CIC Safety 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A nurse sustains a needlestick injury while drawing blood from a patient with unknown HIV status. What is the FIRST action the nurse should take?
- Report the incident to the supervisor
- Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water (Correct answer)
- Immediately start post-exposure prophylaxis
- Draw blood from the patient for HIV testing
Correct answer: Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water
The first action after a needlestick injury is to immediately wash the wound with soap and water to reduce the risk of infection.
Question 2: Which class of fire extinguisher is appropriate for use on an electrical equipment fire in a healthcare setting?
- Class A
- Class B
- Class C (Correct answer)
- Class D
Correct answer: Class C
Class C fire extinguishers are designed for electrical fires and use non-conductive agents safe for energized equipment.
Question 3: When should a healthcare worker remove their gown after caring for a patient on contact precautions?
- In the hallway outside the patient's room
- Before leaving the patient's room (Correct answer)
- At the nursing station after charting
- After removing gloves at the doorway
Correct answer: Before leaving the patient's room
The gown should be removed before leaving the patient's room to prevent contaminating the corridor.
Question 4: Which sharps disposal practice is considered a major risk factor for needlestick injuries among healthcare workers?
- Using puncture-resistant containers
- Recapping needles using a two-handed technique (Correct answer)
- Activating safety mechanisms immediately after use
- Disposing of sharps at the point of use
Correct answer: Recapping needles using a two-handed technique
Recapping needles with two hands is a leading cause of needlestick injuries and should be avoided; if recapping is necessary, a one-handed scoop method should be used.
Question 5: Under OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, how long must exposure incident records be retained?
- 5 years
- 10 years
- 30 years plus the duration of employment (Correct answer)
- Duration of employment only
Correct answer: 30 years plus the duration of employment
OSHA requires that employee exposure records be maintained for 30 years plus the duration of employment.
Question 6: A healthcare facility is reviewing its TB infection control plan. Which administrative control is MOST important for reducing TB transmission?
- Installing HEPA filters in all patient rooms
- Providing N95 respirators to all staff
- Early identification and isolation of suspected TB cases (Correct answer)
- Offering annual TB skin testing to all employees
Correct answer: Early identification and isolation of suspected TB cases
Administrative controls, particularly early identification and isolation of infectious TB patients, are the most critical tier for preventing TB transmission.
Question 7: Which term describes the minimum respiratory protection required when entering the room of a patient with confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis?
- Surgical mask
- N95 filtering facepiece respirator (Correct answer)
- Powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR)
- Simple dust mask
Correct answer: N95 filtering facepiece respirator
An N95 respirator (or higher) is the minimum required respiratory protection for entering an airborne infection isolation room for TB.
CIC Safety 2
A nurse sustains a needlestick injury while drawing blood from a patient with unknown HIV status.
What is the FIRST action the nurse should take?