Infection Control and Patient Safety: cram pack

Formula sheets, the key method steps for every topic and 6 practice problems, with full solutions at the back.

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1Formulas and methods

Infection control & patient safety

Method

  1. Start with standard precautions for every patient: hand hygiene, PPE for the expected exposure, safe sharps.
  2. Add precautions by route: contact (gown, gloves), droplet (surgical mask), airborne (N95, negative-pressure room).
  3. Keep sterile items sterile: if in doubt, it is not sterile; replace, never wipe.
  4. Prevent harm in the environment: fall measures, restraints only as a last resort, RACE and PASS for fire.
  5. Check the rights of medication administration, two identifiers and extra safeguards for high-alert drugs; report errors and near misses.

2Practice problems

1.Infection control & patient safetyMedium

An order uses the abbreviation “MS”. Why is this unsafe?

  1. AIt is the abbreviation for milliseconds, not a drug
  2. BIt can mean either morphine sulfate or magnesium sulfate
  3. CIt is reserved for drugs used in multiple sclerosis
  4. DIt means the drug must be given by mouth only
2.Infection control & patient safetyHard

A hospital will introduce new infusion pumps and wants to find out how the process could fail before any harm occurs. Which method fits best?

  1. AFailure mode and effects analysis (FMEA)
  2. BAn incident report for each new pump
  3. CRoot cause analysis (RCA) of the new pumps
  4. DA morbidity and mortality meeting
3.Nursing fundamentalsMedium

Why are patients with a new ileostomy at risk of dehydration?

  1. AThey are not allowed to drink for several weeks after surgery
  2. BThe stoma absorbs water from the body
  3. CThe colon removes too much water from the stool
  4. DThe output is liquid and contains a lot of water and salt
4.Nursing fundamentalsHard

Why is heat usually avoided on a fresh soft-tissue injury during the first day?

  1. AIt narrows blood vessels and reduces blood flow to the injury
  2. BIt numbs the area so the patient cannot feel pain
  3. CIt makes the muscles weaker for several weeks
  4. DIt widens blood vessels and can increase swelling and bleeding
5.MicrobiologyMedium

Which vaccine contains live attenuated (weakened) viruses?

  1. AHepatitis B vaccine
  2. BInactivated influenza injection
  3. CTetanus vaccine
  4. DMMR (measles, mumps, rubella)
6.MicrobiologyHard

A positive blood culture shows Gram-positive cocci in clusters. Which organism is most likely?

  1. AEnterococcus in short chains
  2. BStreptococcus
  3. CNeisseria
  4. DStaphylococcus

3Solutions

1.Infection control & patient safety

Answer: B · It can mean either morphine sulfate or magnesium sulfate

Why this is the answer

“MS”, “MSO4” and “MgSO4” can be confused, and giving one drug instead of the other can cause serious harm. Drug names are written in full.

Answer

B · It can mean either morphine sulfate or magnesium sulfate
2.Infection control & patient safety

Answer: A · Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA)

Why this is the answer

FMEA is a proactive method that looks at each step of a process, asks how it could fail and what the effect would be, and changes the process in advance. Root cause analysis is used after an event has happened.

Answer

A · Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA)
3.Nursing fundamentals

Answer: D · The output is liquid and contains a lot of water and salt

Why this is the answer

The colon normally reabsorbs water and salt. An ileostomy bypasses it, so high output can quickly cause dehydration and low sodium; output is monitored and fluids encouraged.

Answer

D · The output is liquid and contains a lot of water and salt
4.Nursing fundamentals

Answer: D · It widens blood vessels and can increase swelling and bleeding

Why this is the answer

Heat causes vasodilation, which can worsen swelling and bleeding in an acute injury. Cold is used first; heat may help later with stiffness.

Answer

D · It widens blood vessels and can increase swelling and bleeding
5.Microbiology

Answer: D · MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)

Why this is the answer

MMR contains weakened live viruses that replicate a little and give strong, long-lasting immunity. Tetanus is a toxoid and hepatitis B a subunit vaccine.

Answer

D · MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)
6.Microbiology

Answer: D · Staphylococcus

Why this is the answer

Staphylococci grow in grape-like clusters; streptococci and enterococci in chains or pairs. Neisseria are Gram-negative diplococci.

Answer

D · Staphylococcus

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