OSCE Safety and Infection Control 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A tuberculosis (TB) patient requires transport for a chest X-ray. Which measure is MOST important during transport?
- The patient wears a surgical mask
- The transporter wears an N95 respirator
- The patient wears an N95 respirator (Correct answer)
- Both patient and transporter wear N95 respirators
Correct answer: The patient wears an N95 respirator
The patient with TB should wear a surgical mask during transport to contain respiratory droplet nuclei at the source.
Question 2: Which of the following is classified as a 'high-level disinfection' process?
- Autoclaving surgical instruments
- Soaking flexible endoscopes in glutaraldehyde (Correct answer)
- Wiping surfaces with 70% isopropyl alcohol
- Using quaternary ammonium spray on bed rails
Correct answer: Soaking flexible endoscopes in glutaraldehyde
High-level disinfection with glutaraldehyde kills all microorganisms except high numbers of bacterial spores and is used for semi-critical items like endoscopes.
Question 3: A patient is placed on airborne precautions. The room should have which air-handling characteristic?
- Positive pressure ventilation
- Neutral air pressure
- Negative pressure with at least 6-12 air exchanges per hour (Correct answer)
- Recirculated air with HEPA filtration only
Correct answer: Negative pressure with at least 6-12 air exchanges per hour
Airborne infection isolation rooms require negative pressure with 6-12 air changes per hour to prevent pathogen spread to hallways.
Question 4: Which situation requires the use of an N95 respirator rather than a standard surgical mask?
- Caring for a patient with influenza
- Performing a bronchoscopy on any patient
- Entering the room of a patient with varicella (Correct answer)
- Changing the dressing of a surgical wound
Correct answer: Entering the room of a patient with varicella
Varicella (chickenpox) spreads via airborne droplet nuclei, requiring an N95 respirator for adequate protection.
Question 5: A sharp contaminated with blood is ready for disposal. Where should it be discarded?
- Double-bagged red biohazard bag
- Puncture-resistant sharps container at point of use (Correct answer)
- Covered waste bin lined with a red bag
- Standard trash if recapped properly
Correct answer: Puncture-resistant sharps container at point of use
Sharps must be discarded immediately into a puncture-resistant, leak-proof sharps container located at the point of use to prevent needlestick injuries.
Question 6: What does the term 'surgical asepsis' mean in clinical practice?
- Reducing the number of microorganisms to a safe level
- Eliminating all microorganisms, including spores, from an area or item (Correct answer)
- Using gloves and mask for all patient care
- Keeping instruments clean with detergent washing
Correct answer: Eliminating all microorganisms, including spores, from an area or item
Surgical asepsis (sterile technique) involves eliminating all microorganisms and their spores from a specific area or object.
Question 7: Which of the following is a key principle of the 'chain of infection' that healthcare workers can most readily break?
- The pathogen's virulence
- The susceptible host's immune status
- The mode of transmission (Correct answer)
- The infectious agent's reservoir
Correct answer: The mode of transmission
Healthcare workers most effectively break the chain of infection by interrupting modes of transmission through hand hygiene, PPE, and isolation precautions.
OSCE Safety and Infection Control 3
A tuberculosis (TB) patient requires transport for a chest X-ray.
Which measure is MOST important during transport?