GAMSAT Safety and Infection Control 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A nurse prepares to insert a urinary catheter. Which action best reduces the risk of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI)?
- Use a closed drainage system and maintain the bag below bladder level (Correct answer)
- Irrigate the catheter daily with normal saline
- Change the catheter every 48 hours regardless of necessity
- Apply antibiotic ointment to the catheter insertion site daily
Correct answer: Use a closed drainage system and maintain the bag below bladder level
Closed drainage systems with dependent positioning prevent retrograde bacterial contamination.
Question 2: Which transmission-based precaution category is required for a patient diagnosed with active pulmonary tuberculosis?
- Contact precautions
- Droplet precautions
- Airborne precautions (Correct answer)
- Standard precautions only
Correct answer: Airborne precautions
Mycobacterium tuberculosis spreads via airborne droplet nuclei (<5 µm) requiring negative-pressure isolation and N95 respirators.
Question 3: A healthcare worker sustains a needlestick from a patient known to be HIV-positive. What is the recommended first step?
- Immediately begin post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)
- Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water (Correct answer)
- Apply a tourniquet above the wound site
- Draw blood for baseline HIV testing before any other action
Correct answer: Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water
The first step is thorough wound washing with soap and water to reduce inoculum before any reporting or prophylaxis.
Question 4: Which of the following best describes the purpose of a safety data sheet (SDS) in a healthcare environment?
- Documents patient adverse drug reactions
- Provides information on hazardous chemical properties, handling, and emergency measures (Correct answer)
- Records equipment maintenance schedules
- Lists employee vaccination requirements
Correct answer: Provides information on hazardous chemical properties, handling, and emergency measures
SDS (formerly MSDS) documents chemical hazards, safe handling procedures, PPE requirements, and emergency response.
Question 5: A patient on contact precautions requires transport to radiology. Which measure is most important during transport?
- The transporter must wear full PPE throughout the facility
- The patient should wear a clean gown and the wound covered before leaving the room (Correct answer)
- Transport should be postponed until the patient is no longer infectious
- The radiology suite must be terminally cleaned before use
Correct answer: The patient should wear a clean gown and the wound covered before leaving the room
Covering wounds and dressing the patient limits environmental contamination during necessary transport outside isolation.
Question 6: In the chain of infection, which element does hand hygiene most directly interrupt?
- Susceptible host
- Reservoir
- Mode of transmission (Correct answer)
- Portal of entry
Correct answer: Mode of transmission
Hand hygiene removes pathogens from hands, directly interrupting the contact transmission route between reservoir and host.
Question 7: Which sterilization method is most appropriate for heat-sensitive endoscopes?
- Autoclaving at 121°C
- Dry heat sterilization at 160°C
- Ethylene oxide (ETO) gas sterilization (Correct answer)
- Boiling in water for 10 minutes
Correct answer: Ethylene oxide (ETO) gas sterilization
ETO sterilization effectively sterilizes heat- and moisture-sensitive instruments at low temperatures without causing damage.
GAMSAT Safety and Infection Control 2
A nurse prepares to insert a urinary catheter.
Which action best reduces the risk of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI)?