NHI Safety and Infection Control 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following actions helps prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs)?
- Irrigating the catheter daily with saline
- Keeping the drainage bag above the level of the bladder
- Maintaining a closed drainage system (Correct answer)
- Changing the catheter every 48 hours
Correct answer: Maintaining a closed drainage system
Maintaining a closed urinary drainage system prevents introduction of bacteria into the urinary tract and is the primary CAUTI prevention strategy.
Question 2: A patient with MRSA is being discharged. Which statement about MRSA transmission to household contacts is CORRECT?
- MRSA cannot survive on household surfaces
- Household members should avoid sharing personal items like towels and razors (Correct answer)
- No special precautions are needed at home
- MRSA is only contagious in the hospital
Correct answer: Household members should avoid sharing personal items like towels and razors
MRSA can colonize skin and survive on surfaces, so avoiding shared personal items reduces the risk of community transmission to household contacts.
Question 3: Which disinfection level is required for semicritical medical equipment such as laryngoscope blades?
- Low-level disinfection
- Intermediate-level disinfection
- High-level disinfection (Correct answer)
- Sterilization
Correct answer: High-level disinfection
Semicritical items that contact mucous membranes require high-level disinfection that kills all microorganisms except high numbers of bacterial spores.
Question 4: What is the purpose of a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS/SDS) in the healthcare setting?
- To document patient allergies to medications
- To provide information on hazardous chemical properties, handling, and emergency procedures (Correct answer)
- To track inventory of medical supplies
- To record sterilization cycle data
Correct answer: To provide information on hazardous chemical properties, handling, and emergency procedures
An SDS (Safety Data Sheet) provides essential information about chemical hazards, safe handling, storage, and emergency response for hazardous substances used in healthcare.
Question 5: When performing wound care using sterile technique, what should you do if you reach across the sterile field?
- Proceed quickly to minimize contamination time
- Stop and establish a new sterile field, as it is now contaminated (Correct answer)
- Cover the sterile field with a clean drape
- Use sterile gloves to reach across
Correct answer: Stop and establish a new sterile field, as it is now contaminated
Reaching across a sterile field is considered a break in sterile technique; the entire field must be discarded and a new one prepared.
Question 6: Which of the following is a primary goal of the CDC's 'Hand Hygiene in Healthcare Settings' guidelines?
- Eliminating the need for PPE
- Reducing healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial resistance (Correct answer)
- Replacing standard precautions with cleaner alternatives
- Decreasing the use of alcohol-based products
Correct answer: Reducing healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial resistance
The CDC hand hygiene guidelines aim to reduce the burden of HAIs and combat antimicrobial resistance by improving compliance with hand hygiene practices.
Question 7: A healthcare worker notices a torn glove while performing a blood draw. What is the CORRECT response?
- Continue with the procedure and change gloves afterward
- Apply a second glove over the torn one immediately
- Stop the procedure, remove the torn glove, perform hand hygiene, and apply a new glove (Correct answer)
- Double-glove for the remainder of the procedure without stopping
Correct answer: Stop the procedure, remove the torn glove, perform hand hygiene, and apply a new glove
A torn glove provides no barrier protection; the worker must stop, remove the compromised glove, perform hand hygiene, and don a new glove before continuing.
NHI Safety and Infection Control 5
Which of the following actions helps prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs)?