HYGIENE: QUIZ II
Hygiene and Infection Control
1. By age 70, how much does normal lung capacity diminish by?
a. 10 percent b. 20 percent c. 30 percent d. 40 percent e. 50 percent
2. What are some of the consequences of healthcare-associated infections?
a. Increased levels of anxiety and distress for affected patients and their families b. Increased patient hospitalization and associated costs c. Fewer hospital beds for other patients d. Increased costs associated with litigation, protective equipment and cleaning e. All of these are serious consequences
3. Which of the following are general factors that can increase the risk of infection in older people in community and hospital settings?
a. Medication, including antibiotics b. Growth of antibiotic-resistant organisms c. Lack of isolation or cohort nursing facilities d. Poor standards of hygiene and cleanliness e. All of these are general risk factors
4. Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) can harmlessly colonize the skin and the anterior nasal nares, but it can also cause: (Check all that apply).
a. Boils and abscesses b. Deep-seated wound and soft tissue infections c. Bloodstream infections d. Strokes and diabetes
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5. Spore-forming -organisms such as C. difficile are: (Check all that apply).
a. Able to survive in low nutrient or moisture supply b. Resistant to killing effects of heat, cold, drying and chemicals c. Resistant to killing effects of some disinfectants d. Are easy to kill using heat and disinfectants
6. Which mode of infection transmission is due to microorganisms being spread from infected skin lesions, secretions, blood and body fluids?
a. Direct / indirect contact b. Airborne c. Ingestion d. Inoculation
7. Which mode of infection transmission is due to microorganisms being transferred via particles such as dust and respiratory droplets?
a. Direct / indirect contact b. Airborne c. Ingestion d. Inoculation
8. What mode of infection transmission is due to contaminated food and water being consumed?
a. Direct / indirect contact b. Airborne c. Ingestion d. Inoculation
9. Which mode of infection transmission is due to needlestick injury that breaks the skin?
a. Direct / indirect contact b. Airborne c. Ingestion d. Injection / vaccination
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10. Which of the following increase the risk of infections, particularly in older persons?
a. Declining immune system b. Poor skin integrity c. Presence of invasive indwelling devices d. Surgical intervention e. Duration of hospital stay f. All of these are risk factors for infection
11. Which of the following are basic standard precautions for infection control?
a. Management of waste and linen b. Decontamination of equipment and environment c. Decontamination of reusable medical devices d. Patient isolation / cohort nursing e. All of these are basic standard precautions
12. The advantages of alcohol hand rubs for hand hygiene are: (Check all that apply).
a. Rapid action b. Effective against a wide range of microorganisms c. Easy to use d. Works on soiled hands e. Effective against C. difficile spores
13. When should a nurse wash her hands?
a. Before patient contact and as near to the patient as possible b. Before any clean or aseptic procedure c. After body fluid exposure d. After patient contact and leaving point of care e. Following any contact with object in the patient zone f. A nurse should wash her hands at all of these times
14. When must a nurse wear gloves?
a. For invasive procedures b. Contact with sterile sites c. Contact with non-intact skin and mucous membranes d. Risk of exposure of exposure to blood, body fluids or secretions e. Handling sharp or contaminated instruments f. The nurse must wear gloves for ALL these activities
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15. Isolation of older persons to control infections can have some serious negative effects including:
a. Feelings of social isolation b. Sensory deprivation c. Acute anxiety d. Psychological distress e. Depression f. All of these are potential consequences
16. What infection control precautions must be in place when patients are source isolated or cohort nursed?
a. Doors should be kept closed b. Decontamination of equipment such as blood pressure cuffs c. Appropriate signage on the door d. Room cleaned daily e. All of these must be in place for effective infection control
17. Older people are at more risk than ever before from potentially life-threatening infections.
True False
18. Where isolation facilities are not available, cohort nursing (grouping of patients with the same infection) is an acceptable and practical alternative.
True False
19. Gloves do NOT need to be changed when working with the same patient.
True False
20. Gowns must be worn for close contact with patients, equipment or materials where there is a risk of clothing being contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms or blood, body fluids, secretions or excretions.
True False
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21. Gowns and aprons can be used for several procedures and patients.
True False
22. The same gown can be worn between different care activities with the same patient.
True False
23. Alcohol hand rubs should be used for hand decontamination after contact with patients with diarrhea.
True False
24. Older patients complaining of lack of appetite, confusion and malaise may have an infection.
True False
25. Chemotherapy / radiotherapy for malignant disease reduce the risk of infection.
True False
26. “Flagella” enable bacterial cell structures to adhere to host cells.
True False
27. In terms of preventing infections, human reservoirs are the most important and problematic.
True False
28. Fecal bacteria, which normally colonize the gastrointestinal tract, are a common cause of wound, urinary tract and bloodstream infections.
True False
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29. Some bacteria are opportunistic pathogens, meaning that they only cause infection when the patient’s immune defenses are impaired or breached.
True False
30. Some bacteria secrete “slime,” which enables them to slide along solid surfaces.
True False
31. The “chain of infection” is the process through which infections can spread from one individual to another.
True False
32. “Pathogenicity” refers to an organism’s ability to overwhelm the host’s immune system and cause severe infection or disease.
True False
33. Low serum albumin, as a result of malnutrition, can hamper treating serious infections.
True False
34. The most important risk factor for the development of a healthcare-associated infection in the older person is age related.
True False
35. Nurses should wear gloves when assisting with patient mobility and when taking vital signs.
True False
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Answer Key to Hygiene Quiz II
Q01 d
Q02 e
Q03 e
Q04 a b c ALL of these EXCEPT strokes and diabetes.
Q05 a b c
Q06 a
Q07 b
Q08 c
Q09 d
Q10 f
Q11 e Q12 a b c Alcohol hand rubs will NOT work with visibly soiled hands and are NOT effective against C. difficile spores.
Q13 f
Q14 f
Q15 f Therefore nurses must be aware of this and take steps to isolate the microorganism, and not the patient.
Q16 e Q17 T This is due to advances in medical care which enable major surgery and invasive diagnostic procedures to be undertaken with a patient group with weakened immunity and increased susceptibility to infections as a result of the aging process.
Q18 T Q19 F Gloves need to be changed between different care activities on the same patient to prevent transfer of microorganisms from one body site to another.
Q20 T Q21 F Gowns must be single-use items, worn for one procedure or episode of direct patient care, and then discarded as clinical waste.
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Q22 F Gowns must be changed between different care activities with the same patient in order to prevent spread of microorganisms from one body site to another. Q23 F Alcohol is NOT effective against C. difficile spores therefore hand washing is indicated to wash bacterial spores physically off the surface of the skin. Q24 T Infections can be difficult to identify in older people because the normal clinical manifestations may be absent due to a weakened immune response and instead present with relatively non-specific complaints such as lack of appetite, confusion and malaise. Q25 F These treatments depress the immune system thus increasing the risk of infection. Q26 F Flagella (tails) enable bacterial cells to move towards a source of nutrients or to evade the host’s immune response. Q27 T The human body is the reservoir for organisms that colonize the skin, and the respiratory and gastrointestinal tract, some of which may be shed from the patient into the environment.
Q28 T Q29 T The immune system may be impaired due to another illness or breached as a result of surgery or insertion of an invasive, indwelling device.
Q30 T Q31 T There are several interacting links in the chain and for an infection to occur, all the links have to be present and in the correct order. Q32 F “Pathogenicity” refers to an organism’s ability to cause infection; “virulence” is the organism’s ability to overwhelm the host’s immune responses and cause severe infection or disease.
Q33 T Q34 F Most risk factors are NOT age related, but the presence of invasive indwelling devices and the degree of underlying illness.
Q35 F Wearing gloves is NOT recommended for routine nursing activities.
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