1. Which one of the following is a goal of infection control training?

• a. Ensure that health professionals understand the chain of command.
• b. Be certain there is no discrimination by ethnicity or race.
• c. Eradicate communicable disease in all healthcare settings.
• d. Apply current scientifically accepted principles appropriately to the work environment.

2. Which one of the following statements about healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) is false?

• a. Approximately 1.7 million hospital patients per year get an infection while being treated for another illness or injury.
• b. Patients in home care or nursing homes are at risk for developing HAIs.
• c. Infection control programs have been shown to reduce HAIs.
• d. HAIs are generally mild and, fortunately, present low risk.

3. In NYS, a medical professional can be cited for unprofessional conduct for failing to:

• a. Wash the hands when reporting to work.
• b. Show up for work when mildly ill.
• c. Use protective garb.
• d. Provide patients with clean bedding each day.

4. Which of the following techniques should be included in an NYS infection control program?

• a. Ensuring that workers double-glove if a defect is found in the first set of gloves.
• b. Wrapping bloody linens securely before sending them to the laundry.
• c. Monitoring the infection control techniques of all personnel constantly.
• d. Sterilizing all items that touch the patient.

5. Which one of the following statements is true?

• a. An individual who fails to use appropriate infection control techniques is protected from charges of professional misconduct by the facility.
• b. In private practice, lapses in infection control may result in charges of misconduct against any licensed professional who was either directly involved or was responsible for training office staff.
• c. Professional misconduct charges related to infection control have less serious consequences than other types of misconduct charges.
• d. Health professionals are not responsible for the infection-control practices of those they supervise.

6. Which one of the following contains elements of the chain of infection?

• a. Pathogen and contact with the infected person
• b. Virus, bacterium, and parasite
• c. Agent, mode of transmission, and susceptible host
• d. Poor infection control practices and a poor immune system

7. Which of the following is not a causative agent for infection?

• a. Protozoa
• b. Spores
• c. Parasites
• d. Viruses

8. A condition commonly found in reservoirs is:

• a. Moisture.
• b. Light.
• c. Density.
• d. Air.

9. An example of a human reservoir for infectious agents is:

• a. Drainage from a wound.
• b. The respiratory tract.
• c. Urine and feces.
• d. Saliva and vomitus.

10. Portals of exit from the human reservoir include:

• a. Gastrointestinal and urinary tracts.
• b. Intact skin.
• c. Dirty hands.
• d. Nose, mouth, and anus.

11. Fomites are inanimate objects that can transmit infection.

• a. True
• b. False

12. Portals of entry include all but which one of the following?

• a. Anatomical openings
• b. Intact skin
• c. Open wounds
• d. Needle sticks

13. Immunocompetence can protect a susceptible host.

• a. True
• b. False

14. The host can be protected in which one of the following ways?

• a. Protecting the immune systems of both patients and healthcare workers
• b. Isolating healthcare workers from all infected patients
• c. Using personal protective equipment with all infected patients
• d. Rotating shifts of healthcare workers to minimize exposure to infectious disease

15. What is the single most important procedure to prevent the spread of infection?

• a. Hand hygiene
• b. Prompt and thorough reporting
• c. Use of gloves
• d. Isolation of infected patients

16. Breaking the chain of infection requires:

• a. Documenting the vital signs.
• b. Talking with the patient's family and friends.
• c. Contact Precautions for anyone with any type of infection.
• d. Educating healthcare workers in appropriate preventive procedures.

17. Preventing the spread of bloodborne pathogens requires which of the following?

• a. Standard Precautions
• b. Airborne Precautions
• c. Contact Precautions
• d. Droplet Precautions

18. In certain situations, isolation may be achieved by:

• a. Moving the patient to the far side of a double room.
• b. Cohorting with another patient infected by the same microorganism.
• c. Eliminating hand washing and toileting facilities, which only serve to spread infection.
• d. Installing a separate room air conditioner.

19. Which one of the following is an engineering control designed to reduce the spread of infection?

• a. Vaccination of healthcare workers
• b. Educational programs about infectious disease
• c. Puncture-resistant containers for the disposal of sharps
• d. Use of gloves to prevent contact with body fluids

20. Which one of the following is true about percutaneous exposures?

• a. Percutaneous injuries are rare in U.S. hospitals.
• b. Poorly visualized suturing poses a hazard to both patient and healthcare worker.
• c. A healthcare worker cannot become infected as the result of a single exposure.
• d. Sharps are less hazardous if you wear double gloves.

21. Both New York State and the federal government require all healthcare employers to provide safe sharps and needles, with some limited exceptions.

• a. True
• b. False

22. Controlling the transmission of airborne pathogens includes:

• a. Use of forceps, suture holders, or other instruments for suturing.
• b. Early identification of suspect cases.
• c. Isolation rooms with only family admitted.
• d. Wiping down telephones and door knobs daily.

23. Environmental precautions include which one of the following practices?

• a. Wearing personal protective gear
• b. Red-bagging waste
• c. Daily bathing of patients
• d. Teaching techniques for sneezing and coughing

24. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is specialized clothing or equipment that:

• a. Protects the personal clothing of a healthcare worker.
• b. Is used to restrain a patient.
• c. Protects a healthcare worker against a hazard.
• d. Reduces the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases.

25. The 2007 CDC Guidelines recommend glove use:

• a. For all patient contact.
• b. For patients with known infectious diseases.
• c. In any environment where bacteria may be present.
• d. When contact with body fluids, mucous membranes or non-intact skin is anticipated.

26. Which of the following statements about gowns is true?

• a. All gowns are equally protective.
• b. Color coding identifies gowns as sterile or nonsterile.
• c. All gowns should be hazmat-approved.
• d. Gowns should be selected based on the anticipated exposure.

27. Treating preventable infections may cost less overall than an investment in barriers and PPE.

• a. True
• b. False

28. Decontamination is:

• a. Removal of disease-producing microorganisms to render an object safe for handling.
• b. Removal of all foreign matter from objects.
• c. Wiping down objects with a good detergent.
• d. The absence of germs and bacterial spores.

29. Sterilization is:

• a. Chemically eliminating all pathogens but not necessarily all microbial forms.
• b. Physically or chemically destroying all microbial life, including highly resistant bacterial endospores.
• c. Removal of all soil and organic debris.
• d. Removal of viruses and bacteria with a chemical germicide registered as a hospital disinfectant by the EPA.

30. Crutches, bed boards, blood pressure cuffs, and other medical accessories should be cleaned on a regular basis.

• a. True
• b. False

31. Spills of blood or other body fluids should be decontaminated using:

• a. Hospital disinfectants and that are labeled as tuberculocidal.
• b. Soap and water with chemical germicides added.
• c. Strong detergents used with protective gloves.
• d. A chemical germicide registered as a hospital disinfectant by the EPA.

32. Individuals who are responsible for equipment or device reprocessing should:

• a. Attend weekly refresher courses in cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization.
• b. Understand the considerations for selecting appropriate cleaning products.
• c. Be certain to stay within the facility's budget for such items.
• d. Use the products themselves before making choices.

33. New York State healthcare workers who report symptoms of a communicable disease should be:

• a. Reminded to follow both Universal and Standard Precautions as they continue working.
• b. Removed from duty and medically evaluated to determine their ability to work and the duration of any work restrictions.
• c. Sent home until they feel better.
• d. Transferred to work in nonclinical areas.

34. According to NYS law, healthcare workers whose job responsibilities involve contact with blood or sharps should not be allowed contact with immunocompromised patients.

• a. True
• b. False

35. Which of the following is an occupational health strategy for preventing transmission of bloodborne pathogens?

• a. Pre-employment screening for tuberculosis, rubella, and measles immunity
• b. Unannounced tests for substance abuse
• c. Full-body MRIs annually for selected employees
• d. Pre-employment determination of sexual preference and practices

36. Bloodborne pathogens training must include:

• a. Thorough study of the physiology of pathogens.
• b. Protective measures to minimize risk of occupational exposure.
• c. A focus on the gastrointestinal tract with its resident organisms.
• d. Vaccination for all identified vaccine-preventable diseases.

37. According to the CDC, postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) for bloodborne pathogens should begin within:

• a. 5 minutes
• b. 15 minutes
• c. 2 hours
• d. 3 days

38. A healthcare worker who receives a needle stick or other significant exposure to HIV, HSV, HBV, or HCV should:

• a. Report the incident to a supervisor within 48 hours.
• b. Closely monitor any signs or symptoms of illness before seeking treatment.
• c. Have follow-up testing if there are signs of infection.
• d. Wash, flush, or irrigate the wound, depending on the location of the exposure.

39. HIV-infected healthcare workers in New York State:

• a. Are subject to involuntary screening for HIV by their employers.
• b. Are specifically excluded from protection under the NYS confidentiality law.
• c. Cannot be tested for HIV without their written consent.
• d. Are required to disclose their status to patients or employers.