NRSG 3100 – Exam 4 Practice Questions, Study Guide & Nursing Exam
Review 2026
Pathogenicity - correct answer ✔✔The ability to cause the disease
Virulence - correct answer ✔✔How likely it is to cause the disease
Invasiveness - correct answer ✔✔The ability of the pathogen to grow
Endotoxin - correct answer ✔✔Resides inside the cell and grows from there
Exotoxin - correct answer ✔✔Is released to damage other cells
Bacteriocidal - correct answer ✔✔Kills the bacteria
Bacteriostatic - correct answer ✔✔Slowly prevents the growth of the bacteria
Anti-infectives - correct answer ✔✔•The primary goal of anti-infective therapy is to assist the
body to eliminate a pathogen.
•Each drug only works to kill certain organisms.
•Bacteria differ in their shape, oxygen use, and behavior when stained.
•If the infecting pathogen is unknown, a broad-spectrum antibiotic may be used until the
pathogen identified.
Bacteria Gram-Staining - correct answer ✔✔•Gram positive bacteria have thick cell walls that
retain the stain
§Gram negative bacteria have thinner cell walls lose the stain
,Acquired resistance - correct answer ✔✔The ability of an organism to become unresponsive to
an anti-infective agent. Examples: MRSA, VRE, E.coli, C.diff
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) - correct answer ✔✔•At least 60% of S.
aureus infections now resistant to penicillin
•Most frequently acquired in hospitals and long-term care facilities in patients with weakened
immune systems
•Community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) occurs in otherwise healthy people; usually soft tissue
Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci (VRE) - correct answer ✔✔•Enterococci are normal
inhabitants of the human GI tract and the female genital tract
•Frequently found in wounds and pressure ulcers
•Patients with compromised immune systems are at greatest risk
•May survive for prolonged periods of environmental surfaces and spread with poor infection
control techniques
Prevention of resistant strains - correct answer ✔✔•Prevent infections when possible
*Immunize
*Proper care of catheters (portals of entry into the body)
•Diagnose and treat infections properly
*Infections should be cultured to identify the correct antibiotic
•Use antimicrobials wisely
*Take the appropriate length of therapy
*The more often an antibiotic is prescribed, the larger the percentage of resistant strains
•Prevent transmission of pathogens
*What interventions decrease transmission of pathogens?
, Health Care-Associated Infection (HAI) - correct answer ✔✔•Infections acquired in the health
care setting
•Most common HAI in the urinary system, followed by surgical wounds, respiratory tract, and
bacteremia
General sources of HAI - correct answer ✔✔•Patient flora
•Invasive devices
•Medical personnel
•Medical environment
Selection of Antibiotic - correct answer ✔✔•Culture and Sensitivity (C&S)!!
Broad Spectrum Antibiotic - correct answer ✔✔•If infection is severe and the pathogen is
unknown, provider may order a broad-spectrum antibiotic
**Broad-spectrum antibiotics such as piperacillin tazobactam (Zosyn) are effective against a
wide variety of different microbial species
**Provider may also choose coverage with one narrow-spectrum drug covering gram + and
another to cover gram - organisms
*Example: Vancomycin for gram + and a Carbapenem for gram -
Narrow spectrum antibiotic - correct answer ✔✔•Once the pathogen identified, patient may be
changed to a narrow-spectrum antibiotic
*Narrow-spectrum antibiotics target one organism based on C&S and have less effect on host
flora, and thus fewer adverse effects
Prophylactic anti-infectives - correct answer ✔✔Anti-infectives that are given to high risk
patients or for prophylaxis. Examples: immunosuppressed patients, patients with prosthetic
heart valves prior to surgery to prevent bacterial endocarditis, prior to specific types of surgery,
etc.
Review 2026
Pathogenicity - correct answer ✔✔The ability to cause the disease
Virulence - correct answer ✔✔How likely it is to cause the disease
Invasiveness - correct answer ✔✔The ability of the pathogen to grow
Endotoxin - correct answer ✔✔Resides inside the cell and grows from there
Exotoxin - correct answer ✔✔Is released to damage other cells
Bacteriocidal - correct answer ✔✔Kills the bacteria
Bacteriostatic - correct answer ✔✔Slowly prevents the growth of the bacteria
Anti-infectives - correct answer ✔✔•The primary goal of anti-infective therapy is to assist the
body to eliminate a pathogen.
•Each drug only works to kill certain organisms.
•Bacteria differ in their shape, oxygen use, and behavior when stained.
•If the infecting pathogen is unknown, a broad-spectrum antibiotic may be used until the
pathogen identified.
Bacteria Gram-Staining - correct answer ✔✔•Gram positive bacteria have thick cell walls that
retain the stain
§Gram negative bacteria have thinner cell walls lose the stain
,Acquired resistance - correct answer ✔✔The ability of an organism to become unresponsive to
an anti-infective agent. Examples: MRSA, VRE, E.coli, C.diff
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) - correct answer ✔✔•At least 60% of S.
aureus infections now resistant to penicillin
•Most frequently acquired in hospitals and long-term care facilities in patients with weakened
immune systems
•Community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) occurs in otherwise healthy people; usually soft tissue
Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci (VRE) - correct answer ✔✔•Enterococci are normal
inhabitants of the human GI tract and the female genital tract
•Frequently found in wounds and pressure ulcers
•Patients with compromised immune systems are at greatest risk
•May survive for prolonged periods of environmental surfaces and spread with poor infection
control techniques
Prevention of resistant strains - correct answer ✔✔•Prevent infections when possible
*Immunize
*Proper care of catheters (portals of entry into the body)
•Diagnose and treat infections properly
*Infections should be cultured to identify the correct antibiotic
•Use antimicrobials wisely
*Take the appropriate length of therapy
*The more often an antibiotic is prescribed, the larger the percentage of resistant strains
•Prevent transmission of pathogens
*What interventions decrease transmission of pathogens?
, Health Care-Associated Infection (HAI) - correct answer ✔✔•Infections acquired in the health
care setting
•Most common HAI in the urinary system, followed by surgical wounds, respiratory tract, and
bacteremia
General sources of HAI - correct answer ✔✔•Patient flora
•Invasive devices
•Medical personnel
•Medical environment
Selection of Antibiotic - correct answer ✔✔•Culture and Sensitivity (C&S)!!
Broad Spectrum Antibiotic - correct answer ✔✔•If infection is severe and the pathogen is
unknown, provider may order a broad-spectrum antibiotic
**Broad-spectrum antibiotics such as piperacillin tazobactam (Zosyn) are effective against a
wide variety of different microbial species
**Provider may also choose coverage with one narrow-spectrum drug covering gram + and
another to cover gram - organisms
*Example: Vancomycin for gram + and a Carbapenem for gram -
Narrow spectrum antibiotic - correct answer ✔✔•Once the pathogen identified, patient may be
changed to a narrow-spectrum antibiotic
*Narrow-spectrum antibiotics target one organism based on C&S and have less effect on host
flora, and thus fewer adverse effects
Prophylactic anti-infectives - correct answer ✔✔Anti-infectives that are given to high risk
patients or for prophylaxis. Examples: immunosuppressed patients, patients with prosthetic
heart valves prior to surgery to prevent bacterial endocarditis, prior to specific types of surgery,
etc.
