NHI Safety and Infection Control 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which type of isolation is used for patients with airborne-transmitted diseases such as tuberculosis?
- Contact isolation
- Droplet isolation
- Airborne isolation (Correct answer)
- Protective isolation
Correct answer: Airborne isolation
Airborne isolation requires a negative-pressure room and N95 respirators to prevent spread of pathogens that travel on small particles.
Question 2: What is the FIRST step a healthcare worker should take when they suspect a patient has a healthcare-associated infection (HAI)?
- Administer antibiotics immediately
- Notify the charge nurse or supervisor (Correct answer)
- Transfer the patient to isolation
- Document the suspicion in the chart
Correct answer: Notify the charge nurse or supervisor
Notifying the charge nurse ensures proper clinical assessment and infection control protocols are initiated promptly.
Question 3: A sharps container should be replaced when it is filled to what level?
- 25%
- 50%
- 75% (Correct answer)
- 100%
Correct answer: 75%
Sharps containers must be replaced when three-quarters full to prevent overfilling, which increases the risk of needlestick injuries.
Question 4: Which pathogen is most commonly associated with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP)?
- Clostridium difficile
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Correct answer)
- Norovirus
- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
Correct answer: Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a leading gram-negative pathogen responsible for ventilator-associated pneumonia in ICU settings.
Question 5: When removing personal protective equipment (PPE) after caring for a patient on contact precautions, which item is removed LAST?
- Gloves
- Gown
- Mask
- Hand hygiene (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Hand hygiene
Hand hygiene is the final step after all PPE is removed to eliminate any residual contamination transferred during doffing.
Question 6: Which cleaning agent is considered the gold standard for eliminating Clostridium difficile spores from surfaces?
- Alcohol-based wipes
- Quaternary ammonium compounds
- Bleach (sodium hypochlorite) solution (Correct answer)
- Iodine-based disinfectants
Correct answer: Bleach (sodium hypochlorite) solution
C. difficile spores are resistant to alcohol and many disinfectants; only bleach-based solutions reliably destroy them on environmental surfaces.
Question 7: A healthcare worker accidentally splashes blood into their eye. What is the IMMEDIATE action?
- Report to employee health within 24 hours
- Flush the eye with sterile saline or water for 15 minutes (Correct answer)
- Apply antibiotic eye drops
- Cover the eye with a sterile patch
Correct answer: Flush the eye with sterile saline or water for 15 minutes
Immediate irrigation of the mucous membrane with water or saline for at least 15 minutes is the first response to blood or body fluid splash to the eye.
NHI Safety and Infection Control 2
Which type of isolation is used for patients with airborne-transmitted diseases such as tuberculosis?