Chapter 29: Infection Prevention and Control
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The nurse and a new nurse in orientation are caring for a patient with pneumonia. Which
statement by the new nurse will indicate a correct understanding of this condition?
a. “An infectious disease like pneumonia may not pose a risk to others.”
b. “We need to isolate the patient in a private negative-pressure
room.” c.“Clinical signs and symptoms are not present in pneumonia.”
d.“The patient will not be able to return
home.” ANS: A
Infections are infectious and/or communicable. Infectious diseases may not pose a risk for transmission
to others, although they are serious for the patient. Pneumonia is not a communicable disease—a
disease that is transmitted directly from one individual to the next, so there is no need for isolation. A
private negative–air pressure room is used for tuberculosis, not pneumonia. Clinical signs and symptoms
are present in pneumonia. Frequently, patients with pneumonia do return home unless there are
extenuating circumstances.
2. The patient and the nurse are discussing Rickettsia rickettsii—Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
Which patient statement to the nurse indicates understanding regarding the mode of transmission
for this disease?
a. “When camping, I will use sunscreen.”
b. “When camping, I will drink bottled water.”
c. “When camping, I will wear insect repellent.”
d. “When camping, I will wash my hands with hand
gel.” ANS: C
Rocky Mountain spotted fever is caused by bacteria transmitted by the bite of ticks. Wearing a repellent
that is designed for repelling ticks, mosquitoes, and other insects can help in preventing transmission of
this disease. Drinking plenty of uncontaminated water, wearing sunscreen, and using alcohol-based
hand
,gels for cleaning hands are all important activities to participate in while camping, but they do not
contribute to or prevent transmission of this disease.
3. The nurse is providing an educational session for a group of preschool workers. The nurse reminds
the group about the most important thing to do to prevent the spread of infection. Which
information did the nurse share with the preschool workers?
a.Encourage preschool children to eat a nutritious diet.
b.Suggest that parents provide a multivitamin to the
children. c.Clean the toys every afternoon before putting
them away. d.Wash their hands between each interaction
with children. ANS: D
The single most important thing that individuals can do to prevent the spread of infection is to wash
their hands before and after eating, going to the bathroom, changing a diaper, and wiping a nose and
between touching each individual child. It is important for preschool children to have a nutritious diet; a
healthy individual can fight infection more effectively. A health care provider, along with the parent,
makes decisions about dietary supplements. Cleaning the toys can decrease the number of pathogens
but is not the most important thing to do in this scenario.
4. The nurse is admitting a patient with an infectious disease process. Which question will be
most appropriate for a nurse to ask about the patient’s susceptibility to this infectious process?
a. “Do you have a spouse?”
b. “Do you have a chronic disease?”
c. “Do you have any children living in the home?”
d. “Do ou have any religious beliefs that will influence your
care?” ANS: B
Multiple factors influence a patient’s susceptibility to infection. Patients with chronic diseases such as
diabetes mellitus and multiple sclerosis are also more susceptible to infection because of general
debilitation and nutritional impairment. Other factors include age, nutritional status, trauma, and
smoking. The other questions are part of an admission assessment process but are not pertinent to the
infectious disease process.
, 5. The patient experienced a surgical procedure, and Betadine was utilized as the surgical prep. Two
days postoperatively, the nurse’s assessment indicates that the incision is red and has a small
amount of purulent drainage. The patient reports tenderness at the incision site. The patient’s
temperature is 100.5° F, and the WBC is 10,500/mm3. Which action should the nurse take first?
a.Plan to change the surgical dressing during the shift.
b.Utilize SBAR to notify the primary health care
provider.
c.Reevaluate the temperature and white blood cell count in 4 hours.
d.Check to see what solution was used for skin preparation in surgery.
ANS: B
The nursing assessment indicates signs and symptoms of infection, requiring the primary health care
provider to be notified of the patient’s needs. SBAR—Situation, Background, Assessment, and
Recommendation—can be utilized to organize thoughts and data and to provide a thorough explanation
of the patient’s current status. The reevaluation of temperature is a good choice, but it will take longer
than 4 hours to make a change in the white blood cells. Changing the dressing may be a need during the
shift but is not a first priority. Checking to see about the skin preparation used 2 days ago may or may
not be useful information at this time.
6. The nurse is providing an education session to an adult community group about the effects of
smoking on infection. Which information is most important for the nurse to include in the
educational session?
a.Smoke from tobacco products clings to your clothing and hair.
b.Smoking affects the cilia lining the upper airways in the lungs.
c.Smoking can affect the color of the patient’s fingernails.
d.Smoking tobacco products can be very expensive.
ANS: B
A normal defense mechanism against infection in the respiratory tract is the cilia lining the upper
airways of the lungs and normal mucus. When a patient inhales a microbe, the cilia and mucus trap the
microbe and sweep them up and out to be expectorated or swallowed. Smoking may alter this defense
mechanism and increase the patient’s potential for infection. Smoking can be expensive, the smell does
cling to hair and clothing, and the tar within the smoke can alter the color of a patient’s nails. This
information can be included in the education but does not constitute the most important point.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The nurse and a new nurse in orientation are caring for a patient with pneumonia. Which
statement by the new nurse will indicate a correct understanding of this condition?
a. “An infectious disease like pneumonia may not pose a risk to others.”
b. “We need to isolate the patient in a private negative-pressure
room.” c.“Clinical signs and symptoms are not present in pneumonia.”
d.“The patient will not be able to return
home.” ANS: A
Infections are infectious and/or communicable. Infectious diseases may not pose a risk for transmission
to others, although they are serious for the patient. Pneumonia is not a communicable disease—a
disease that is transmitted directly from one individual to the next, so there is no need for isolation. A
private negative–air pressure room is used for tuberculosis, not pneumonia. Clinical signs and symptoms
are present in pneumonia. Frequently, patients with pneumonia do return home unless there are
extenuating circumstances.
2. The patient and the nurse are discussing Rickettsia rickettsii—Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
Which patient statement to the nurse indicates understanding regarding the mode of transmission
for this disease?
a. “When camping, I will use sunscreen.”
b. “When camping, I will drink bottled water.”
c. “When camping, I will wear insect repellent.”
d. “When camping, I will wash my hands with hand
gel.” ANS: C
Rocky Mountain spotted fever is caused by bacteria transmitted by the bite of ticks. Wearing a repellent
that is designed for repelling ticks, mosquitoes, and other insects can help in preventing transmission of
this disease. Drinking plenty of uncontaminated water, wearing sunscreen, and using alcohol-based
hand
,gels for cleaning hands are all important activities to participate in while camping, but they do not
contribute to or prevent transmission of this disease.
3. The nurse is providing an educational session for a group of preschool workers. The nurse reminds
the group about the most important thing to do to prevent the spread of infection. Which
information did the nurse share with the preschool workers?
a.Encourage preschool children to eat a nutritious diet.
b.Suggest that parents provide a multivitamin to the
children. c.Clean the toys every afternoon before putting
them away. d.Wash their hands between each interaction
with children. ANS: D
The single most important thing that individuals can do to prevent the spread of infection is to wash
their hands before and after eating, going to the bathroom, changing a diaper, and wiping a nose and
between touching each individual child. It is important for preschool children to have a nutritious diet; a
healthy individual can fight infection more effectively. A health care provider, along with the parent,
makes decisions about dietary supplements. Cleaning the toys can decrease the number of pathogens
but is not the most important thing to do in this scenario.
4. The nurse is admitting a patient with an infectious disease process. Which question will be
most appropriate for a nurse to ask about the patient’s susceptibility to this infectious process?
a. “Do you have a spouse?”
b. “Do you have a chronic disease?”
c. “Do you have any children living in the home?”
d. “Do ou have any religious beliefs that will influence your
care?” ANS: B
Multiple factors influence a patient’s susceptibility to infection. Patients with chronic diseases such as
diabetes mellitus and multiple sclerosis are also more susceptible to infection because of general
debilitation and nutritional impairment. Other factors include age, nutritional status, trauma, and
smoking. The other questions are part of an admission assessment process but are not pertinent to the
infectious disease process.
, 5. The patient experienced a surgical procedure, and Betadine was utilized as the surgical prep. Two
days postoperatively, the nurse’s assessment indicates that the incision is red and has a small
amount of purulent drainage. The patient reports tenderness at the incision site. The patient’s
temperature is 100.5° F, and the WBC is 10,500/mm3. Which action should the nurse take first?
a.Plan to change the surgical dressing during the shift.
b.Utilize SBAR to notify the primary health care
provider.
c.Reevaluate the temperature and white blood cell count in 4 hours.
d.Check to see what solution was used for skin preparation in surgery.
ANS: B
The nursing assessment indicates signs and symptoms of infection, requiring the primary health care
provider to be notified of the patient’s needs. SBAR—Situation, Background, Assessment, and
Recommendation—can be utilized to organize thoughts and data and to provide a thorough explanation
of the patient’s current status. The reevaluation of temperature is a good choice, but it will take longer
than 4 hours to make a change in the white blood cells. Changing the dressing may be a need during the
shift but is not a first priority. Checking to see about the skin preparation used 2 days ago may or may
not be useful information at this time.
6. The nurse is providing an education session to an adult community group about the effects of
smoking on infection. Which information is most important for the nurse to include in the
educational session?
a.Smoke from tobacco products clings to your clothing and hair.
b.Smoking affects the cilia lining the upper airways in the lungs.
c.Smoking can affect the color of the patient’s fingernails.
d.Smoking tobacco products can be very expensive.
ANS: B
A normal defense mechanism against infection in the respiratory tract is the cilia lining the upper
airways of the lungs and normal mucus. When a patient inhales a microbe, the cilia and mucus trap the
microbe and sweep them up and out to be expectorated or swallowed. Smoking may alter this defense
mechanism and increase the patient’s potential for infection. Smoking can be expensive, the smell does
cling to hair and clothing, and the tar within the smoke can alter the color of a patient’s nails. This
information can be included in the education but does not constitute the most important point.
