NHI Safety and Infection Control 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following best describes 'surgical asepsis'?
- Reducing the number of microorganisms to a safe level
- Complete elimination of all microorganisms including spores (Correct answer)
- Cleaning surfaces with disinfectants
- Using standard precautions during all patient care
Correct answer: Complete elimination of all microorganisms including spores
Surgical asepsis (sterile technique) requires the complete elimination of all microorganisms and spores, unlike medical asepsis which only reduces their numbers.
Question 2: A healthcare worker is caring for a patient with scabies. Which type of precaution is indicated?
- Airborne precautions
- Droplet precautions
- Contact precautions (Correct answer)
- Standard precautions only
Correct answer: Contact precautions
Scabies is transmitted by direct skin-to-skin contact, so contact precautions including gown and gloves are required to prevent spread.
Question 3: What is the recommended minimum internal temperature for sterilization in an autoclave (steam sterilization)?
- 100°C (212°F)
- 121°C (250°F) (Correct answer)
- 160°C (320°F)
- 200°C (392°F)
Correct answer: 121°C (250°F)
Standard autoclave sterilization requires 121°C (250°F) at 15 psi for a minimum of 15–30 minutes to destroy all microorganisms including spores.
Question 4: Which of the following is NOT a reservoir for infectious agents?
- Humans
- Animals
- Environment (soil, water)
- Sterilized surgical instruments (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Sterilized surgical instruments
A properly sterilized instrument contains no viable microorganisms and therefore cannot serve as a reservoir for infection.
Question 5: When should gloves be changed during patient care?
- Only when visibly soiled
- Between tasks on the same patient when contamination risk changes (Correct answer)
- Only between different patients
- Every 30 minutes regardless of task
Correct answer: Between tasks on the same patient when contamination risk changes
Gloves should be changed between different tasks on the same patient when moving from a contaminated body site to a clean site to prevent cross-contamination.
Question 6: Which bloodborne pathogen has the highest risk of transmission after a needlestick injury?
- HIV
- Hepatitis C virus (HCV)
- Hepatitis B virus (HBV) (Correct answer)
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
Correct answer: Hepatitis B virus (HBV)
HBV has the highest transmission risk after needlestick injury at 6–30% for unvaccinated individuals, compared to approximately 1.8% for HCV and 0.3% for HIV.
Question 7: What does 'PPE' stand for in infection control?
- Patient Protection Equipment
- Personal Protective Equipment (Correct answer)
- Pathogen Prevention Essentials
- Protective Procedure Ensemble
Correct answer: Personal Protective Equipment
PPE stands for Personal Protective Equipment and includes gloves, gowns, masks, and eye protection used to protect healthcare workers from exposure to infectious agents.
NHI Safety and Infection Control 4
Which of the following best describes 'surgical asepsis'?