NCNZ Infection Control and Prevention 1 β Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the single most effective method for preventing the spread of healthcare-associated infections?
- Wearing gloves at all times during patient care
- Hand hygiene performed at the correct moments (Correct answer)
- Prophylactic antibiotic administration on admission
- Wearing a surgical mask throughout every shift
Correct answer: Hand hygiene performed at the correct moments
Hand hygiene is consistently identified as the most effective single intervention for preventing the transmission of healthcare-associated infections across all settings.
Question 2: Which organism is most commonly associated with healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in New Zealand hospital settings?
- Streptococcus pyogenes
- Staphylococcus aureus including MRSA (Correct answer)
- Mycobacterium tuberculosis
- Clostridium botulinum
Correct answer: Staphylococcus aureus including MRSA
Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), is among the most common causes of HAIs in New Zealand, particularly wound and bloodstream infections.
Question 3: According to standard precautions, when should a nurse wear gloves?
- Only when the patient has a documented infection
- When there is potential contact with blood, bodily fluids, or non-intact skin (Correct answer)
- At all times when physically present in the patient's room
- Only during invasive or surgical procedures
Correct answer: When there is potential contact with blood, bodily fluids, or non-intact skin
Standard precautions require gloves whenever there is potential contact with blood, bodily fluids, secretions, excretions, or non-intact skin, regardless of the patient's known infection status.
Question 4: What is the correct sequence for donning (putting on) personal protective equipment (PPE)?
- Gloves, gown, mask, eye protection
- Gown, mask or respirator, eye protection, gloves (Correct answer)
- Mask, gloves, gown, eye protection
- Eye protection, gown, gloves, mask
Correct answer: Gown, mask or respirator, eye protection, gloves
The correct donning order is gown first, then mask or respirator, followed by eye protection, and finally gloves, so that each layer is secured before the next is applied.
Question 5: A patient is diagnosed with Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) infection. Which hand hygiene approach is specifically required when caring for this patient?
- Alcohol-based hand rub alone is sufficient
- Soap and water hand washing is required (Correct answer)
- Either soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub is equally effective
- Antiseptic gel with chlorhexidine is required
Correct answer: Soap and water hand washing is required
C. difficile produces spores that are not inactivated by alcohol-based hand rubs, so soap and water hand washing is required to mechanically remove spores from the hands.
Question 6: The chain of infection has six links that must all be present for infection to occur. Which of the following is NOT one of the six links?
- Reservoir
- Portal of entry
- Immune response of the host (Correct answer)
- Susceptible host
Correct answer: Immune response of the host
The six links are: infectious agent, reservoir, portal of exit, mode of transmission, portal of entry, and susceptible host β the immune response is a host factor but not a link in the chain.
Question 7: Under New Zealand legislation, who is legally responsible for notifying specified infectious diseases to the Medical Officer of Health?
- Only designated infection control nurses in hospitals
- The patient or their next of kin
- Medical practitioners and laboratories (Correct answer)
- The Ministry of Health centrally
Correct answer: Medical practitioners and laboratories
Under the Health Act 1956 and the Epidemic Preparedness Act 2006, medical practitioners and laboratories are legally required to notify notifiable infectious diseases to the local Medical Officer of Health.
NCNZ Infection Control and Prevention 1
What is the single most effective method for preventing the spread of healthcare-associated infections?