Foundations for Population Health in Community Public Health Nursing 5th Edition Stanhope Test Bank
Chapter 15: Surveillance and Outbreak Investigation ,
Stanhope: Foundations for Population Health in Community/Public Health Nursing,
5th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A nurse considered copying last month’s surveillance report and changing the date because
the number of occurrences per month had not noticeably changed. Which of the following
best explains why the nurse should continue to spend time collecting and reporting data that is
always nearly the same?
a. Because such data are legally required
b. Because it is still part of the nurse’s responsibilities, even if it is a waste of time
c. To determine a local baseline rate and immediately notice any change
d. To determine differences among communities in need for state assistance
ANS: C
Disease surveillance generates knowledge of a disease or event outbreak patterns.
Surveillance systems help nurses and other professionals monitor emerging infections and
bioterrorist outbreaks. Surveillance provides a means for nurses to monitor disease trends to
reduce morbidity and mortality and improve health. Disease surveillance is not part of a legal
requirement. There are many useful purposes for surveillance including monitoring for
emerging infections and disease trends. The purpose of the monthly surveillance report is not
for comparison among communities, rather it is a description of what is happening within the
local community.
2. A nurse attends a conferenceN
to learn
R Imore
G about
B.C public
M health surveillance. Why is it so
U S N T
important that the nurse be knowledgeable about this topic?
O
a. Because nurses are employed in public health agencies
b. Because nurses are often the first to recognize and respond to a problem
c. Because nurses are responsible for ensuring that action is taken when necessary
d. Because nurses are typically the ones to interact with the public and the media
ANS: B
Nurses are often in the forefront of responses to be made in the surveillance process whether
working in a small rural agency or a large urban agency; within the health department, school,
or urgent care center; or on the telephone performing triage services during a disaster. It is the
nurse who sees the event first. Nurses may work in a variety of community agencies,
including public health agencies. Nurses will collaborate with others to take action as
necessary; it would not be the sole responsibility of the nurse. A wide variety of public health
professionals interact with the public and the media, not only nurses.
3. A rural public health nurse is spending time reviewing death certificates. Which of the
following best explains the purpose of this activity?
a. To ensure that local causes of death are consistent with national causes of death
b. To confirm that no local health problems are beginning
c. To evaluate effectiveness of health promotion programs
d. To obtain mortality data for the local area
ANS: D
This study source was downloaded by 100000841689952 from CourseHero.com on 04-30-2022 15:29:20 GMT -05:00
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, Foundations for Population Health in Community Public Health Nursing 5th Edition Stanhope Test Bank
Mortality data are often the only source of health-related data available for small geographic
areas. Vital statistics reports, such as death certificates, are reviewed. Useful information also
comes from administrative data such as discharge reports and billing records. It is not
necessary that the local causes of death are consistent with national causes, rather it is
important the nurse be aware of the major causes of mortality in the community so that the
needs of the community can be addressed. Mortality data can occasionally be used to evaluate
the effectiveness of health promotion programs, but this would not be the primary purpose of
reviewing death certificates. Other data can be used to detect the start of local health
problems. Analyzing death certificates as the only means of examining local health problems
would provide the nurse with data that is not current.
4. Which of the following types of surveillance systems is being used when case reports are
routinely sent to local health departments by health care providers and laboratories, where the
data are then summarized and forwarded to those responsible for monitoring such reports?
a. Active
b. Passive
c. Sentinel
d. Special
ANS: B
In the passive surveillance system, case reports are sent to local health departments by health
care providers or laboratories. The case reports are summarized and forwarded to the state
health department, national government, or organizations responsible for monitoring the
problem, such as the CDC. In active surveillance, the health department nurse may begin a
search for cases through contacts to determine the magnitude of the problem. Sentinel
surveillance involves looking for trends. Special surveillance is developed when a particular
type of data is sought. N R I G B.C M
U S N T O
5. In which of the following situations would the nurse most likely use an active surveillance
system?
a. A newspaper wants to know the incidence of asthma in the community.
b. A real-time ongoing communication channel is established to monitor a particular
symptom.
c. Several children become ill with gastrointestinal (GI) upset at one local school.
d. The nurse is asked to report the incidence of a specific nonreportable common
problem in the community.
ANS: C
In active surveillance, the nurse may begin a search for cases to determine the magnitude of
the problem (how widespread it is). An example would be when several school children
become ill after eating lunch in the cafeteria or at the local hot dog stand, in which case, active
surveillance would be used to investigate the possibility of food poisoning. In the passive
surveillance system, case reports are sent to local health departments by health care providers
or laboratories. The case reports are summarized and forwarded to the state health department,
national government, or organizations responsible for monitoring the problem, such as the
CDC. Special surveillance is developed when a particular type of data is sought.
6. Several children were hospitalized for severe vomiting and diarrhea. Which of the following
best explains why the nurse would continue to pursue the cause of the illness even after the
children have been discharged from the hospital?
This study source was downloaded by 100000841689952 from CourseHero.com on 04-30-2022 15:29:20 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/58535316/15pdf/ NURSINGTB.COM
Chapter 15: Surveillance and Outbreak Investigation ,
Stanhope: Foundations for Population Health in Community/Public Health Nursing,
5th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A nurse considered copying last month’s surveillance report and changing the date because
the number of occurrences per month had not noticeably changed. Which of the following
best explains why the nurse should continue to spend time collecting and reporting data that is
always nearly the same?
a. Because such data are legally required
b. Because it is still part of the nurse’s responsibilities, even if it is a waste of time
c. To determine a local baseline rate and immediately notice any change
d. To determine differences among communities in need for state assistance
ANS: C
Disease surveillance generates knowledge of a disease or event outbreak patterns.
Surveillance systems help nurses and other professionals monitor emerging infections and
bioterrorist outbreaks. Surveillance provides a means for nurses to monitor disease trends to
reduce morbidity and mortality and improve health. Disease surveillance is not part of a legal
requirement. There are many useful purposes for surveillance including monitoring for
emerging infections and disease trends. The purpose of the monthly surveillance report is not
for comparison among communities, rather it is a description of what is happening within the
local community.
2. A nurse attends a conferenceN
to learn
R Imore
G about
B.C public
M health surveillance. Why is it so
U S N T
important that the nurse be knowledgeable about this topic?
O
a. Because nurses are employed in public health agencies
b. Because nurses are often the first to recognize and respond to a problem
c. Because nurses are responsible for ensuring that action is taken when necessary
d. Because nurses are typically the ones to interact with the public and the media
ANS: B
Nurses are often in the forefront of responses to be made in the surveillance process whether
working in a small rural agency or a large urban agency; within the health department, school,
or urgent care center; or on the telephone performing triage services during a disaster. It is the
nurse who sees the event first. Nurses may work in a variety of community agencies,
including public health agencies. Nurses will collaborate with others to take action as
necessary; it would not be the sole responsibility of the nurse. A wide variety of public health
professionals interact with the public and the media, not only nurses.
3. A rural public health nurse is spending time reviewing death certificates. Which of the
following best explains the purpose of this activity?
a. To ensure that local causes of death are consistent with national causes of death
b. To confirm that no local health problems are beginning
c. To evaluate effectiveness of health promotion programs
d. To obtain mortality data for the local area
ANS: D
This study source was downloaded by 100000841689952 from CourseHero.com on 04-30-2022 15:29:20 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/58535316/15pdf/ NURSINGTB.COM
, Foundations for Population Health in Community Public Health Nursing 5th Edition Stanhope Test Bank
Mortality data are often the only source of health-related data available for small geographic
areas. Vital statistics reports, such as death certificates, are reviewed. Useful information also
comes from administrative data such as discharge reports and billing records. It is not
necessary that the local causes of death are consistent with national causes, rather it is
important the nurse be aware of the major causes of mortality in the community so that the
needs of the community can be addressed. Mortality data can occasionally be used to evaluate
the effectiveness of health promotion programs, but this would not be the primary purpose of
reviewing death certificates. Other data can be used to detect the start of local health
problems. Analyzing death certificates as the only means of examining local health problems
would provide the nurse with data that is not current.
4. Which of the following types of surveillance systems is being used when case reports are
routinely sent to local health departments by health care providers and laboratories, where the
data are then summarized and forwarded to those responsible for monitoring such reports?
a. Active
b. Passive
c. Sentinel
d. Special
ANS: B
In the passive surveillance system, case reports are sent to local health departments by health
care providers or laboratories. The case reports are summarized and forwarded to the state
health department, national government, or organizations responsible for monitoring the
problem, such as the CDC. In active surveillance, the health department nurse may begin a
search for cases through contacts to determine the magnitude of the problem. Sentinel
surveillance involves looking for trends. Special surveillance is developed when a particular
type of data is sought. N R I G B.C M
U S N T O
5. In which of the following situations would the nurse most likely use an active surveillance
system?
a. A newspaper wants to know the incidence of asthma in the community.
b. A real-time ongoing communication channel is established to monitor a particular
symptom.
c. Several children become ill with gastrointestinal (GI) upset at one local school.
d. The nurse is asked to report the incidence of a specific nonreportable common
problem in the community.
ANS: C
In active surveillance, the nurse may begin a search for cases to determine the magnitude of
the problem (how widespread it is). An example would be when several school children
become ill after eating lunch in the cafeteria or at the local hot dog stand, in which case, active
surveillance would be used to investigate the possibility of food poisoning. In the passive
surveillance system, case reports are sent to local health departments by health care providers
or laboratories. The case reports are summarized and forwarded to the state health department,
national government, or organizations responsible for monitoring the problem, such as the
CDC. Special surveillance is developed when a particular type of data is sought.
6. Several children were hospitalized for severe vomiting and diarrhea. Which of the following
best explains why the nurse would continue to pursue the cause of the illness even after the
children have been discharged from the hospital?
This study source was downloaded by 100000841689952 from CourseHero.com on 04-30-2022 15:29:20 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/58535316/15pdf/ NURSINGTB.COM
