap instead of antimicrobial soap
- Requires a longer scrub to eliminate transient and reduce resident flora (Correct answer)
- Is performed only before inserting a central line
- Is limited to alcohol-based products
Correct answer: Requires a longer scrub to eliminate transient and reduce resident flora
Surgical hand antisepsis aims to eliminate transient flora and reduce resident flora for an extended period to prevent surgical site infection.
Question 2: A healthcare worker notices artificial fingernails among OR staff. The infection preventionist should intervene because artificial nails:
- Are prohibited only for nurses, not surgeons
- Harbor more gram-negative organisms and yeast than natural nails (Correct answer)
- Are acceptable if trimmed to 0.25 inches
- Reduce compliance with hand rub protocols
Correct answer: Harbor more gram-negative organisms and yeast than natural nails
Studies show artificial nails harbor significantly more pathogens including gram-negative bacteria and yeast compared to natural nails.
Question 3: Which component of WHO Multimodal Hand Hygiene Improvement Strategy focuses on training and education?
- System change
- Evaluation and feedback
- Training and education (Correct answer)
- Reminders in the workplace
Correct answer: Training and education
The 'Training and education' component provides staff with knowledge of hand hygiene indications and correct technique.
Question 4: Which pathogen transmission route is MOST directly interrupted by appropriate hand hygiene?
- Airborne transmission
- Droplet transmission
- Contact transmission (Correct answer)
- Vector-borne transmission
Correct answer: Contact transmission
Hand hygiene primarily interrupts contact (direct and indirect) transmission, the most common route of healthcare-associated infections.
Question 5: A patient on contact precautions is being transferred to another unit. Which hand hygiene action is most appropriate for the transporting staff upon arrival at the new unit?
- No hand hygiene needed if gloves were worn
- Hand hygiene after removing gloves and gown (Correct answer)
- Hand hygiene only if hands appear soiled
- Hand hygiene before leaving the original room only
Correct answer: Hand hygiene after removing gloves and gown
Hand hygiene must be performed after removing PPE, including gloves and gown, to prevent self-contamination and cross-transmission.
Question 6: Product placement studies show hand hygiene compliance improves most when alcohol-based hand rub dispensers are located:
- At the nursing station
- At the point of care within arm's reach (Correct answer)
- At the room entrance/exit only
- In the hallway outside each patient room
Correct answer: At the point of care within arm's reach
Point-of-care placement within arm's reach is strongly associated with improved compliance by reducing time and effort barriers.
Question 7: How long should plain soap and water handwashing last according to CDC recommendations?
- 10 seconds
- 20 seconds (Correct answer)
- 45 seconds
- 60 seconds
Correct answer: 20 seconds
CDC recommends lathering and scrubbing all hand surfaces for at least 20 seconds before rinsing.
CBIC Hand Hygiene 3
Surgical hand antisepsis differs from routine hand hygiene primarily in that it: