a-IPC Exam Study Guide (Practice Test
#1) well answered already passed
c. Group B Streptococcus - correct answer ✔✔The bacterium most likely to be transmitted from
mother to infant during labor and cause neonatal sepsis is:
a. Escherichia coli
b. Staphylococcus aureus
c. Group B Streptococcus
d. Group A Streptococcus
a. In a study of the association between antibiotic exposure and development of C. difficile
infection, the odds ratio was 2:3 - correct answer ✔✔Which of the following is an example of
the criterion of "Strength of the Association" from Hill's criteria for causation?
a. In a study of the association between antibiotic exposure and development of C. difficile
infection, the odds ratio was 2:3
b. In a study of the association between antibiotic exposure and development of C. difficile
infection, the authors' conclusions are consistent with those of three other studies
c. In a study of the association between antibiotic exposure and development of C. difficile
infection, antibiotic therapy began an average of 3 weeks before C. difficile infection developed
d. In a study of the association between antibiotic exposure and development of C. difficile
infection, prolonged antibiotic therapy was a greater risk factor for C. difficile infection than
short-term antibiotic therapy
c. 1, 3 - correct answer ✔✔Which of the following rules should be followed when collecting a
stool sample for C. difficile testing?
1) Stool sample should be freshly passed within 1-2 hours
2) 10-20mL. of formed stool should be collected
3) Stool should be passed into a clean, dry container
,4) Specimens should be obtained before antimicrobial agents have been administered
a. 1, 2
b. 2, 3
c. 1, 3
d. 1, 4
a. Bacterial - correct answer ✔✔What type of meningitis would be most consistent with the
following cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) report result:
Glucose= Decreased; Protein= Elevated; WBC counts= 1,000/mm3
a. Bacterial
b. Viral
c. Fungal
d. Tuberculosis
a. A positive result of coagulase-negative staphylococci from two sets, 2 days apart, without
symptoms - correct answer ✔✔The following blood culture result should be considered a
potential contaminant:
a. A positive result of coagulase-negative staphylococci from two sets, 2 days apart, without
symptoms
b. A positive result of S. aureus from one bottle in a patient with a temperature of 38.6°C
c. A positive result of E. coli from one bottle in an afebrile patient with diarrhea
d. A positive result of Candida albicans in a fungal blood culture in a patient with a urinary tract
infection
a. 1, 2, 3 - correct answer ✔✔Which of the following organisms have been associated with the
transmission of infections after body piercing?
1) Atypical Mycobacterium species
2) Staphylococcus species
,3) Pseudomonas species
4) Haemophilus species
a. 1, 2, 3
b. 2, 3, 4
c. 1, 3, 4
d. 1, 2, 4
d. Routine environmental culturing should not be considered unless an epidemiologic
investigation is being conducted - correct answer ✔✔The Director of the Operating Room (OR)
requests that the OR surfaces be routinely environmentally cultured. The IP's best response
should be:
a. A schedule for routine culturing of the OR should be arranged so that each room is cultured
at a set interval
b. Routine culturing of the OR should be done in the absence of any epidemiologic
investigations in that area
c. Routine culturing should not be done because it is too expensive
d. Routine environmental culturing should not be considered unless an epidemiologic
investigation is being conducted
d. An outbreak of ventilator-associated Acinetobacter infections in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
- correct answer ✔✔All of the following may be indications of a heating, ventilation, and air
conditioning (HVAC) malfunction except:
a. An increase in the postoperative surgical site infection (SSI) rates
b. A single case of aspergillosis in a severely immunosuppressed patient
c. Healthcare-associated varicella infections
d. An outbreak of ventilator-associated Acinetobacter infections in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
, a. 1, 3 - correct answer ✔✔A patient who underwent intraocular surgery was diagnosed with a
noninfectious endopthalmitis after the procedure. The IP initiates an investigation to identify
the possible cause. Which of the following factors should be considered?
1) Improper handling, cleaning, and rinsing of the instruments
2) Improper labeling of the solutions
3) Gloves and powder
4) Prophylactic antibiotics administered 2 hours before the procedure
a. 1, 3
b. 1, 2
c. 3, 4
d. 2, 4
a. The ability of a test to detect true positives (persons with the disease) when applied to a
population with the disease - correct answer ✔✔Sensitivity may be defined as:
a. The ability of a test to detect true positives (persons with the disease) when applied to a
population with the disease
b. The ability of a test to detect the true negatives (persons without the disease) when applied
to a population without the disease
c. The ability of a test to detect true positives (persons with disease) when applied to a
population without the disease
d. The percentage of persons with true positive results when the test is applied to persons
without the disease
b. White blood cell count - correct answer ✔✔The IP is monitoring blood work in order to
differentiate between bacterial or viral infection in a newly admitted ICU patient. Which of the
following components of a complete blood count (CBC) should the IP examine in order to
determine this information?
a. Hematocrit
b. White blood cell count
#1) well answered already passed
c. Group B Streptococcus - correct answer ✔✔The bacterium most likely to be transmitted from
mother to infant during labor and cause neonatal sepsis is:
a. Escherichia coli
b. Staphylococcus aureus
c. Group B Streptococcus
d. Group A Streptococcus
a. In a study of the association between antibiotic exposure and development of C. difficile
infection, the odds ratio was 2:3 - correct answer ✔✔Which of the following is an example of
the criterion of "Strength of the Association" from Hill's criteria for causation?
a. In a study of the association between antibiotic exposure and development of C. difficile
infection, the odds ratio was 2:3
b. In a study of the association between antibiotic exposure and development of C. difficile
infection, the authors' conclusions are consistent with those of three other studies
c. In a study of the association between antibiotic exposure and development of C. difficile
infection, antibiotic therapy began an average of 3 weeks before C. difficile infection developed
d. In a study of the association between antibiotic exposure and development of C. difficile
infection, prolonged antibiotic therapy was a greater risk factor for C. difficile infection than
short-term antibiotic therapy
c. 1, 3 - correct answer ✔✔Which of the following rules should be followed when collecting a
stool sample for C. difficile testing?
1) Stool sample should be freshly passed within 1-2 hours
2) 10-20mL. of formed stool should be collected
3) Stool should be passed into a clean, dry container
,4) Specimens should be obtained before antimicrobial agents have been administered
a. 1, 2
b. 2, 3
c. 1, 3
d. 1, 4
a. Bacterial - correct answer ✔✔What type of meningitis would be most consistent with the
following cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) report result:
Glucose= Decreased; Protein= Elevated; WBC counts= 1,000/mm3
a. Bacterial
b. Viral
c. Fungal
d. Tuberculosis
a. A positive result of coagulase-negative staphylococci from two sets, 2 days apart, without
symptoms - correct answer ✔✔The following blood culture result should be considered a
potential contaminant:
a. A positive result of coagulase-negative staphylococci from two sets, 2 days apart, without
symptoms
b. A positive result of S. aureus from one bottle in a patient with a temperature of 38.6°C
c. A positive result of E. coli from one bottle in an afebrile patient with diarrhea
d. A positive result of Candida albicans in a fungal blood culture in a patient with a urinary tract
infection
a. 1, 2, 3 - correct answer ✔✔Which of the following organisms have been associated with the
transmission of infections after body piercing?
1) Atypical Mycobacterium species
2) Staphylococcus species
,3) Pseudomonas species
4) Haemophilus species
a. 1, 2, 3
b. 2, 3, 4
c. 1, 3, 4
d. 1, 2, 4
d. Routine environmental culturing should not be considered unless an epidemiologic
investigation is being conducted - correct answer ✔✔The Director of the Operating Room (OR)
requests that the OR surfaces be routinely environmentally cultured. The IP's best response
should be:
a. A schedule for routine culturing of the OR should be arranged so that each room is cultured
at a set interval
b. Routine culturing of the OR should be done in the absence of any epidemiologic
investigations in that area
c. Routine culturing should not be done because it is too expensive
d. Routine environmental culturing should not be considered unless an epidemiologic
investigation is being conducted
d. An outbreak of ventilator-associated Acinetobacter infections in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
- correct answer ✔✔All of the following may be indications of a heating, ventilation, and air
conditioning (HVAC) malfunction except:
a. An increase in the postoperative surgical site infection (SSI) rates
b. A single case of aspergillosis in a severely immunosuppressed patient
c. Healthcare-associated varicella infections
d. An outbreak of ventilator-associated Acinetobacter infections in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
, a. 1, 3 - correct answer ✔✔A patient who underwent intraocular surgery was diagnosed with a
noninfectious endopthalmitis after the procedure. The IP initiates an investigation to identify
the possible cause. Which of the following factors should be considered?
1) Improper handling, cleaning, and rinsing of the instruments
2) Improper labeling of the solutions
3) Gloves and powder
4) Prophylactic antibiotics administered 2 hours before the procedure
a. 1, 3
b. 1, 2
c. 3, 4
d. 2, 4
a. The ability of a test to detect true positives (persons with the disease) when applied to a
population with the disease - correct answer ✔✔Sensitivity may be defined as:
a. The ability of a test to detect true positives (persons with the disease) when applied to a
population with the disease
b. The ability of a test to detect the true negatives (persons without the disease) when applied
to a population without the disease
c. The ability of a test to detect true positives (persons with disease) when applied to a
population without the disease
d. The percentage of persons with true positive results when the test is applied to persons
without the disease
b. White blood cell count - correct answer ✔✔The IP is monitoring blood work in order to
differentiate between bacterial or viral infection in a newly admitted ICU patient. Which of the
following components of a complete blood count (CBC) should the IP examine in order to
determine this information?
a. Hematocrit
b. White blood cell count
