Infection control & patient safety worksheet with answers

What is an adverse event in patient safety?

1. AA complaint from a patient about the hospital food
2. BAn error that is noticed before it reaches the patient
3. CA side effect that is listed and explained before treatment
4. DHarm to a patient caused by health care, not by the illness

Which precautions are needed for a patient with Legionnaires’ disease (Legionella pneumonia)?

1. ADroplet precautions
2. BContact precautions
3. CAirborne precautions
4. DStandard precautions

Which type of room is used for a patient with severe immunosuppression, such as after a stem cell transplant?

1. AA shared bay with good natural ventilation and open windows
2. BA negative-pressure airborne isolation room
3. CAny room, as long as visitors wear gloves
4. DA positive-pressure room with filtered air

Which technique is correct when collecting a wound culture?

1. AClean the wound with sterile saline first, then swab clean tissue
2. BSwab the old pus on the dressing that was just removed from the wound
3. CCollect the sample only after antibiotics have been started
4. DUse one swab to sample two different wounds

In a hospital fire, which means of moving patients is usually avoided?

1. AMoving horizontally to another area on the same floor behind fire doors
2. BStairs
3. CWheeling beds through fire doors
4. DElevators (lifts)

Why are patients on long-term corticosteroids at higher risk from infections?

1. ASteroids make the patient’s blood more acidic, which helps bacteria grow
2. BSteroids kill the patient’s normal skin bacteria
3. CSteroids only affect the risk of fungal skin rashes
4. DSteroids suppress the immune response and can hide signs of infection

Patients contaminated with radioactive dust arrive at the hospital. Which step removes most of the external contamination?

1. ARemoving the patient’s clothing
2. BWrapping the patient in a blanket
3. CScrubbing the skin until it is red
4. DGiving the patient potassium iodide

A nurse finds a patient lying on the floor next to the bed. What should the nurse do first?

1. AComplete an incident report while the details are fresh
2. BTelephone the family to tell them about the fall
3. CLift the patient back into bed with a colleague
4. DAssess the patient for injury before moving them