UPDATED Infection Control and Prevention Test Questions And 100% Correct Answers

Define nosocomial infection - ANSWER- Hospital-acquired or nosocomial infections are infections that are acquired in the hospital. The high incidence of nosocomial gram- negative bacterial pneumonia is associated with factors that promote colonization of the pharynx with these organisms. Identify the most common route of transmitting nosocomial infections - ANSWER- Most nosocomial pneumonias occur in surgical patients, especially in patients who have had chest or abdominal procedures. Identify who is responsible for adherence to infection control procedures - ANSWER- Infection prevention is a major and ongoing responsibility of all health care workers, including respiratory therapists (RTs). Identify and explain the three elements required for infection - ANSWER- Three elements must be present for transmission of infection within a health care setting: (1) A source/ reservoir of pathogens (2) A susceptible host, and (3) A route of transmission for the pathogen Identify common sources responsible for the spread of infection - ANSWER- Humans (patients, personnel, or visitors) are the primary source for infectious agents in the health care setting, but inanimate objects (e.g., contaminated medical equipment, linen, medications) have also been implicated in transmission. People may also serve as their own source of infection, via endogenous flora. This latter process is known as autogenous infection. Differentiate between high virulence microorganisms and low virulence microorganisms - ANSWER- Aerobic bacteria is considered a type of bacteria that needs oxygen to survive, anaerobic bacteria however does not need oxygen to survive and is more difficult to treat. Define colonization - ANSWER- The development of a bacterial infection on an individual, as demonstrated by a positive culture. The infected person may have no signs or symptoms of infection while still having the potential to infect others. Identify factors that increase a host's susceptibility to infection - ANSWER- Host factors, such as poorly controlled diabetes mellitus, extremes of age, and underlying acquired (HIV infections) or iatrogenic (through chemotherapy or anit-tumor necrosis factor inhibitors) immunodeficiency, can enhance susceptibility for infections. Surgical incisions and radiation therapy impair defenses of the skin and organ space. Identify the group of respiratory care patient's with increased susceptibility to infection - ANSWER- Patients at the highest risk for pneumonia include elderly patients, severely obese patients, patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) or a history with smoking, and patients with an artificial airway in for long periods of time. Differentiate between the 5 routes of transmission - ANSWER- The five routes of transmission include: (1) Contact: Indirect or Direct (2) Droplet: Rhinovirus, SARS- associated coronavirus, and Monkeypox (3) Vehicle: Water-borne, Foodborne (4) Airborne: Aerosols, Droplet Nuclei (5) Vector-Borne: Ticks and mites, Mosquitoes, and Fleas Identify ways in which infection is spread into the lungs - ANSWER- In patients with infections, normal swallowing and clearance mechanisms are impaired, allowing bacteria to enter and remain in the lower respiratory tract. Identify the three infection control strategies and methods in which they can be accomplished - ANSWER- Infection prevention efforts can be divided into efforts that: (1) Decrease host susceptibility: Most difficult and least feasible approach to infection control, includes hospital efforts that focus mainly on employee immunization and chemoprophylaxis. (2) Efforts that eliminate the source of pathogens: fall into two major categories such as general sanitation methods and specialized equipment processing. (3) Interrupting transmission: include standard precautions and transmission-based precautions. Differentiate between asepsis and sterile - ANSWER- Asepsis by definition means free of pathogenic microorganisms while sterile means absence of all microorganisms. Differentiate between cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization - ANSWER- Cleaning: Removal of all foreign material (e.g., soil, organic material) from objects. Disinfection (General Term): Inactivation of most pathogenic organisms, excluding spores. Disinfection (Low Level): Inactivation of most bacteria, some viruses, and fungi, without destruction of resistant microorganisms such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis or bacterial spores. Disinfection (Intermediate-Level): Inactivation of all vegetative bacteria, most viruses, most fungi, and M. tuberculosis, without destruction of bacterial spores. Disinfection (High-Level): Inactivation of all microorganisms except bacterial spores. Sterilization: Complete destruction of all forms of microbial life. Explain the cleaning process (and the importance of drying completely) - ANSWER- The process of cleaning involves in a designated facility with both clean and dirty separated areas. Before being cleaned the equipment should be disassembled and parts checked for worn areas. After dis-assembly, the parts should be placed in a clean basin with hot water and soap, detergent, or enzymatic cleaners. Equipment should be dried completely as to inhibit the growth of bacteria. Differentiate between physical and chemical processes of disinfection - ANSWER- By definition, disinfection differs from sterilization by it's lack of sporicidal activity. However, a few disinfectants kill spores with prolonged exposure times (hours) and are called chemical sterilants. Disinfection can involve either physical or chemical methods. The most common physical method of disinfection is pasteurization. Many chemical methods are used to disinfect respiratory care equipment. Differentiate between high level, intermediate level, and low level disinfectants and give examples of each - ANSWER- High-Level Disinfection This procedure kills vegetative microorganisms and inactivates viruses, but not necessarily high numbers of bacterial spores. Such disinfectants are capable of sterilization when the contact time is relatively long (e.g., 6 to 10 hours). As high-level disinfectants, they are used for relatively short periods of time (e.g., 10 to 30 minutes). These chemical germicides are potent sporicides and, in the United States, are classified by the FDA as sterilant/disinfectants. They are formulated for use on medical devices, but not on environmental surfaces such as laboratory benches or floors. Intermediate-Level Disinfection This procedure kills vegetative microorganisms, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis, all fungi, and inactivates most viruses. Chemical germicides used in this procedure often correspond to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)- approved "hospital disinfectants" that are also "tuberculocidal." They are used commonly in laboratories for disinfection of laboratory benches and as part of detergent germicides used for housekeeping purposes. Low-Level Disinfection This procedure kills most vegetative bacteria except M. tuberculosis, some fungi, and inactivates some viruses. The EPA approves chemical germicides used in this procedure in the US as "hospital disinfectants" or "sanitizers." Differentiate between the physical and chemical processes of sterilization, including advantages of each process: incineration, dry heat, boiling water, autoclaving, irradiation, and ethylene oxide. - ANSWER- Sterilization destroys all microorganisms on the surface of an article or in a fluid, which prevents transmission of pathogens