NHI Safety and Infection Control Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A healthcare worker is caring for a patient with a known airborne infection. Which of the following sequences represents the correct order for doffing (removing) Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to minimize self-contamination?
- Gloves, gown, goggles/face shield, respirator
- Gown, gloves, respirator, goggles/face shield
- Respirator, goggles/face shield, gown, gloves
- Gloves, goggles/face shield, gown, respirator (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Gloves, goggles/face shield, gown, respirator
The correct sequence for doffing PPE is designed to remove the most contaminated items first, minimizing the risk of self-contamination. Gloves are considered the most contaminated and are removed first. The goggles/face shield are removed next, followed by the gown. The respirator is removed last, outside the patient's room, to prevent inhalation of airborne particles.
Question 2: Which of the following practices is a key component of 'medical asepsis' (clean technique)?
- Using sterilized instruments for a surgical procedure.
- Creating a sterile field for a catheter insertion.
- Performing a surgical scrub before entering the operating room.
- Performing thorough hand hygiene between patient encounters. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Performing thorough hand hygiene between patient encounters.
Medical asepsis, or clean technique, focuses on reducing the number of microorganisms and preventing their spread. Thorough hand hygiene is a fundamental practice of medical asepsis. The other options, such as using sterilized instruments, creating a sterile field, and performing a surgical scrub, are all components of 'surgical asepsis' (sterile technique), which aims to eliminate all microorganisms.
Question 3: In the chain of infection, a contaminated piece of medical equipment that transmits a pathogen to a patient acts as which of the following?
- Portal of entry
- Reservoir
- Mode of transmission (Correct answer)
- Susceptible host
Correct answer: Mode of transmission
The mode of transmission is how an infectious agent is spread from the reservoir to a susceptible host. A contaminated object, or fomite, serves as an indirect contact mode of transmission. The reservoir is where the pathogen lives and multiplies, the portal of entry is how it enters the new host, and the susceptible host is the individual at risk for infection.
Question 4: According to the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, which of the following is required for the disposal of needles, scalpels, and other contaminated sharps?
- Placing them in a red biohazard bag for incineration.
- Recapping the needles carefully before placing them in a general waste bin.
- Disposing of them in a rigid, puncture-resistant, leak-proof, and clearly labeled container. (Correct answer)
- Sending them to the facility's laundry service for sterilization and reuse.
Correct answer: Disposing of them in a rigid, puncture-resistant, leak-proof, and clearly labeled container.
OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard mandates that contaminated sharps be disposed of immediately after use in containers that are closable, puncture-resistant, leak-proof on the sides and bottom, and labeled with the biohazard symbol or color-coded red. This prevents needlestick injuries and exposure to infectious materials.
Question 5: A healthcare worker sustains a needlestick injury from a used syringe. According to the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act, which of the following is a required action for the employer?
- Mandate that the employee work from home for the next week.
- Publicly post the name of the employee involved to raise awareness.
- Document the incident in a confidential sharps injury log. (Correct answer)
- Immediately terminate the employee to prevent potential liability.
Correct answer: Document the incident in a confidential sharps injury log.
The Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act requires employers to maintain a sharps injury log to record percutaneous injuries from contaminated sharps. This log must be maintained in a way that protects the confidentiality of the injured employee and must detail the type and brand of the device involved, the department where the incident occurred, and an explanation of how it happened.
Question 6: Which of the following scenarios describes breaking the 'portal of exit' link in the chain of infection?
- A patient with a compromised immune system receives a vaccination.
- A healthcare worker wears gloves while changing a wound dressing.
- A patient with influenza is encouraged to cover their mouth and nose when coughing. (Correct answer)
- A surface is disinfected after being contaminated with bodily fluids.
Correct answer: A patient with influenza is encouraged to cover their mouth and nose when coughing.
The portal of exit is the path by which a pathogen leaves its host reservoir. For a respiratory infection like influenza, the portal of exit is the mouth and nose. Covering a cough prevents the pathogen from leaving the reservoir, thus breaking the chain at this link. Disinfecting a surface breaks the mode of transmission, wearing gloves blocks the portal of entry for the worker, and vaccination helps make a host less susceptible.
NHI Safety and Infection Control Questions and Answers
A healthcare worker is caring for a patient with a known airborne infection.
Which of the following sequences represents the correct order for doffing (removing) Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to minimize self-contamination?