a-IPC Exam Study Guide (Practice Test
#3) questions and answers passed
Which of the following is an accurate statement regarding the antibiogram for Staphylococcus
isolates shown below?
Total # of Isolates Clindamycin Tetracycline Trimeth/Sulfa Vancomycin Staphylococcus aureus
200 78 92 86 100 MRSA 147 69 93 88 100 Staphylococcus, coagulase-negative 98 100
1) 50 percent of Staphylococcus aureus isolates were resistant to Vancomycin
2) 12 percent of MRSA isolates were resistant to Trimeth/Sulfa
3) Clindamycin should not be used for coagulase-negative Staphylococcus infections in this
facility because 100 percent of isolates were resistant to it 4) There were no cases of
Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in this facility
a. 2
b. 2, 4
c. 1, 2, 4
d. 1, 2, 3, 4 - correct answer ✔✔b. 2, 4
The most unlikely method of transmission of infection in a healthcare setting would be:
a. Airborne
b. Vehicle
c. Vector
d. Contact - correct answer ✔✔c. Vector
After an incident in which human milk from one mother was mistakenly fed to another mother's
infant, the infection preventionist (IP) is tasked with leading a team to determine why the event
occurred and how it can be prevented from happening again in the future. This type of analysis
is known as:
,a. Root cause analysis (RCA)
b. Gap analysis
c. Strengths-weaknesses-opportunities-threats (SWOT) analysis
d. Failure mode effect analysis (FMEA) - correct answer ✔✔a. Root cause analysis (RCA)
Which one of the following best describes the difference between a common point source
outbreak and a propagated outbreak?
a. Case fatality rates in common source outbreaks are higher
b. Person-to-person transmission is a feature of common source outbreaks
c. The attack rate in propagated outbreaks is higher
d. All cases in a common point source outbreak occur within one incubation period of the
exposure - correct answer ✔✔d. All cases in a common point source outbreak occur within one
incubation period of the exposure
Which of the following aid in the diagnosis of pseudomembranous colitis (PMC)?
1) Colonoscopic biopsy of lesions
2) Raised antibody levels in blood to Clostridium difficile toxin
3) Positive blood culture for Clostridium difficile
4) Stool assays for Clostridium difficile
a. 1, 2
b. 2, 3
c. 3, 4
d. 1, 4 - correct answer ✔✔d. 1, 4
A patient is admitted with fever, nausea and vomiting, sensitivity to light, and stiff neck.
Symptom onset has been progressing slowly over several weeks. The Gram stain of the
cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is India ink positive, and there is low glucose and predominant
lymphocytes. What type of precautions is required for this patient?
,a. Standard plus Droplet Precautions
b. Standard Precautions
c. Standard plus Airborne Precautions
d. Standard plus Contact Precautions - correct answer ✔✔b. Standard Precautions
How can streptococci be differentiated from staphylococci under the microscope following the
Gram stain procedure?
a. Staphylococci are Gram positive cocci, while streptococci are Gram positive bacilli
b. Staphylococci are Gram negative bacilli, while streptococci are Gram negative cocci
c. Staphylococci are Gram positive, while streptococci are Gram negative
d. Staphylococci are Gram positive and grow in grape-like clusters, while streptococci which are
also Gram positive, grow in chains - correct answer ✔✔d. Staphylococci are Gram positive and
grow in grape-like clusters, while streptococci which are also Gram positive, grow in chains
Frequency histograms and polygons are most useful for variables of what level of
measurement?
1) Interval scale
2) Ratio scale
3) Nominal scale
4) Ordinal scale
a. 1, 2
b. 1, 3
c. 2, 3
d. 3, 4 - correct answer ✔✔a. 1, 2
Which of the following is the correct order for disinfecting endoscopes?
a. High-level disinfection, rinse the scope with sterile water, flush the channels with 70 to 90
percent alcohol, dry using forced air
, b. Rinse the scope using sterile water, high-level disinfection, flush the channels with 70 to 90
percent alcohol, dry using forced air
c. Flush the channels with 70 to 90 percent alcohol, rinse the scope using sterile water, high-
level disinfection, dry using forced air
d. Dry using forced air, high-level disinfection, flush the channels with 70 to 90 percent alcohol,
rinse the scope using sterile water - correct answer ✔✔a. High-level disinfection, rinse the
scope with sterile water, flush the channels with 70 to 90 percent alcohol, dry using forced air
The lead IP is invited to participate in an employee health process improvement project. The
goal of the project is to improve influenza vaccination rates among employees. A
multidisciplinary team is formed with representation from front-line employees. After
conducting a root cause analysis (RCA), the team develops a proposal for improvement to
present to the facility leadership team. Which of the following elements should be included as
part of the proposal to most clearly communicate to the leadership team the factors
contributing to the facilities' current vaccination rate among employees?
a. A timeline for implementing improvement activities
b. A Pareto chart
c. A fishbone diagram with an explanation
d. A strategic plan - correct answer ✔✔c. A fishbone diagram with an explanation
An IP wants to make external comparisons of the data collected relating to catheter-associated
urinary tract infections (CAUTI) in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Which of the formulas below
will allow the IP to accurately benchmark against nationally available data?
a. The number of ICU patients with urinary catheters in a given month divided by the number of
urinary tract infections identified in the same month times 1,000
b. The number of ICU urinary tract infections identified in a given month divided by the number
of urinary catheter days in the same month times 1,000
c. The number of urinary catheters used in the ICU in a given month divided by the number of
urinary tract infections identified in the same month times 1,000
d. The number of urinary tract infections identified in a given month divided by the total
number of patient days in the ICU in the same month times 1,000 - correct answer ✔✔b. The
#3) questions and answers passed
Which of the following is an accurate statement regarding the antibiogram for Staphylococcus
isolates shown below?
Total # of Isolates Clindamycin Tetracycline Trimeth/Sulfa Vancomycin Staphylococcus aureus
200 78 92 86 100 MRSA 147 69 93 88 100 Staphylococcus, coagulase-negative 98 100
1) 50 percent of Staphylococcus aureus isolates were resistant to Vancomycin
2) 12 percent of MRSA isolates were resistant to Trimeth/Sulfa
3) Clindamycin should not be used for coagulase-negative Staphylococcus infections in this
facility because 100 percent of isolates were resistant to it 4) There were no cases of
Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in this facility
a. 2
b. 2, 4
c. 1, 2, 4
d. 1, 2, 3, 4 - correct answer ✔✔b. 2, 4
The most unlikely method of transmission of infection in a healthcare setting would be:
a. Airborne
b. Vehicle
c. Vector
d. Contact - correct answer ✔✔c. Vector
After an incident in which human milk from one mother was mistakenly fed to another mother's
infant, the infection preventionist (IP) is tasked with leading a team to determine why the event
occurred and how it can be prevented from happening again in the future. This type of analysis
is known as:
,a. Root cause analysis (RCA)
b. Gap analysis
c. Strengths-weaknesses-opportunities-threats (SWOT) analysis
d. Failure mode effect analysis (FMEA) - correct answer ✔✔a. Root cause analysis (RCA)
Which one of the following best describes the difference between a common point source
outbreak and a propagated outbreak?
a. Case fatality rates in common source outbreaks are higher
b. Person-to-person transmission is a feature of common source outbreaks
c. The attack rate in propagated outbreaks is higher
d. All cases in a common point source outbreak occur within one incubation period of the
exposure - correct answer ✔✔d. All cases in a common point source outbreak occur within one
incubation period of the exposure
Which of the following aid in the diagnosis of pseudomembranous colitis (PMC)?
1) Colonoscopic biopsy of lesions
2) Raised antibody levels in blood to Clostridium difficile toxin
3) Positive blood culture for Clostridium difficile
4) Stool assays for Clostridium difficile
a. 1, 2
b. 2, 3
c. 3, 4
d. 1, 4 - correct answer ✔✔d. 1, 4
A patient is admitted with fever, nausea and vomiting, sensitivity to light, and stiff neck.
Symptom onset has been progressing slowly over several weeks. The Gram stain of the
cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is India ink positive, and there is low glucose and predominant
lymphocytes. What type of precautions is required for this patient?
,a. Standard plus Droplet Precautions
b. Standard Precautions
c. Standard plus Airborne Precautions
d. Standard plus Contact Precautions - correct answer ✔✔b. Standard Precautions
How can streptococci be differentiated from staphylococci under the microscope following the
Gram stain procedure?
a. Staphylococci are Gram positive cocci, while streptococci are Gram positive bacilli
b. Staphylococci are Gram negative bacilli, while streptococci are Gram negative cocci
c. Staphylococci are Gram positive, while streptococci are Gram negative
d. Staphylococci are Gram positive and grow in grape-like clusters, while streptococci which are
also Gram positive, grow in chains - correct answer ✔✔d. Staphylococci are Gram positive and
grow in grape-like clusters, while streptococci which are also Gram positive, grow in chains
Frequency histograms and polygons are most useful for variables of what level of
measurement?
1) Interval scale
2) Ratio scale
3) Nominal scale
4) Ordinal scale
a. 1, 2
b. 1, 3
c. 2, 3
d. 3, 4 - correct answer ✔✔a. 1, 2
Which of the following is the correct order for disinfecting endoscopes?
a. High-level disinfection, rinse the scope with sterile water, flush the channels with 70 to 90
percent alcohol, dry using forced air
, b. Rinse the scope using sterile water, high-level disinfection, flush the channels with 70 to 90
percent alcohol, dry using forced air
c. Flush the channels with 70 to 90 percent alcohol, rinse the scope using sterile water, high-
level disinfection, dry using forced air
d. Dry using forced air, high-level disinfection, flush the channels with 70 to 90 percent alcohol,
rinse the scope using sterile water - correct answer ✔✔a. High-level disinfection, rinse the
scope with sterile water, flush the channels with 70 to 90 percent alcohol, dry using forced air
The lead IP is invited to participate in an employee health process improvement project. The
goal of the project is to improve influenza vaccination rates among employees. A
multidisciplinary team is formed with representation from front-line employees. After
conducting a root cause analysis (RCA), the team develops a proposal for improvement to
present to the facility leadership team. Which of the following elements should be included as
part of the proposal to most clearly communicate to the leadership team the factors
contributing to the facilities' current vaccination rate among employees?
a. A timeline for implementing improvement activities
b. A Pareto chart
c. A fishbone diagram with an explanation
d. A strategic plan - correct answer ✔✔c. A fishbone diagram with an explanation
An IP wants to make external comparisons of the data collected relating to catheter-associated
urinary tract infections (CAUTI) in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Which of the formulas below
will allow the IP to accurately benchmark against nationally available data?
a. The number of ICU patients with urinary catheters in a given month divided by the number of
urinary tract infections identified in the same month times 1,000
b. The number of ICU urinary tract infections identified in a given month divided by the number
of urinary catheter days in the same month times 1,000
c. The number of urinary catheters used in the ICU in a given month divided by the number of
urinary tract infections identified in the same month times 1,000
d. The number of urinary tract infections identified in a given month divided by the total
number of patient days in the ICU in the same month times 1,000 - correct answer ✔✔b. The
