CNHA Facility Operations and Safety 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A nursing facility's HVAC system fails during a summer heat wave. What is the administrator's immediate priority?
- Protect residents from heat-related illness by relocating them and notifying health authorities (Correct answer)
- File an insurance claim immediately
- Notify corporate leadership and wait for instructions
- Post a notice on the facility bulletin board
Correct answer: Protect residents from heat-related illness by relocating them and notifying health authorities
When environmental systems fail and residents are at risk, the administrator's immediate duty is to protect resident health and safety, which may include relocation and mandatory notification to state authorities.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes the role of preventive maintenance in a nursing facility?
- Scheduling regular inspections and repairs to prevent equipment failures that could harm residents or disrupt operations (Correct answer)
- Responding to equipment breakdowns only after they occur
- Outsourcing all maintenance tasks to reduce costs
- Conducting maintenance exclusively during state surveys
Correct answer: Scheduling regular inspections and repairs to prevent equipment failures that could harm residents or disrupt operations
Preventive maintenance involves proactive, scheduled upkeep of all facility equipment and systems to prevent failures, ensure safety, and maintain regulatory compliance.
Question 3: Under OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, nursing facilities must provide hepatitis B vaccination to which employees?
- All employees with occupational exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials (Correct answer)
- Only licensed nursing staff
- Employees who request it at personal cost
- Management and administrative staff only
Correct answer: All employees with occupational exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials
OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) requires employers to offer hepatitis B vaccination at no cost to all workers with potential occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens.
Question 4: What is the primary regulatory purpose of a nursing facility's Infection Prevention and Control Program?
- To investigate, control, and prevent infections among residents and staff (Correct answer)
- To track employee sick days for payroll purposes
- To meet accreditation standards only
- To monitor dietary department food safety exclusively
Correct answer: To investigate, control, and prevent infections among residents and staff
An Infection Prevention and Control Program is required by CMS to systematically identify, investigate, and reduce the risk of infections that affect residents and healthcare workers in the facility.
Question 5: A nursing home receives a vendor invoice for supplies not yet delivered. Under sound operational management, what should the administrator ensure?
- Payment is held until goods are received and verified against the purchase order (Correct answer)
- Payment is processed immediately to maintain vendor relationships
- The invoice is forwarded to the corporate office without review
- Staff who ordered the supplies approve payment without oversight
Correct answer: Payment is held until goods are received and verified against the purchase order
Sound fiscal operations require a three-way match—purchase order, receiving report, and invoice—before payment is authorized to prevent fraud and ensure goods are received.
Question 6: Which of the following is a key element of a nursing facility's disaster plan required by CMS?
- Documented procedures for shelter-in-place and evacuation scenarios (Correct answer)
- A social media communication strategy only
- Vendor contact lists for non-essential supplies
- A plan for employee vacation scheduling during emergencies
Correct answer: Documented procedures for shelter-in-place and evacuation scenarios
CMS emergency preparedness rules require facilities to have documented procedures for both shelter-in-place and evacuation, tested at least annually through exercises.
CNHA Facility Operations and Safety 2
A nursing facility's HVAC system fails during a summer heat wave.
What is the administrator's immediate priority?