C HAPTER 17: I NFECTION P REVENTION AND
C ONTROL IN THE H OSPITAL AND H OME
Williams: deWit's Fundamental Co ncepts and Skills for Nursing, 5th
Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. An 84-year-old patient is hospitalized for an infected stasis ulcer on his
ankle. The nurse is aware that this patient is at risk for a hospital -acquired
infection (HAI) because the:
a. patient already has a blood -borne infection.
b. patient’s defenses are already engaged with the initial infection.
c. ulcer will make this patient bedfast.
d. stasis ulcers predispose the older adult to pneumonia and urinary
infections.
ANS: B
Older adults have an impaired immune system. Th is patient’s immune
s ystem is already engaged with the stasis ulcer, which may put him at
risk for an HAI.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: p. 246 OBJ:
Theory #2 TOP: Infection Control KEY: Nursing Process
Step: Diagnosis MSC: NC LEX: Safe, Effective Care
Environment: Safet y and Infection Control
,2. The nurse collecting a sputum specimen for a patient with staphylococcal
pneumonia will:
a. wipe the specimen container with antimicrobial solution and hand
carry it to the laboratory.
b. double bag the specimen container and send the specimen to the
laboratory.
c. send the specimen to the laboratory in a Biohazard bag.
d. notify the laboratory to collect the contaminated specimen.
ANS: C
Contaminated specimens are collected using appropriate PPEs and sent
to the laboratory in a clearl y marked Biohazard bag as required by
OSHA.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: p. 249 OBJ:
Clinical Practice #2 TOP: Infection Control KEY: Nursing
Process Step: Implementation MSC: NC LEX: Safe,
Effective Care Environm ent: Safet y and Infection Control
3. The nurse is helping the health care provider perform a sterile procedure
at the bedside. Halfway through the procedure, the nurse believes the
health care provider has contaminated the sterile field. The nurse should:
a. report the health care provider for violating surgical asepsis and
endangering the patient.
b. ask the health care provider whether she contaminated her glove and
the sterile field.
c. point out the possible break in surgical asepsis and provide another
set of sterile gloves and a fresh sterile field.
d. not say anything, because it is near the end of the procedure.
, ANS: C
It is the responsibility of the nurse to point out any possible break in
surgical asepsis. Saying nothing does not protect the patient and is
negligence on the part of the nurse. A fresh sterile field should be
provided.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: p. 255|Box 17 -5
OBJ: Theory #9 | Clinical Practice #2 TOP: Surgical
Asepsis KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation
MSC: NC LEX: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Safet y
and Infection Control
4. A nurse is instructing one of the facilit y’s unlicensed assistive personnel
(UAP) in ways to prevent health care –associated infections. The nurse
recognizes that further instruction is warran ted when the UAP states, “I
will:
a. wash m y hands before and after caring for patients.”
b. cleanse patients from the rectum to the urinary meatus.”
c. clean residual urine off the catheter bag when empt ying it.”
d. put all the soiled linen in the hamper in the room. ”
ANS: B
A person should never cleanse from the rectal area to the urinary
meatus because of the risk of introducing infection into the urinary
tract.
C ONTROL IN THE H OSPITAL AND H OME
Williams: deWit's Fundamental Co ncepts and Skills for Nursing, 5th
Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. An 84-year-old patient is hospitalized for an infected stasis ulcer on his
ankle. The nurse is aware that this patient is at risk for a hospital -acquired
infection (HAI) because the:
a. patient already has a blood -borne infection.
b. patient’s defenses are already engaged with the initial infection.
c. ulcer will make this patient bedfast.
d. stasis ulcers predispose the older adult to pneumonia and urinary
infections.
ANS: B
Older adults have an impaired immune system. Th is patient’s immune
s ystem is already engaged with the stasis ulcer, which may put him at
risk for an HAI.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: p. 246 OBJ:
Theory #2 TOP: Infection Control KEY: Nursing Process
Step: Diagnosis MSC: NC LEX: Safe, Effective Care
Environment: Safet y and Infection Control
,2. The nurse collecting a sputum specimen for a patient with staphylococcal
pneumonia will:
a. wipe the specimen container with antimicrobial solution and hand
carry it to the laboratory.
b. double bag the specimen container and send the specimen to the
laboratory.
c. send the specimen to the laboratory in a Biohazard bag.
d. notify the laboratory to collect the contaminated specimen.
ANS: C
Contaminated specimens are collected using appropriate PPEs and sent
to the laboratory in a clearl y marked Biohazard bag as required by
OSHA.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: p. 249 OBJ:
Clinical Practice #2 TOP: Infection Control KEY: Nursing
Process Step: Implementation MSC: NC LEX: Safe,
Effective Care Environm ent: Safet y and Infection Control
3. The nurse is helping the health care provider perform a sterile procedure
at the bedside. Halfway through the procedure, the nurse believes the
health care provider has contaminated the sterile field. The nurse should:
a. report the health care provider for violating surgical asepsis and
endangering the patient.
b. ask the health care provider whether she contaminated her glove and
the sterile field.
c. point out the possible break in surgical asepsis and provide another
set of sterile gloves and a fresh sterile field.
d. not say anything, because it is near the end of the procedure.
, ANS: C
It is the responsibility of the nurse to point out any possible break in
surgical asepsis. Saying nothing does not protect the patient and is
negligence on the part of the nurse. A fresh sterile field should be
provided.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: p. 255|Box 17 -5
OBJ: Theory #9 | Clinical Practice #2 TOP: Surgical
Asepsis KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation
MSC: NC LEX: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Safet y
and Infection Control
4. A nurse is instructing one of the facilit y’s unlicensed assistive personnel
(UAP) in ways to prevent health care –associated infections. The nurse
recognizes that further instruction is warran ted when the UAP states, “I
will:
a. wash m y hands before and after caring for patients.”
b. cleanse patients from the rectum to the urinary meatus.”
c. clean residual urine off the catheter bag when empt ying it.”
d. put all the soiled linen in the hamper in the room. ”
ANS: B
A person should never cleanse from the rectal area to the urinary
meatus because of the risk of introducing infection into the urinary
tract.
