CBIC Test 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which calculation correctly expresses a central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) rate per NHSN methodology?
- (Number of CLABSIs / Number of admissions) × 1,000
- (Number of CLABSIs / Number of central line days) × 1,000 (Correct answer)
- (Number of CLABSIs / Number of patient days) × 100
- (Number of CLABSIs / Number of central lines inserted) × 100
Correct answer: (Number of CLABSIs / Number of central line days) × 1,000
NHSN expresses CLABSI rates as the number of CLABSIs per 1,000 central line days to account for the duration of device use.
Question 2: An infection preventionist receives a report of increased Acinetobacter baumannii infections in the ICU. Which infection control measure is the highest priority?
- Initiate contact precautions for all colonized and infected patients (Correct answer)
- Begin prophylactic antibiotics for all ICU patients
- Transfer all affected patients to a long-term care facility
- Restrict family visitation to the ICU
Correct answer: Initiate contact precautions for all colonized and infected patients
Contact precautions for all colonized or infected patients are the priority intervention to prevent horizontal transmission of Acinetobacter baumannii.
Question 3: Which element of a surveillance program ensures that data reflect actual infection events and are not inflated by case misclassification?
- Sensitivity analysis
- Specificity and positive predictive value of case definitions (Correct answer)
- Use of administrative billing codes alone
- Random sampling of medical records
Correct answer: Specificity and positive predictive value of case definitions
Applying standardized case definitions with high specificity and positive predictive value ensures surveillance data accurately represent true infection events.
Question 4: Which occupational health measure is the primary strategy for preventing healthcare worker influenza transmission to vulnerable patients?
- Annual influenza vaccination of healthcare personnel (Correct answer)
- Universal masking of patients during influenza season
- Prophylactic antiviral medication for all staff
- Restricting visitors during peak influenza season only
Correct answer: Annual influenza vaccination of healthcare personnel
Annual influenza vaccination of healthcare personnel is the primary evidence-based strategy for reducing transmission to high-risk patients.
Question 5: A quality improvement team wants to track CAUTI rates over time to detect trends. Which display format is most appropriate?
- Pie chart
- Bar chart comparing annual rates
- Statistical process control (SPC) run chart or control chart (Correct answer)
- Frequency histogram
Correct answer: Statistical process control (SPC) run chart or control chart
SPC run charts and control charts display data over time and use statistical rules to distinguish common-cause variation from special-cause (signal) variation.
Question 6: Cohorting of patients during a norovirus outbreak means:
- Placing all symptomatic patients in airborne isolation rooms
- Grouping ill patients together and assigning dedicated staff to care for them (Correct answer)
- Discharging all symptomatic patients to reduce transmission risk
- Transferring symptomatic patients to a designated outbreak hospital
Correct answer: Grouping ill patients together and assigning dedicated staff to care for them
Cohorting groups infected patients and assigns dedicated staff to minimize cross-transmission during outbreaks of highly contagious organisms like norovirus.
Question 7: Which action represents the most important step when a needlestick injury occurs to a healthcare worker?
- Immediately report the incident to the infection preventionist only
- Squeeze the wound to express blood, wash thoroughly with soap and water, and report immediately per facility protocol (Correct answer)
- Apply a tourniquet above the injury site to prevent systemic spread
- Wait 24 hours to observe for symptoms before reporting
Correct answer: Squeeze the wound to express blood, wash thoroughly with soap and water, and report immediately per facility protocol
Immediate first aid (washing with soap and water), followed by prompt reporting per facility protocol, ensures timely evaluation and post-exposure prophylaxis if indicated.
CBIC Test 5
Which calculation correctly expresses a central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) rate per NHSN methodology?