Prep U Chapter 23: Asepsis and Infection Control

A home health nurse is completing a health history for a client. What is one question that is important to ask to identify a latex allergy for this client?

"Have you had any unusual symptoms after blowing up balloons?"

A pregnant woman with a history of genital herpes infection who is near term asks the nurse why she must have a cesarean section when she has not had an outbreak in a "long time". The nurse responds:

"You may have infection in your birth canal that you are unaware of."

Which practice is a correct application of infection control practices?

A nurse performs hand washing each time the nurse removes a pair of gloves

Which client presents the most significant risk factors for the development of Clostridium difficile infection?

An 81-year-old client who has been receiving multiple antibiotics for the treatment of sepsis

The nurse is caring for a client admitted with tuberculosis (TB). What would be the best action by the nurse?

Apply a nonparticulate (N-95) respirator when entering the room

When preparing to take a client's blood pressure, the nurse notes that the sphygmomanometer is visibly soiled. What is the correct action by the nurse?

Cleanse and disinfect the sphygmomanometer

Which client should the nurse determine to be at the greatest risk for hospital-acquired infection (HAI)?

Client with a urinary catheter

The nurse is donning a pair of sterile gloves. The nurse correctly dons the first glove, but inadvertently inserts the thumb and index finger into the thumb hole of the second glove. The glove remains intact. Which action is most appropriate?

Continue to don the glove, then use the other gloved hand to carefully insert the finger into the proper hole

The nurse has completed an intervention with a client. There is no visible soiling on the nurse's hands. Which technique is recommended by infection control practice standards for hand hygiene?

Decontaminate hands using an alcohol-based hand rub

The nurse has finished caring for a client on contact precautions. Which nursing action regarding the stethoscope used to auscultate this client's lungs and bowel sounds is appropriate?

Disinfect it with alcohol swabs

The nurse working with the hospital's infection control team is attempting to decrease the transmission of healthcare-associated pathogens. Which intervention will be most effective?

Incentivizing health care workers to utilize hand hygiene

A nurse is taking stock of the equipment in the room of an older adult client with pneumonia who has been on parenteral nutrition for a long time. Which equipment can transmit infection to older adult clients?

Indwelling catheter

A nurse has been exposed to urine while changing the linens of a client's bed. Which guideline is followed for performing hand hygiene after this client encounter?

Keep hands lower than elbows to allow water to flow toward fingertips

When accessing a client's central line, a drop of the client's blood falls on the nurse's gloved hand. What is the appropriate action by the nurse?

Perform hand hygiene after removing the glove

The nurse is caring for a client who has active tuberculosis and is under airborne precautions. The health care provider prescribes a computed tomography (CT) examination of the chest. Which action by the nurse is appropriate?

Place a surgical mask on the client and transport to the CT department at the specified time.

A nurse at health care facility uses a mask to prevent spread of microorganisms by droplet or airborne transmission. What action is appropriate by the nurse when using masks? Select all that apply.

Position the mask so that it covers the nose and mouth. Avoid touching the mask once it is in place. Change the mask every 20 or 30 minutes. Touch only the strings of the mask during removal.

The nurse is caring for a client who has been placed in strict isolation. Which nursing action is appropriate?

Remove fresh fruit from the room

Which action is the best example of a nurse donning/removing protective equipment properly?

Removing respirator after leaving client's room

What is an accurate guideline for the use of PPE?

Replace gloves if they are visibly soiled

The nurse planning to insert an indwelling urinary catheter into a client should utilize which technique?

Surgical asepsis

A client is to have an indwelling urinary catheter inserted. Which precaution is followed during this procedure?

Surgical asepsis technique

A nurse is caring for a client who is diagnosed with tuberculosis. Which nursing intervention promotes infection control based on nursing practice standards for safety?

The nurse places the client in a private room with monitored negative air pressure.

Standard precautions apply to blood; all body fluids, secretions, and excretions; intact and nonintact skin and mucous membranes.

True

The nurse is preparing to perform handwashing. Place the following steps in the correct order. Use all options.

Turn on the faucet and adjust force and temperature of the water Wet the hand and wrists Apply soap Wash the palms and backs of the hands for at least 20 seconds Pat the hands dry with a paper towel Turn the faucet off with a paper towel

After providing care to a client, the nurse is disposing of waste materials. Which waste would the nurse identify as injurious waste? Select all that apply.

Used fingerstick lancet Used syringe with attached needle

The nurse conducting a hand hygiene in-service determines that the participants need additional education when they state that the use of an alcohol-based hand rub is appropriate in which situation?

When hands are visibly soiled

The nursing student asks the instructor when the immune system is fully mature. The instuctor responds:

adolescence

The nurse is caring for a 7-year-old client with varicella. Which precautions will the nurse initiate?

airborne

Which are the names of the transmission-based precautions defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)? Select all that apply.

airborne precautions

For which client would the use of standard precautions alone be appropriate?

an incontinent client in a nursing home who has diarrhea

The nurse is reviewing the plan of care for assigned clients. Which client has the highest risk for developing an infection?

an older adult client with a history of heart failure

A client suffers from bloody diarrhea after eating contaminated food at a local restaurant. The client has been infected with a(an):

bacteria

The nurse is caring for a client with tuberculosis. The prior shift's nurse has placed the client in droplet precautions. Which is the appropriate nursing action?

change to airborne precautions

The nurse is caring for a client with a surgical wound. Which action by the nurse best reduces the reservoir of infection?

changing the soiled dressing

The nurse is caring for a client with a draining abscess. Which precautions will the nurse begin?

contact

The nurse is preparing discharge instructions for a family member who will be caring for a client with an abdominal incision. Which concept should be the priority in the teaching plan?

hand washing

A student nurse is performing hand washing in the clinical setting. Which observation would require the nursing instructor to intervene?

has manicured nails that are 1-in. (2.5-cm) long

The nurse who is caring for a client in contact isolation is preparing to conduct an assessment. Which stethoscope will the nurse choose to auscultate the client's bowel sounds?

one that remains in the client's room

The nurse manager is developing a plan to decrease the transmission of health care associated infections. What would be the best to implement?

staff education on utilizing hand hygiene

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is used in health care facilities to protect the staff from potentially infected clients.

true

Which care intervention should the nurse anticipate when providing care to a client admitted with a possible diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB)?

wearing a particulate respirator for all client care and interaction

The nurse conducting an in-service on hand hygiene determines that additional education is needed when a participant states:

"I do not need to wash my hands if I am using gloves."

Which client would the nurse consider the most infectious?

A client who is in the prodromal stage

A nurse is preparing an operating room theatre for a surgical procedure. Which point regarding the principles of surgical asepsis should the nurse keep in mind when preparing sterilized surgical instruments?

A commercially packaged surgical item is not considered sterile if past expiration date

The nurse is caring for a client with acute viral conjunctivitis. Which precautions will the nurse begin?

contact

The nurse is using aseptic technique to insert an indwelling urinary catheter. Which technique made by the nurse is correct?

keeping sterile field above waist level

The nurse observes an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) collecting a urine specimen from a client with Staphylococcus aureus infection. Which action by the UAP would require the nurse to intervene?

removes gloves and walks out of the room

The nurse who is caring for a client in contact isolation is preparing to conduct an assessment. How will the nurse listen to the client's heart?

stethoscope that remains in the client's room

Which factor has contributed to resistant microbial strains?

use of antibiotics in clients with viral infections

When performing hand hygiene, the nurse prefers to use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Which situation should the nurse use a different method?

visibly soiled hands