Chapter 7 study guide for infection control

The nurse is instructing a bioterrorism class regarding anthrax. How can anthrax be transmitted?

Through inhalation of the spores (Anthrax is contracted by inhaling the spores)

What are some characteristics of microorganisms?

*Involved in a life process of their own *Pathogens that cause disease *May be infectious *Can enter the body via skin, air, or blood (Microorganisms are involved in a life process of their own, pathogens cause disease, may be infectious, and can enter the body via skin, air, or blood. Nonpathologic organisms do not cause disease.)

A person can spread a bacterial infection by which actions

*Kissing others *Sneezing at work *Leaving used tissue on the lavatory (Bacteria can be spread by direct, indirect, or airborne transmission)

The nurse accidentally spills blood from a specimen container. The first action the nurse takes is to don gloves. What should the nurse then spray the fluid with?

10% bleach solution (Any accidental body fluid spill should be cleaned up as soon as possible. The person cleaning the spill should wear gloves. One cup of bleach diluted with 10 cups of water should be used as a disinfectant to spray over the spill and clean up with paper towels)

What technique should the nurse use when disposing of linens contaminated with feces?

Don gloves only (All health care workers should follow standards precautions to prevent infection from pathogens. Standards Precautions for the disposal of ordinary feces require only that the nurse don gloves)

What additional complication does a disease caused by a virus have compared to a disease caused by bacteria?

Is not killed by antibiotics (Antibiotics do not alter the course of the disease caused by a virus)

A nurse is observing isolation precautions by wearning a mask while performing complex patient care. How often should the nurse change maks?

20-30 minutes (The mask should be changed every 20 to 30 minutes)

How long should the nurse perform hand hygiene before beginning care of a patient?

30 seconds (The nurse should wash hands after using the bathroom, after contact with any secretions, before eating, and before and after patient care. The nurse should use warm water, soap, and friction for 15 to 30 seconds, and dry hands thoroughly)

The nurse prioritizes the care of four patients. Which patient has a systemic infection?

40- year old with AIDS (AIDS is a systemic viral infection. Acute appendicitis and urinary tract infections are local infections. Arthritis is not an infection.)

The emergency department nurse is assessing a puncture wound of the foot. What is the most likely type of infection in this wound?

Anaerobic bacterial infection (An anaerobic bacterial infection is one that grows in an oxygenated environment)

The nurse is transporting a patient in respiratory isolation to the radiology department. What intervention should the nurse implement?

Apply a mask to the patient (If a patient requiring respiratory isolation must be transported to another area, the patient must don a mask.)

A nurse is performing an admission assessment on a patient with suspected tuberculosis. What is the greatest risk of exposure to tuberculosis?

Before a diagnosis is made (The risk of exposure to tuberculosis is greatest before a diagnosis is made and isolation precautions are implemented.)

A patient is distressed that an antibiotic has not been effective for the control of the infection. The nurse explains that some bacteria are capable of defending against antibiotics by the formation of a _______.

Capsule (Some bacteria can protect themselves by the formation of a capsule of sticky protein that prevents antibiotics from entering the cell.)

The nurse observes a patient demonstrating wound cleaning. What action indicates the need for further instruction?

Cleaning the area from the outside in. (cleaning away from the wound prevents entrance of microorganism)

What does the nurse describe when giving an example of a fomite vehicle?

Contaminated stethoscope (If a vehicle is an inanimate (nonliving) object, it is called a fomite)

The infection control practitioner plans an in service on control of health care associated infections. What should be the focus of this program?

Educating hospital personnel about aseptic practices (Duties of the infection control practitioner include staff education on infection control)

A patient with ringworm asks the nurse if she has worms. What does the nurse inform the patient about the cause of ringworm?

Fungi (Ringworm is caused by fungi)

The nurse is instructing a patient about the most important preventive technique for breaking the chain of infection. What technique is the patient learning about?

Hand Hygiene (Hand hygiene is the most important preventive measure for interrupting the infection process)

What should the nurse be diligent in to provide a safe environment for the patient?

Hand hygiene between patient contacts (One of the most important actions is hand hygiene before caring for another patient)

The nurse is concerned when a patient admitted with a diagnosis of pneumonia suddenly develops a urinary tract infection (UTI). What type of infection is this UTI considered?

Health care-associated infection (Criteria for health care-associated infections require that the infection manifest at least 48 hours after hospitalization or contact with another health agency.)

A nurse is performing an admission assessment on a patient with suspected tuberculosis. What assessment findings by the nurse are consistent with tuberculosis?

Hemoptysis (Suspicious symptoms consistent with tuberculosis include fatigue, unexplained weight loss, dyspnea, fever, night sweats, and hemoptysis (a cough that can be productive of blood).

A health care worker is stuck by a needle left on the patient's bedside table. The staff member appropriately reports the needlestick. What will the indicated treatment be combatting?

Hepatitis B (Workers who have had a needlestick need to complete an injury report and seek treatment in the event of exposure to hepatitis B)

The nurse is pouring a sterile solution from a bottle. What direction should the label on the bottle be in for appropriate technique?

In the palm of the hand (The bottle should be held with the label in the palm of the hand)

When assessing a patient for signs of an infection, the nurse recognizes which laboratory result as indicative of an infection?

Increase white blood cell count

The nurse is providing instruction to an anxious mother of a child with Rocky Mountain spotted fever. When discussing this diagnosis what information will the nurse relay about this disease?

It is a serious disease contracted from the bite of a tick.. (Rocky Mountain spotted fever is contracted through the bite of a tick vector. It is not contagious among humans)

What is true regarding surgical asepsis?

It is know as a sterile technique

What action exemplifies a nurse practicing medical asepsis in performing daily care?

Keeping bed linens off the floor

Recognizing the stages of an infection assists the nurse in identifying the progression of an infection. What is the nonspecific to specific symptom stage of an infection?

Prodromal (The prodromal stage progresses from onset of nonspecific signs and symptoms to more specific signs and symptoms.)

What type of organism causes malaria?

Protozoan (Malaria is caused by the introduction of protozoa from the bite of a mosquito.)

A major threat to health care workers is blood-contaminated sharps. What should the nurse use to discard the used syringe?

Puncture-proof container

What can results from the nurse consistently performing hand hygiene and using sterile supplies when caring for patients in the hospital setting?

Risk of infection is reduced (hand hygiene is the most important measure for interrupting the infectious process.)

What assessment does the nurse recognize as inflammatory response in a surgical wound on the leg of a patient?

Rubor and edema appear around the wound (Rubor and edema are two of the cardinal signs of an inflammatory response. Foul drainage suggests infection)

The patient in isolation may experience psychological or emotional deprivation. What should the nurse do to help minimize these feelings?

Spend extra time with the patient. (to minimize feeling of psychological or emotional deprivation, the nurse should spend extra time with the patient)

What is the most dependable and practical method to use when sterilizing instruments for the operating room?

Steam under pressure (steam under pressure is the most practical and dependable method for destruction of all microorganism)

What is a method used to kill all microorganisms, including spores?

Sterilizing (Sterilization refers to methods used to kill all microorganism and spores)

What bacterium is responsible for more diseases than any other organism?

Streptococcus (The streptococcus bacterium is responsible for more disease than any other organism)

The nurse reminds a group of nursing students that the type of asepsis that destroys all microorganisms and their spores is _______ asepsis.

Surgical (Surgical asepsis destroys all microoorganisms and their spores)

What contribution did joseph Lister introduce to medical practice?

The autoclave (Joseph Lister contributed to medical practice through the introduction of the aseptic technique)

The nurse is providing teaching to elementary students regarding vectors. What example will the nurse provide as an example of a vector?

Tick whose bite causes Lyme disease. (A vector is a person or animal not sick with the disease harboring an organism that is contagious.

The infection control officer is observing hospital staff for appropriate use of aseptic technique. What observation demonstrates the need for more instruction on surgical asepsis?

Touching the edges of the sterile field with sterile gloves (The edges of a sterile field are not considered sterile)

A patient with respiratory infection reports that he is not yet on an antibiotic. The nurse explains that the physician is waiting on the results of the culture and sensitivity. What does this test determine?

Which antibiotics stop bacterial growth (Sensitivity tests are done to determine which antibiotics will stop growth)

What bacteria can lie dormant when conditions for growth are not favorable?

spores (spore formation occurs when condition are unfavorable, causing the bacteria to take a dormant form)