NYS INFECTION CONTROL MANDATED TRAINING
QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS
Question 1
A healthcare worker who is HIV-positive expresses concern about confidentiality related to the
condition. Which of the following statements provides accurate information about the healthcare
worker's right to confidentiality?
A) The worker must disclose their HIV status to their direct supervisor and all team members.
B) The worker is protected by the New York State HIV confidentiality law and is not required to
disclose HIV status to patients or employers.
C) The worker's HIV status will be noted in their personnel file, which is accessible to the
hospital administration.
D) The worker is only required to disclose their HIV status if they perform exposure-prone
procedures.
Correct Answer: B) The worker is protected by the New York State HIV confidentiality law
and is not required to disclose HIV status to patients or employers.
Rationale: New York State Public Health Law provides strong confidentiality protections
for HIV-related information. A healthcare worker's HIV status is confidential, and they
cannot be required to disclose this information to their employer or their patients. All
healthcare workers are required to follow Standard Precautions at all times.
Question 2
Which of the following would be considered an occupational health goal for preventing infection
in a healthcare setting?
A) Reducing the cost of personal protective equipment.
B) Protecting healthcare workers from communicable diseases.
C) Ensuring all patients receive prophylactic antibiotics.
D) Increasing the number of available isolation rooms.
Correct Answer: B) Protecting healthcare workers from communicable diseases.
Rationale: Occupational health focuses on the safety, health, and welfare of people at work.
A primary goal in a healthcare setting is to implement policies and procedures (such as
immunizations, PPE, and post-exposure protocols) to protect workers from acquiring
infections in their work environment.
Question 3
A healthcare worker is observed cleaning instruments prior to sterilization. Which of these
actions of the worker represents an error that requires correction?
A) The worker is wearing heavy-duty utility gloves.
B) The worker cleans the instruments under the surface of the water.
C) The worker cleans the instruments in a designated decontamination sink.
D) The worker cleans the instruments in a hand-washing sink.
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Correct Answer: D) The worker cleans the instruments in a hand-washing sink.
Rationale: Sinks used for hand washing must not be used for cleaning contaminated
instruments. This practice creates a significant risk of cross-contamination, potentially
splashing pathogens onto staff or contaminating the sink used for hand hygiene. A
dedicated, separate area or sink must be used for decontamination.
Question 4
Which of the following pathogens that a healthcare worker may encounter is the least susceptible
to sterilization processes and disinfecting agents?
A) Bacteria
B) Viruses
C) Fungi
D) Prion agents
Correct Answer: D) Prion agents
Rationale: Prions are misfolded proteins that cause neurodegenerative diseases (e.g.,
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease). They are not living organisms and are extremely resistant to
conventional disinfection and sterilization methods like heat, radiation, and chemical
agents. Special, extended sterilization protocols are required to inactivate prions.
Question 5
To ensure proper reprocessing of reusable medical devices and patient care equipment, it is
essential to use:
A) The facility's oldest and most established protocol.
B) The method that is quickest and most convenient.
C) The manufacturer's recommendations.
D) The cleaning agent with the strongest chemical odor.
Correct Answer: C) The manufacturer's recommendations.
Rationale: The manufacturer of a medical device is responsible for providing validated,
step-by-step instructions for its cleaning, disinfection, and/or sterilization. Following these
instructions for use (IFU) is critical to ensure the device is safe for patient use and is a
regulatory requirement.
Question 6
Which of the following practices would most likely result in the contamination of a sterile field?
A) Reusing single-use equipment without reprocessing.
B) Opening a sterile package on a clean, dry surface.
C) Keeping the sterile field in constant view.
D) Pouring sterile solution without splashing.
Correct Answer: A) Reusing single-use equipment without reprocessing.
Rationale: Items designated as "single-use" are not intended or validated for cleaning and
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resterilization. Attempting to reuse such an item, even if it appears clean, means it is not
sterile and will contaminate any sterile field or patient it touches.
Question 7
A healthcare worker is planning to provide care to a patient who has active pulmonary
tuberculosis. The worker should plan to wear:
A) A surgical mask
B) An N95 filter respirator
C) A face shield
D) A powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) only
Correct Answer: B) An N95 filter respirator
Rationale: Tuberculosis (TB) is transmitted via the airborne route, meaning the infectious
particles are very small and can remain suspended in the air. A standard surgical mask is
not sufficient. Healthcare workers entering the room of a patient with active TB must wear
a fit-tested N95 respirator to filter these small particles and prevent inhalation.
Question 8
Which of the personal protective equipment (PPE) listed below should be used when changing a
dressing for a patient who has a three-day-old clean surgical incision with no signs of infection?
A) Gloves, only
B) Gloves and a gown
C) A gown and a surgical mask
D) Gloves, gown, and eye protection
Correct Answer: A) Gloves, only
Rationale: According to Standard Precautions, the selection of PPE is based on the
anticipated exposure. For changing a simple, clean dressing with minimal risk of splashing,
clean gloves are sufficient to protect the healthcare worker from contact with the non-intact
skin and any minimal drainage.
Question 9
Non-sterile (exam) gloves may be used for which of these procedures?
A) Assisting with the insertion of a central venous catheter.
B) Performing a surgical dressing change.
C) Gastric tube feedings.
D) Preparing sterile intravenous admixtures.
Correct Answer: C) Gastric tube feedings.
Rationale: Gastric tube feeding is a "clean" but not a "sterile" procedure. Non-sterile
exam gloves are appropriate to protect the healthcare worker from potential contact with
body fluids (gastric contents) while preventing the transmission of microorganisms to the
patient's feeding tube system.
, [Type here]
Question 10
Which of the following is an engineering control that would assist in preventing the transmission
of tuberculosis?
A) A negative pressure room.
B) Not recapping needles.
C) Wearing an N95 respirator.
D) Cohorting patients with the same diagnosis.
Correct Answer: A) A negative pressure room.
Rationale: Engineering controls are built into the environment to reduce risk. A negative
pressure room (also called an Airborne Infection Isolation Room) has a ventilation system
that pulls air into the room and exhausts it to the outside, usually after filtration. This
prevents airborne pathogens like TB from escaping the room and infecting others in the
facility.
Question 11
Which of the following is a work practice control that should be implemented to protect patients
and healthcare workers?
A) A negative pressure room.
B) Using sharps containers.
C) Not recapping needles.
D) Using needleless IV systems.
Correct Answer: C) Not recapping needles.
Rationale: Work practice controls are changes in the way a task is performed to reduce the
likelihood of an exposure. Prohibiting the recapping of used needles is a critical work
practice control because the act of recapping is a primary cause of accidental needlestick
injuries.
Question 12
Which of the following isolation systems is based on the principle that all blood, body fluids,
secretions, and excretions may contain transmissible infectious agents?
A) Airborne Precautions
B) Droplet Precautions
C) Contact Precautions
D) Standard Precautions
Correct Answer: D) Standard Precautions
Rationale: Standard Precautions are a set of infection control practices used for the care of
ALL patients in ALL healthcare settings, regardless of their suspected or confirmed
infection status. This is the fundamental principle that assumes all body fluids are
potentially infectious.
QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS
Question 1
A healthcare worker who is HIV-positive expresses concern about confidentiality related to the
condition. Which of the following statements provides accurate information about the healthcare
worker's right to confidentiality?
A) The worker must disclose their HIV status to their direct supervisor and all team members.
B) The worker is protected by the New York State HIV confidentiality law and is not required to
disclose HIV status to patients or employers.
C) The worker's HIV status will be noted in their personnel file, which is accessible to the
hospital administration.
D) The worker is only required to disclose their HIV status if they perform exposure-prone
procedures.
Correct Answer: B) The worker is protected by the New York State HIV confidentiality law
and is not required to disclose HIV status to patients or employers.
Rationale: New York State Public Health Law provides strong confidentiality protections
for HIV-related information. A healthcare worker's HIV status is confidential, and they
cannot be required to disclose this information to their employer or their patients. All
healthcare workers are required to follow Standard Precautions at all times.
Question 2
Which of the following would be considered an occupational health goal for preventing infection
in a healthcare setting?
A) Reducing the cost of personal protective equipment.
B) Protecting healthcare workers from communicable diseases.
C) Ensuring all patients receive prophylactic antibiotics.
D) Increasing the number of available isolation rooms.
Correct Answer: B) Protecting healthcare workers from communicable diseases.
Rationale: Occupational health focuses on the safety, health, and welfare of people at work.
A primary goal in a healthcare setting is to implement policies and procedures (such as
immunizations, PPE, and post-exposure protocols) to protect workers from acquiring
infections in their work environment.
Question 3
A healthcare worker is observed cleaning instruments prior to sterilization. Which of these
actions of the worker represents an error that requires correction?
A) The worker is wearing heavy-duty utility gloves.
B) The worker cleans the instruments under the surface of the water.
C) The worker cleans the instruments in a designated decontamination sink.
D) The worker cleans the instruments in a hand-washing sink.
,[Type here]
Correct Answer: D) The worker cleans the instruments in a hand-washing sink.
Rationale: Sinks used for hand washing must not be used for cleaning contaminated
instruments. This practice creates a significant risk of cross-contamination, potentially
splashing pathogens onto staff or contaminating the sink used for hand hygiene. A
dedicated, separate area or sink must be used for decontamination.
Question 4
Which of the following pathogens that a healthcare worker may encounter is the least susceptible
to sterilization processes and disinfecting agents?
A) Bacteria
B) Viruses
C) Fungi
D) Prion agents
Correct Answer: D) Prion agents
Rationale: Prions are misfolded proteins that cause neurodegenerative diseases (e.g.,
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease). They are not living organisms and are extremely resistant to
conventional disinfection and sterilization methods like heat, radiation, and chemical
agents. Special, extended sterilization protocols are required to inactivate prions.
Question 5
To ensure proper reprocessing of reusable medical devices and patient care equipment, it is
essential to use:
A) The facility's oldest and most established protocol.
B) The method that is quickest and most convenient.
C) The manufacturer's recommendations.
D) The cleaning agent with the strongest chemical odor.
Correct Answer: C) The manufacturer's recommendations.
Rationale: The manufacturer of a medical device is responsible for providing validated,
step-by-step instructions for its cleaning, disinfection, and/or sterilization. Following these
instructions for use (IFU) is critical to ensure the device is safe for patient use and is a
regulatory requirement.
Question 6
Which of the following practices would most likely result in the contamination of a sterile field?
A) Reusing single-use equipment without reprocessing.
B) Opening a sterile package on a clean, dry surface.
C) Keeping the sterile field in constant view.
D) Pouring sterile solution without splashing.
Correct Answer: A) Reusing single-use equipment without reprocessing.
Rationale: Items designated as "single-use" are not intended or validated for cleaning and
,[Type here]
resterilization. Attempting to reuse such an item, even if it appears clean, means it is not
sterile and will contaminate any sterile field or patient it touches.
Question 7
A healthcare worker is planning to provide care to a patient who has active pulmonary
tuberculosis. The worker should plan to wear:
A) A surgical mask
B) An N95 filter respirator
C) A face shield
D) A powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) only
Correct Answer: B) An N95 filter respirator
Rationale: Tuberculosis (TB) is transmitted via the airborne route, meaning the infectious
particles are very small and can remain suspended in the air. A standard surgical mask is
not sufficient. Healthcare workers entering the room of a patient with active TB must wear
a fit-tested N95 respirator to filter these small particles and prevent inhalation.
Question 8
Which of the personal protective equipment (PPE) listed below should be used when changing a
dressing for a patient who has a three-day-old clean surgical incision with no signs of infection?
A) Gloves, only
B) Gloves and a gown
C) A gown and a surgical mask
D) Gloves, gown, and eye protection
Correct Answer: A) Gloves, only
Rationale: According to Standard Precautions, the selection of PPE is based on the
anticipated exposure. For changing a simple, clean dressing with minimal risk of splashing,
clean gloves are sufficient to protect the healthcare worker from contact with the non-intact
skin and any minimal drainage.
Question 9
Non-sterile (exam) gloves may be used for which of these procedures?
A) Assisting with the insertion of a central venous catheter.
B) Performing a surgical dressing change.
C) Gastric tube feedings.
D) Preparing sterile intravenous admixtures.
Correct Answer: C) Gastric tube feedings.
Rationale: Gastric tube feeding is a "clean" but not a "sterile" procedure. Non-sterile
exam gloves are appropriate to protect the healthcare worker from potential contact with
body fluids (gastric contents) while preventing the transmission of microorganisms to the
patient's feeding tube system.
, [Type here]
Question 10
Which of the following is an engineering control that would assist in preventing the transmission
of tuberculosis?
A) A negative pressure room.
B) Not recapping needles.
C) Wearing an N95 respirator.
D) Cohorting patients with the same diagnosis.
Correct Answer: A) A negative pressure room.
Rationale: Engineering controls are built into the environment to reduce risk. A negative
pressure room (also called an Airborne Infection Isolation Room) has a ventilation system
that pulls air into the room and exhausts it to the outside, usually after filtration. This
prevents airborne pathogens like TB from escaping the room and infecting others in the
facility.
Question 11
Which of the following is a work practice control that should be implemented to protect patients
and healthcare workers?
A) A negative pressure room.
B) Using sharps containers.
C) Not recapping needles.
D) Using needleless IV systems.
Correct Answer: C) Not recapping needles.
Rationale: Work practice controls are changes in the way a task is performed to reduce the
likelihood of an exposure. Prohibiting the recapping of used needles is a critical work
practice control because the act of recapping is a primary cause of accidental needlestick
injuries.
Question 12
Which of the following isolation systems is based on the principle that all blood, body fluids,
secretions, and excretions may contain transmissible infectious agents?
A) Airborne Precautions
B) Droplet Precautions
C) Contact Precautions
D) Standard Precautions
Correct Answer: D) Standard Precautions
Rationale: Standard Precautions are a set of infection control practices used for the care of
ALL patients in ALL healthcare settings, regardless of their suspected or confirmed
infection status. This is the fundamental principle that assumes all body fluids are
potentially infectious.
