CDC INFECTION PREVENTIONIST POST TEST QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES
1. A nurse assistant is about to perform perineal care on an incontinent resident who wears
briefs. His supplies have already been gathered and placed on the clean bedside table.
He enters the room, dons’ non-sterile gloves, removes and discards the resident's soiled
brief and cleans the resident's perineum. He removes his soiled gloves and dons a new
pair of non-sterile gloves. He applies a clean brief. He discards his gloves and exists the
room. How many times should he have performed hand hygiene in this scenario?
Please select the best answer.
A) 1
B) 2
C)3
D)Hand hygiene was not required because gloves were worn.
Rationale: The nurse assistant should have performed hand hygiene 3 times in this scenario.
First, he should have performed hand hygiene before donning the non-sterile gloves to
address the indication before touching a resident. Second, he should have performed hand
hygiene after removing his first pair of gloves, before donning the second pair of gloves. This
one act would address several indications: After a blood or body fluid exposure; after glove
removal; and moving from a dirty task to a clean task. Third, performing hand hygiene after
removing the second pair of gloves addresses the indications after glove removal and after
touching the resident. (Module 7)
2. A resident is diagnosed with latent TB infection (LTBI). Is there risk that the resident will
transmit TB to others in the facility? Please select the best answer.
A) No, there is no risk of transmission at this time
B)Yes, the resident is very likely to transmit infection to those who are
immunocompromised
C)No, the resident is not a risk because he/she will be placed in Airborne Precautions
D)Yes, the resident is likely to transmit infection to close contacts
,Rationale: A resident with LTBI has M. tuberculosis in the body but does not have signs or
symptoms of TB disease and cannot spread the infection to other people. Airborne
Precautions are not required when caring for residents with LTBI. (Module 12b)
3. After you have scored the infection prevention and control (IPC) risk assessment, which
of the following actions would you take first to address the findings? Please select the
best answer.
A) Develop a performance improvement effort
B) Identify high-scoring items for IPC program prioritization
C)Develop new (or review existing) IPC policies and procedures
D)Provide education and training for staff
Rationale: The first step would be to identify the high-scoring items for IPC program
prioritization. Subsequent actions to address high-scoring items might include developing
a performance improvement effort, developing or reviewing IPC policies and procedures, or
providing education and training for staff.
( Module 1)
4. As a result of lessons learned from outbreaks of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs)
in nursing homes, which of the following situations should warrant use of Contact
Precautions and consideration of a single-person room for MDRO-colonized residents?
Please select all that apply.
A) Residents with difficulty containing secretions from sites of MDRO colonization and
potential for
extensive environmental contamination
B) New residents on the unit are found to be colonized with the MDRO (evidence of
ongoing
transmission) despite efforts to control spread
C)Residents with minimal medical or nursing care needs who are able to move
independently
throughout the facility
D)Residents receiving antibiotics
Rationale: Nursing homes should implement Contact Precautions with consideration of single-
person rooms for MDRO colonized residents when there is difficulty containing secretions
,from sites of colonization that could result in extensive environmental contamination and
when there is evidence of ongoing transmission despite efforts to control spread of an MDRO.
While Enhanced Barrier Precautions might be considered during high contact care activities for
certain residents with risk factors, regardless of MDRO colonization status, highly independent
residents or those receiving antibiotics would not warrant Contact
Precautions even if MDRO colonized without those characteristics. (Module 6b)
5. At what stage of an investigation would you notify local or state public health officials that
you have an outbreak? Please select the best answer
A) Once an outbreak case definition has been developed
B)Once an outbreak has not been controlled by infection prevention and control (IPC)
measures
C)Once an outbreak has been determined to exist
D)Once an outbreak has been evaluated and summarized in a written report
Rationale: A facility should notify local or state public health officials as soon as an outbreak
has been determined to exist. (Module 5)
6. Before performing wound care, if the hands are not visibly soiled, which method of hand
hygiene by staff members is preferred? Please select the best answer.
A) Using an alcohol-based hand rub
B)Washing hands with soap and water, followed immediately by use of an alcohol-based
hand rub
C)None. Since gloves should be worn when performing wound care, hand hygiene is not
necessary
D)None of the above
Rationale: Alcohol-based hand rub is the preferred method of hand hygiene in most clinical
situations, including this scenario. Soap and water should be used if hands are visibly soiled. If
hand hygiene is performed with soap and water, it is not necessary to then immediately use
an alcohol-based hand rub. Hand hygiene should be performed before touching a resident,
even if gloves will be worn. (Module 7)
7. During January, there were five residents with central venous catheters (CVCs) for a total of
100 catheter-days. There were 4,000 resident-days for the month. There were two central
, lineassociated blood stream infections (CLABSIs) identified. What is the CLABSI rate for the
month? Please select the best answer.
A) 1.3 CLABSI per 1,000 resident-days
B) 2 CLABSI per 1,000 catheter-days
C) 5 CLABSI per 1,000 resident-days
D) 20 CLABSI per 1,000 catheter-days
Rationale: When calculating an infection rate, the denominator represents the population at
risk for the event during the timeframe defined for surveillance. Because only residents with a
CVC can experience a CLABSI, the correct denominator only counts the days when residents
had the device. In this example, the denominator would be 100 catheter-days. The numerator
is the total number of CLABSIs occurring during the timeframe of interest. In this example,
there are two CLABSIs. A constant, k, of 1,000 is used to standardize the rate. Therefore, the
CLABSI rate calculation is two events divided by 100 catheter-days multiplied by 1,000, which
equals 20 CLABSIs per 1,000 catheter-days. (Module 4)
8. During the previous influenza vaccine season, 120 residents received the influenza
vaccine. 80 residents declined the vaccine. Which of the following is the correct
resident influenza vaccination acceptance rate? Please select the best answer.
A) 40 percent
B) 60 percent
C) 67 percent
D) 80 percent
Rationale: For process measure surveillance, the numerator represents the number of
individuals adherent to a practice, and the denominator represents the number of
opportunities to perform the practice. In this example, the numerator is 120, or the number of
residents who received the influenza vaccine. The denominator is the total number of
residents eligible to receive the vaccine, which is 200 (120 residents who received the vaccine
plus 80 residents who declined it). The vaccine acceptance rate calculation is 120 divided by
200 multiplied by 100, which equals 60 percent. (Module 4)
9. During which of the following situations should a gown be considered in addition to
gloves during care of a resident with an indwelling urinary catheter? Please select the
best answer.
CORRECT ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES
1. A nurse assistant is about to perform perineal care on an incontinent resident who wears
briefs. His supplies have already been gathered and placed on the clean bedside table.
He enters the room, dons’ non-sterile gloves, removes and discards the resident's soiled
brief and cleans the resident's perineum. He removes his soiled gloves and dons a new
pair of non-sterile gloves. He applies a clean brief. He discards his gloves and exists the
room. How many times should he have performed hand hygiene in this scenario?
Please select the best answer.
A) 1
B) 2
C)3
D)Hand hygiene was not required because gloves were worn.
Rationale: The nurse assistant should have performed hand hygiene 3 times in this scenario.
First, he should have performed hand hygiene before donning the non-sterile gloves to
address the indication before touching a resident. Second, he should have performed hand
hygiene after removing his first pair of gloves, before donning the second pair of gloves. This
one act would address several indications: After a blood or body fluid exposure; after glove
removal; and moving from a dirty task to a clean task. Third, performing hand hygiene after
removing the second pair of gloves addresses the indications after glove removal and after
touching the resident. (Module 7)
2. A resident is diagnosed with latent TB infection (LTBI). Is there risk that the resident will
transmit TB to others in the facility? Please select the best answer.
A) No, there is no risk of transmission at this time
B)Yes, the resident is very likely to transmit infection to those who are
immunocompromised
C)No, the resident is not a risk because he/she will be placed in Airborne Precautions
D)Yes, the resident is likely to transmit infection to close contacts
,Rationale: A resident with LTBI has M. tuberculosis in the body but does not have signs or
symptoms of TB disease and cannot spread the infection to other people. Airborne
Precautions are not required when caring for residents with LTBI. (Module 12b)
3. After you have scored the infection prevention and control (IPC) risk assessment, which
of the following actions would you take first to address the findings? Please select the
best answer.
A) Develop a performance improvement effort
B) Identify high-scoring items for IPC program prioritization
C)Develop new (or review existing) IPC policies and procedures
D)Provide education and training for staff
Rationale: The first step would be to identify the high-scoring items for IPC program
prioritization. Subsequent actions to address high-scoring items might include developing
a performance improvement effort, developing or reviewing IPC policies and procedures, or
providing education and training for staff.
( Module 1)
4. As a result of lessons learned from outbreaks of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs)
in nursing homes, which of the following situations should warrant use of Contact
Precautions and consideration of a single-person room for MDRO-colonized residents?
Please select all that apply.
A) Residents with difficulty containing secretions from sites of MDRO colonization and
potential for
extensive environmental contamination
B) New residents on the unit are found to be colonized with the MDRO (evidence of
ongoing
transmission) despite efforts to control spread
C)Residents with minimal medical or nursing care needs who are able to move
independently
throughout the facility
D)Residents receiving antibiotics
Rationale: Nursing homes should implement Contact Precautions with consideration of single-
person rooms for MDRO colonized residents when there is difficulty containing secretions
,from sites of colonization that could result in extensive environmental contamination and
when there is evidence of ongoing transmission despite efforts to control spread of an MDRO.
While Enhanced Barrier Precautions might be considered during high contact care activities for
certain residents with risk factors, regardless of MDRO colonization status, highly independent
residents or those receiving antibiotics would not warrant Contact
Precautions even if MDRO colonized without those characteristics. (Module 6b)
5. At what stage of an investigation would you notify local or state public health officials that
you have an outbreak? Please select the best answer
A) Once an outbreak case definition has been developed
B)Once an outbreak has not been controlled by infection prevention and control (IPC)
measures
C)Once an outbreak has been determined to exist
D)Once an outbreak has been evaluated and summarized in a written report
Rationale: A facility should notify local or state public health officials as soon as an outbreak
has been determined to exist. (Module 5)
6. Before performing wound care, if the hands are not visibly soiled, which method of hand
hygiene by staff members is preferred? Please select the best answer.
A) Using an alcohol-based hand rub
B)Washing hands with soap and water, followed immediately by use of an alcohol-based
hand rub
C)None. Since gloves should be worn when performing wound care, hand hygiene is not
necessary
D)None of the above
Rationale: Alcohol-based hand rub is the preferred method of hand hygiene in most clinical
situations, including this scenario. Soap and water should be used if hands are visibly soiled. If
hand hygiene is performed with soap and water, it is not necessary to then immediately use
an alcohol-based hand rub. Hand hygiene should be performed before touching a resident,
even if gloves will be worn. (Module 7)
7. During January, there were five residents with central venous catheters (CVCs) for a total of
100 catheter-days. There were 4,000 resident-days for the month. There were two central
, lineassociated blood stream infections (CLABSIs) identified. What is the CLABSI rate for the
month? Please select the best answer.
A) 1.3 CLABSI per 1,000 resident-days
B) 2 CLABSI per 1,000 catheter-days
C) 5 CLABSI per 1,000 resident-days
D) 20 CLABSI per 1,000 catheter-days
Rationale: When calculating an infection rate, the denominator represents the population at
risk for the event during the timeframe defined for surveillance. Because only residents with a
CVC can experience a CLABSI, the correct denominator only counts the days when residents
had the device. In this example, the denominator would be 100 catheter-days. The numerator
is the total number of CLABSIs occurring during the timeframe of interest. In this example,
there are two CLABSIs. A constant, k, of 1,000 is used to standardize the rate. Therefore, the
CLABSI rate calculation is two events divided by 100 catheter-days multiplied by 1,000, which
equals 20 CLABSIs per 1,000 catheter-days. (Module 4)
8. During the previous influenza vaccine season, 120 residents received the influenza
vaccine. 80 residents declined the vaccine. Which of the following is the correct
resident influenza vaccination acceptance rate? Please select the best answer.
A) 40 percent
B) 60 percent
C) 67 percent
D) 80 percent
Rationale: For process measure surveillance, the numerator represents the number of
individuals adherent to a practice, and the denominator represents the number of
opportunities to perform the practice. In this example, the numerator is 120, or the number of
residents who received the influenza vaccine. The denominator is the total number of
residents eligible to receive the vaccine, which is 200 (120 residents who received the vaccine
plus 80 residents who declined it). The vaccine acceptance rate calculation is 120 divided by
200 multiplied by 100, which equals 60 percent. (Module 4)
9. During which of the following situations should a gown be considered in addition to
gloves during care of a resident with an indwelling urinary catheter? Please select the
best answer.
