Infection Control Flashcards

Which patient is at highest risk for developing a healthcare-associated infection (HAI)?

Answer: A 70-year-old diabetic with a urinary catheter and central line

Elderly, immunocompromised patients with invasive devices (catheter, central line) carry the highest cumulative HAI risk.

Protective (reverse) isolation is used for which patient population?

Answer: Severely immunocompromised patients such as bone marrow transplant recipients

Protective isolation shields highly immunocompromised patients from environmental organisms that a normal immune system would easily handle.

The chain of infection includes six links. Which link does hand hygiene primarily break?

Answer: Mode of transmission

Hand hygiene interrupts the mode of transmission by removing pathogens from the hands before they can reach a new host.

A patient develops a fever, purulent drainage, and erythema at a central line insertion site 72 hours post-placement. This most likely indicates:

Answer: Central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI)

Signs of local infection at a central line site appearing 72 hours after insertion are consistent with CLABSI until proven otherwise.

When using soap and water for hand hygiene, the minimum recommended scrub time is:

Answer: 20 seconds

CDC guidelines recommend scrubbing all surfaces of the hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

A nurse notices a co-worker skip hand hygiene before entering a patient's room. The best response is to:

Answer: Politely remind the co-worker to perform hand hygiene

A direct, respectful reminder is the most effective immediate intervention and is consistent with a culture of safety.

Which of the following reusable medical equipment requires high-level disinfection (HLD) before reuse?

Answer: Flexible endoscopes

Flexible endoscopes contact mucous membranes and are classified as semi-critical devices requiring high-level disinfection per the Spaulding classification.