Question 1

You are a pediatric nurse practitioner working in a walk-in clinic. A young mother comes to the clinic with her two-year-old because the child has a swollen arm. While you are taking a history, the mother tells you the child "got stung by a bee yesterday." You examine the child and find only a localized reaction to the bee venom. How would you explain the swelling in the arm to the mother?

Accepted Answer

Option B provides a clear and accurate explanation of the cause of the swelling and reassures the mother that it will resolve on its own in a few days. Options A, C, and D are either incorrect or do not provide sufficient information to address the mother's concern.

Question 2

The nursing instructor is teaching beginning nursing students about infection. Towards the end of class the instructor gives the students a scenario of a client with an infection who has developed fever and diarrhea. What should the student nurse instruct the client to avoid?

Accepted Answer

Caffeine in tea and coffee can irritate the gastrointestinal tract and worsen diarrhea.

Question 3

The nursing instructor is teaching her students about the rectal administration of drugs. The instructor gives the students a scenario in which the client is prescribed an antipyretic drug, which is to be administered rectally. What nursing interventions should a student nurse perform after administering the suppository?

Accepted Answer

The nurse should check the client every 30 minutes to monitor the effectiveness of the medication and any adverse reactions.

Question 4

You are helping out at your hospital's semiannual blood drive. Your job is to screen the clients for blood donation. Which client would you reject?

Accepted Answer

The client who received a blood transfusion in the United Kingdom four years ago would be rejected as they may have been exposed to variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), which is a risk for transmission through blood transfusions. The other options do not pose a risk for blood donation.

Question 5

The nurse is giving an educational talk to a local parent-teacher association. A parent asks how he can help his family avoid community- acquired infections. What would be the nurse's best response to help prevent and control community-acquired infections?

Accepted Answer

Childhood immunizations provide protection against several communicable and infectious diseases. By ensuring that family members are immunized, the parent can help protect his family from community-acquired infections.

Question 6

You have been floated to the adolescent floor. You are caring for a 13-year-old girl who has a diagnosis of infectious mononucleosis. The girl asks you what "germ" caused her to be sick. As you explain her infection you mention that some bacteria are called "nonpathogens." How would you explain nonpathogens to this client? Select all that apply.

Accepted Answer

Nonpathogens are bacteria that can live inside our bodies without causing illness. Some nonpathogens are actually beneficial, as they can interact with other things to help make vitamins, and they are generally harmless to healthy humans. Pathogens, on the other hand, are harmful bacteria that can cause illness and disease.

Question 7

A nurse on your unit sustains a needlestick injury while caring for a client whose infectious status is unknown. What would be the best course of action for the nurse to follow?

Accepted Answer

The nurse should immediately report the needlestick injury to their supervisor, and be tested for disease antibodies at appropriate intervals to ensure their health and safety. Delaying notification or documentation can put the nurse at risk for infection and potential legal consequences, and revealing the identity of the client or source of blood violates confidentiality laws. It is important for the nurse to prioritize their own health and safety, and follow the appropriate protocol for reporting and addressing needlestick injuries.

Question 8

You are caring for a client with an impaired immune system. You are concerned about the client acquiring a nosocomial infection. What intervention would help nurses control nosocomial infections?

Accepted Answer

Applying principles of medical and surgical asepsis involves maintaining a sterile environment around the client and following proper hand hygiene techniques to prevent the spread of infection. This would help reduce the risk of the client acquiring a nosocomial infection. While proper diet and exercise, use of proper antibiotics, and childhood immunizations are important in maintaining overall health, they may not directly address the prevention of nosocomial infections.

Question 9

You have admitted a new client to your unit. This client has an open draining sore on his leg. What diagnostic test would you anticipate being ordered?

Accepted Answer

Since the client has an open draining sore, a culture and sensitivity test would be ordered to identify the specific microorganism causing the infection and determine which antibiotics would be most effective in treating it. The other options (platelet count, sputum culture, and urinalysis) would not be relevant to this particular situation.

Question 10

You are caring for a client with a stage IV leg ulcer. You are closely monitoring the client for sepsis. What would indicate that sepsis has occurred and that you should notify the physician of immediately?

Accepted Answer

An elevated heart rate greater than 90 beats per minute is a common indicator of sepsis and should prompt immediate notification of the physician. Restlessness and hunger may be signs of discomfort but do not indicate sepsis. An increased urinary output and a respiratory rate less than 20 breaths per minute are not typical indicators of sepsis.

Question 11

You are teaching a health class in the local public health center. What instructions should you provide as the single most important measure to prevent the spread of infection?

Accepted Answer

Thorough hand washing is the single most important measure to prevent the spread of infection. Hands come into contact with a variety of surfaces and objects throughout the day, making them a prime location for bacteria and viruses to accumulate. Washing hands regularly and properly can significantly reduce the risk of spreading infection. While minimal social contact and regular immunizations can also help prevent the spread of infection, these measures are not as effective as thorough hand washing. Sufficient food intake is important for overall health but is not directly related to preventing the spread of infection.

Question 12

You are caring for a client with sepsis who is an alcoholic. When the client's vital signs are taken, her temperature is low. The nurse's aide asks you whether the client is getting better because she doesn't have a fever. What is the best answer you could give the nurse's aide?

Accepted Answer

Clients who are addicted to alcohol may not have a fever even though they have an infection. This is because alcohol can suppress the immune system, resulting in an atypical presentation of signs and symptoms. Therefore, the absence of a fever does not necessarily indicate that the client is getting better, and it is important to continue monitoring for other signs of sepsis.

Question 13

You are caring for a client with sepsis. What should you monitor closely to determine whether disseminated intravascular coagulation has occurred in the client?

Accepted Answer

The answer of You are caring for a client with...

Question 14

You are teaching a pathophysiology class to pre-nursing students. Today you are teaching about infection. What groups of people would you tell the students are at increased risk for infection? (Mark all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

Debilitated clients, older adults, and clients with impaired skin are all at increased risk for infection due to weakened immune systems and/or compromised physical barriers to pathogens. Adolescents and clients with pancreatic disease do not necessarily have increased risk for infection.

Question 15

You are an intensive care unit nurse caring for a client with a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy. You know that this type of encephalopathy is caused by what type of infectious agent?

Accepted Answer

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies are caused by prions, which are infectious agents that consist solely of protein and do not contain any genetic material. They are highly resistant to traditional methods of sterilization and can survive in the environment for years.

Question 16

The nursing instructor is discussing mechanical and chemical defense mechanisms of the body to help prevent infection. The instructor tells the students that chemical defense mechanisms either destroy or incapacitate microorganisms with biologic substances that the body naturally produces. What is a chemical defense mechanism of the body?

Accepted Answer

Secretions, such as sweat, saliva, tears, and mucus, contain enzymes and other substances that help to destroy or inhibit the growth of microorganisms.

Question 17

You are working on a gerontology unit. A family member calls and tells you they want to bring their family in to see one of the clients onthe unit. The family member is concerned because several of the family members have colds. What instructions should you provide to someone with a respiratory infection?

Accepted Answer

Visitors with respiratory infections should avoid visiting older adults in a nursing home or other long-term care facility to prevent the spread of illness.

Question 18

You are a school nurse teaching a health class about the chain of infection in the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Astudent asks you which part of the chain of infection can be missing when transmission occurs. What would be your best answer?

Accepted Answer

The answer of You are a school nurse teaching a...

Question 19

A client you are caring for has developed a bladder infection while in the hospital. The client has had a Foley catheter for two weeks. The client's family asks you how the client got this infection. What would be your best response?

Accepted Answer

Option A is the most accurate response. Patients in hospitals are often more susceptible to infections due to a weakened immune system, exposure to other sick patients, and exposure to various germs in the hospital environment. This is especially true for patients with indwelling catheters, which can provide a pathway for bacteria to enter the urinary tract and cause infections. Options B, C, and D are not necessarily incorrect, but they do not directly address the specific reason why the client developed a bladder infection while in the hospital with a Foley catheter.

Question 20

Which of the following would be considered a mechanical defense mechanism?

Accepted Answer

Coughing is a mechanical defense mechanism as it physically expels irritants and pathogens from the respiratory tract.

Quiz 12: Infection