CHC CHC Infection Control & Interim Life Safety 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: During an ICRA, which factor MOST influences the risk classification tier assigned to a construction activity?
- Contractor workforce size
- Proximity to immunocompromised patient care areas (Correct answer)
- Project budget and duration
- Number of construction permits required
Correct answer: Proximity to immunocompromised patient care areas
Proximity to high-risk patient populations such as immunocompromised patients is the primary driver of ICRA risk classification.
Question 2: An ILSM requires that temporary smoke partitions be constructed within how many hours of a fire barrier being breached for non-emergency work?
- 1 hour
- 4 hours
- 8 hours (Correct answer)
- 24 hours
Correct answer: 8 hours
NFPA 101 and most facility ILSM policies require temporary smoke barriers to be in place within 8 hours of a fire barrier breach.
Question 3: Which organism is the PRIMARY airborne fungal pathogen concern in healthcare construction that can cause invasive infections in immunocompromised patients?
- Candida albicans
- Aspergillus fumigatus (Correct answer)
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Clostridium difficile
Correct answer: Aspergillus fumigatus
Aspergillus fumigatus is the leading cause of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in immunocompromised patients and is commonly aerosolized during construction.
Question 4: What is the purpose of a pre-construction walk-through with the Infection Preventionist (IP)?
- To negotiate contract pricing with the owner
- To identify ventilation, water, and patient-proximity risks before work begins (Correct answer)
- To train construction workers on clinical procedures
- To inspect completed work for punch-list items
Correct answer: To identify ventilation, water, and patient-proximity risks before work begins
The pre-construction walk-through allows the IP to identify infection risks specific to the site and establish appropriate mitigation measures before work starts.
Question 5: Under ILSM, when a required exit becomes temporarily unusable, the facility must ensure alternate exits are:
- Reduced by no more than 50% of total exits
- Posted only in the facility's safety manual
- Clearly marked, unobstructed, and communicated to all staff in the affected area (Correct answer)
- Locked to prevent unauthorized access
Correct answer: Clearly marked, unobstructed, and communicated to all staff in the affected area
ILSM requires that alternate exits be clearly identified, free of obstructions, and that staff in the affected areas are informed of the new egress routes.
Question 6: A contractor notices standing water has accumulated inside a construction enclosure over the weekend. The FIRST action should be to:
- Continue work and document the finding in the daily log
- Notify the healthcare facility's Infection Control and facilities team immediately (Correct answer)
- Apply bleach to the standing water and proceed
- Install additional HEPA filters in the enclosure
Correct answer: Notify the healthcare facility's Infection Control and facilities team immediately
Standing water is a high-risk condition for mold and Legionella growth and must be immediately reported to infection control and facilities for remediation before work resumes.
Question 7: Which type of construction activity typically requires the HIGHEST level of infection control precautions (Type D/Class IV)?
- Installing new light fixtures in an administrative office
- Painting walls in a patient corridor
- Major demolition adjacent to an occupied bone marrow transplant unit (Correct answer)
- Replacing ceiling tiles in an empty conference room
Correct answer: Major demolition adjacent to an occupied bone marrow transplant unit
Major demolition work in close proximity to highly vulnerable immunocompromised patient populations, such as bone marrow transplant units, requires the most stringent Class IV infection control measures.
CHC CHC Infection Control & Interim Life Safety 4
During an ICRA, which factor MOST influences the risk classification tier assigned to a construction activity?