CIC Practice Flashcards
Which of the following situations would be best for the IP to apply just-in-time learning principles?
a. During a 30-minute orientation session for new employees
b. With staff who repeatedly have problems applying infection definitions
c. In a medical staff meeting where surveillance priorities are being discussed
d. For nurse managers evaluating monthly infection trend reports
B
Most healthcare-associated pathogens are transmitted from patient to patient via:
a. Improper isolation practices
b. Inadequate sterilization of medical instruments
c. Hands of healthcare personnel
d. Ineffective disinfection of medical devices
C
Which of the following milestones indicates that the IP has achieved proficient status according to the APIC Competency Model?
a. After successfully completing his or her Certification in Infection Control®
b. Upon obtaining a graduate degree in a healthcare-related field
c. When continuously employed as an IP for more than 2 years
d. After 10 years of experience as the manager of an infection prevention and control program
A
The new IP for a long-term care facility is assessing adherence to the facility’s hand hygiene policies. Which of the following should he include when reporting his findings?
a. The number of hand hygiene episodes performed by personnel divided by the volume of soap used in the facility
b. The number of hand hygiene episodes performed by personnel divided by the number of patient days times 1,000
c. The number of hand hygiene episodes performed by personnel divided by the volume of alcohol-based hand rub
d. The number of hand hygiene episodes performed by personnel divided by the number of hand hygiene opportunities by ward or service
D
Direct observation of performance by an individual of a specific skill may yield a temporary and artificially high result. This phenomenon is known as the:
a. Hawthorne effect
b. Measure of success
c. Score inflation risk
d. Robertson’s rule
A
- An IP is reading a journal article that states that the data the authors collected are normally distributed. What does this mean?
a. When the data are plotted on a curve, it is skewed
b. The mean is less than the median
c. The skewness value is equal to 1
d. The mean, median, and mode of the data are equal
D
- Because there is no vaccine for Hepatitis C, there have been national recommendations for prevention and control of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. These include all but which recommendation?
a. Screening and testing of blood donors
b. Risk-reduction counseling and screening of persons at risk for Hepatitis C infection
c. A national registry for all healthcare personnel known to be Hepatitis C antibody positive
d. Adherence to Standard Precautions and safe work practices in healthcare settings
C
- A patient is admitted with pruritic lesions on the hands, webs of fingers, wrists, extensor surfaces of elbows and knees, and the outer surfaces of the feet, armpits, buttocks, and waist. What type of isolation does this person require?
a. Contact
b. Droplet
c. Airborne
d. No isolation required
A
- There has been a local bioterrorism event and three healthcare personnel were exposed to inhalation anthrax. They have been decontaminated and are taking PEP, and they would like to return to work. The incubation period of inhalation anthrax is usually about 7 days but can be as long as 2 months. What should the IP’s recommendation be regarding work restrictions for these employees?
a. They will not be allowed to return to work for the duration of the 2-month incubation period
b. They will not be allowed to return to work for the duration of prophylactic treatment
c. They may return to work but must wear respiratory protection while in the facility
d. They may return to work with no restrictions
D
- The optimal time to collect a sputum specimen for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) testing to rule out TB would be:
a. First thing in the morning
b. After a respiratory treatment
c. Prior to the patient going to bed
d. Prior to a respiratory treatment
A
- Lyme disease is commonly found in all of the following regions of the United States except:
a. New England
b. Mid-Atlantic
c. Upper Midwest
d. Southeast
D
- On July 7, a 30-year-old male is admitted to the medical ICU with a 2-day history of acute gastroenteritis symptoms. The IP suspects the patient is infected with norovirus. Which of the following statements regarding the epidemiology of norovirus infection supports this?
a. Most norovirus outbreaks are caused by genotype Gll.2
b. Severe cases of norovirus are most common in adults aged 25 to 45
c. Noroviruses are the most common cause of epidemic gastroenteritis worldwide
d. Norovirus outbreaks occur most commonly in the summer months
C
- Which of the following statements is true when the prevalence of a disease is very low?
a. The sensitivity of a diagnostic test is greatly increased
b. The specificity of a diagnostic test is much greater
c. The negative predictive value of a diagnostic test is very low
d. The positive predictive value of a diagnostic test is lowered
D
- Gram stains classify an organism as Gram-positive or Gram-negative. The determinant factors for Gram stains are cell wall components of:
a. Peptidoglycans
b. Lipids
c. Polysaccharides
d. Mycolic acids
A
- Higher morbidity rates in chronic Hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers are associated with a co-infection of which of the following:
a. Hepatitis A
b. Hepatitis D
c. Hepatitis C
d. Hepatitis E
B
The CDC recommendations for decreasing CLABSI include all of the following except:
a. Educational programs
b. Routine replacement of catheters
c. The use of chlorhexidine for skin antisepsis
d. The use of maximal sterile barrier precautions
B
Human factor limitations that contribute to errors include:
- Overdependence on multitasking skills
- Permanent night shifts
- Limited memory capacity
- Stress, fatigue, and sensory overload
a. 1, 2, 3
b. 2, 3, 4
c. 1, 3, 4
C
The management of an infected surgical site includes the following foundational principles:
- Open and drain the incision
- Debride fibrous debris and necrotic soft tissue
- Replace hardware
- Implement antimicrobial management as needed
- Manage the open wound
a. 1, 2, 3, 4
b. 2, 3, 4, 5
c. 1, 3, 4, 5
d. 1, 2, 4, 5
D
- The IP receives a call from the ER about a 38-year-old male with a 4-week history of cough and fever. He has just returned from an extended trip to the southwestern United States. Coccidioidomycosis is on the list of possible diagnoses. Which of the following is true regarding the epidemiology of coccidioidomycosis?
a. Coccidioides spp. are usually found at high elevations
b. Coccidioides spp. are usually found in wet climates
c. Up to 50 percent of people in endemic areas have been exposed to Coccidioides spores
d. Coccidioides spp. are found on the surface of the soil
C
An IP is preparing the quarterly report for the Infection Control Committee. What information will be needed to calculate a CLABSI rate for the ICU?
- The total number of patients in the unit for the time period
- The total number of central line catheters for the time period
- The number of patients who had bloodstream infections identified
- The number of device days for the time period
a. 2, 3
b. 1, 3
c. 1, 2
d. 3, 4
D
- The IP monitors all patients who have coronary artery bypass graft surgery for infections and pneumonia. The probability or likelihood of an event occurring is the:
a. Risk
b. Attack rate
c. Host factor
d. Incidence
A
- A measure of dispersion that reflects the variability in values around the mean is called the:
a. Variance
b. Standard deviation
c. Range
d. Bell curve
B
- The antibiogram is usually prepared by:
a. Infection Prevention and Control Department
b. Laboratory
c. Pharmacy
d. Information Technology Department
B
- What is the appropriate temperature for vaccines that require refrigeration?
a. 46°F to 55°F (8°C to 13°C)
b. 25°F to 35°F (-4°C to 2°C)
c. 25°F to 45°F (-4°C to 7°C)
d. 35°F to 46°F (2°C to 8°C)
D
- When reviewing the Gram stain of a person with a wound infection, the IP sees Gram-positive organisms in clusters. Which organism would this most likely represent?
a. Streptococcus
b. Enterococcus
c. Corynebacterium
d. Staphylococcus
D
What of the following questions should be asked when evaluating results from a research study?
- Were the instruments valid for the study?
- Is this a peer-reviewed research journal?
- Was the sample representative of the intended population?
- Do the conclusions prove the hypothesis?
a. 1, 2, 3
b. 2, 3, 4
c. 1, 3, 4
d. 1, 2, 4
A
- In which of the following infection prevention topics is the required educational content for employees most clearly described by a U.S. regulatory agency?
a. Hand hygiene monitoring systems
b. Environmental cleaning of hard surfaces
c. Active surveillance for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in hospitals
d. Preventing employee exposure to bloodborne pathogens
D
The Institute for Healthcare Improvement uses the Model for Improvement – a two-part model designed to accelerate improvement for healthcare processes and outcomes. What are the key component areas of this model?
- Setting aims, establishing measures, selecting changes
- Plan-do-study-act
- Contemplation, action, termination
- Perceived seriousness and cues to action
a. 1, 2
b. 2, 3
c. 3, 4
d. 1, 4
A
Hydrogen peroxide vapor (HPV) has been shown to be effective for decontamination of patient rooms and is known to kill spores and other microbes. Despite its benefits, there are some drawbacks to using HPV. Which of the following could be a major drawback to using HPV to clean patient rooms?
a. It is effective in decontaminating surfaces but not equipment
b. It leaves a residue that, over time, can damage equipment in the room
c. It lengthens room turnover because it takes a prolonged period of time to complete room treatment
d. It is most effective for areas closer to the unit and less effective around the edges of the room
C
- The policy for therapy animals in healthcare facilities should include all of the following except:
a. Hand hygiene must be performed after contact with the animal
b. Animal must be bathed within 24 hours prior to visiting the healthcare facility
c. Animals must be healthy and current with immunizations
d. Small animals are never allowed to sit on a patient’s bed
D
- Which of the following does not describe indirect contact transmission?
a. Mites from a scabies-infested patient
b. Equipment that is not cleaned, disinfected, or sterilized adequately between patients
c. Food and water supplies that are not prepared and maintained according to sanitation standards
d. Inadequate hand hygiene performed by a care provider
A
- A urine specimen collected from an indwelling urinary catheter was sent to the laboratory for culture and sensitivity testing. Culture results reported a colony count of 50,000 CFU/mL of Escherichia coli. Sensitivity testing reported resistance to cephalosporin and sensitivity to ciprofloxacin. This organism is an example of:
a. Methicillin resistance
b. Aminoglycoside resistance
c. Extended-spectrum beta-lactam (ESBL) resistance
d. Quinolone resistance
C
- Statistical process control (SPC) charts are used for all of the following purposes except:
a. Monitor the process of care
b. Facilitate the determination of variation
c. Eliminate natural variation
d. Monitor outcomes
C
- The paroxysmal stage of pertussis usually lasts:
a. 1 to 6 weeks
b. 11 to 15 weeks
c. 15 to 20 weeks
d. 6 to 21 weeks
A
- An “antibiotic time out” occurs:
a. Daily
b. Weekly
c. Within 24 to 48 hours of culture results being available
d. Within 96 hours of culture results being available
C
- An outbreak of aspergillosis is suspected after several oncology patients are identified with positive cultures. The IP suspects a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) malfunction and begins an outbreak investigation. The IP has been asked to make recommendations for environmental cultures. All of the following needs to be considered except:
a. Identifying the purpose of culturing and appropriate methods beforehand
b. Meeting with the facility legal staff to discuss notification of patients
c. Anticipating decisions and planned actions to results of culturing before undertaking the process
d. Determining whether there are existing standards to interpret results
B
- The Safe Medical Device Act (SMDA) falls under which U.S. federal program?
a. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
b. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
c. National Institutes of Health (NIH)
d. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
B