CPCA Infection Control & Safety Procedures 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which body fluid is NOT typically considered a source of bloodborne pathogen transmission under Standard Precautions?
- Blood
- Semen
- Saliva with no visible blood (Correct answer)
- Cerebrospinal fluid
Correct answer: Saliva with no visible blood
Saliva without visible blood is not considered a significant source of HIV or HBV transmission under OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Standards.
Question 2: A client with active shingles (herpes zoster) has a rash that is not covered. What precautions are required?
- Standard precautions only
- Airborne precautions only
- Contact precautions only
- Both contact and airborne precautions (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Both contact and airborne precautions
Disseminated or uncovered shingles requires both contact precautions (direct contact with lesions) and airborne precautions (for susceptible individuals).
Question 3: The purpose of 'cohorting' clients in an outbreak situation is to:
- Group infected clients together to limit spread to uninfected individuals (Correct answer)
- Separate infected clients from each other to prevent re-infection
- Assign one aide exclusively to all clients regardless of infection status
- Move all clients to a single large room for easier monitoring
Correct answer: Group infected clients together to limit spread to uninfected individuals
Cohorting groups infected clients (and their dedicated staff) together to prevent transmission to non-infected clients.
Question 4: An aide is caring for a client who has influenza. The client asks the aide to open the window. From an infection control standpoint, this is:
- Contraindicated because cold air spreads influenza
- Beneficial because it increases ventilation and dilutes airborne particles (Correct answer)
- Irrelevant because influenza only spreads by contact
- Harmful because it dries out the mucous membranes
Correct answer: Beneficial because it increases ventilation and dilutes airborne particles
Improved ventilation dilutes the concentration of respiratory droplets and airborne particles, reducing transmission risk of influenza.
Question 5: When performing oral care on a client, which PPE should the aide wear at minimum?
- No PPE if the client does not have a known infection
- Gloves only
- Gloves and mask (Correct answer)
- Gown, gloves, mask, and eye protection
Correct answer: Gloves and mask
Oral care generates splatter of saliva and oral secretions, requiring gloves and a mask at minimum to protect the aide.
Question 6: Which of the following actions puts a client at risk for a urinary tract infection (UTI)?
- Encouraging fluid intake throughout the day
- Performing perineal care from front to back
- Leaving an indwelling catheter drainage bag on the floor (Correct answer)
- Emptying the catheter bag every shift
Correct answer: Leaving an indwelling catheter drainage bag on the floor
Placing the drainage bag on the floor allows backflow of urine and introduces environmental pathogens, significantly increasing UTI risk.
Question 7: A personal care aide who has been diagnosed with active tuberculosis (TB) should:
- Wear a surgical mask while working to protect clients
- Continue working with clients who are immunocompromised
- Be excluded from client care until cleared as non-infectious by a physician (Correct answer)
- Work only with clients who are also on TB treatment
Correct answer: Be excluded from client care until cleared as non-infectious by a physician
An aide with active TB must be excluded from all client care and cleared by a physician as non-infectious before returning to work.
CPCA Infection Control & Safety Procedures 5
Which body fluid is NOT typically considered a source of bloodborne pathogen transmission under Standard Precautions?