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Chapter 17: Public Health Surveillance and Outbreak Investigation
Stanhope: Foundations for Population Health in Community/Public Health Nursing,
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A nurse considered copying last month’s surveillance report and changing the date because the numbe
month had not noticeably changed. Which of the following best explains why the nurse should continu
and reporting data that is always nearly the same?
a. Because such data are legally required
b. Because it is still part of the nurse’s responsibilities, even if on minimal value
c. To determine a local baseline rate and immediately notice any change
d. To determine differences among communities in need for state assistance
ANS: C
Disease surveillance generates knowledge of a disease or event outbreak patterns. Surveillance system
professionals monitor emerging infections and bioterrorist outbreaks. Surveillance provides a means fo
trends to reduce morbidity and mortality and improve health. Disease surveillance is not part of a legal
many useful purposes for surveillance including monitoring for emerging infections and disease trends
surveillance report is not for comparison among communities, rather it is a description of what is happ
community.
2. A nurse attends a conference to learn more about public health surveillance. Why is it so important tha
about this topic?
a. Because nurses are employed in public health agencies
b. Because nurses are often the first to recognize and respond to a problem
c. Because nurses are responsible for ensuring that action is taken when necessary
d. Because nurses are typically the ones to interact with the public and the media
ANS: B
Nurses are often in the forefront of responses to be made in the surveillance process whether working i
large urban agency; within the health department, school, or urgent care center; or on the telephone pe
during a disaster. It is the nurse who sees the event first. Nurses may work in a variety of community a
health agencies. Nurses will collaborate with others to take action as necessary; it would not be the sol
nurse. A wide variety of public health professionals interact with the public and the media, not only nu
3. A rural public health nurse is spending time reviewing death certificates. Which of the following best e
activity?
a. To ensure that local causes of death are consistent with national causes of death
b. To confirm that no local health problems are beginning
c. To evaluate effectiveness of health promotion programs
d. To obtain mortality data for the local area
ANS: D
Mortality data are often the only source of health-related data available for small geographic areas. Vi
death certificates, are reviewed. Useful information also comes from administrative data such as discha
records. It is not necessary that the local causes of death are consistent with national causes, rather it is
aware of the major causes of mortality in the community so that the needs of the community can be ad
occasionally be used to evaluate the effectiveness of health promotion programs, but this would not be
reviewing death certificates. Other data can be used to detect the start of local health problems. Analyz
only means of examining local health problems would provide the nurse with data that is not current.
4. Which of the following types of surveillance systems is being used when case reports are routinely sen
departments by health care providers and laboratories, where the data are then summarized and forwar
monitoring such reports?
a. Active
b. Passive
c. Sentinel
d. Special
Chapter 17: Public Health Surveillance and Outbreak Investigation
Stanhope: Foundations for Population Health in Community/Public Health Nursing,
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A nurse considered copying last month’s surveillance report and changing the date because the numbe
month had not noticeably changed. Which of the following best explains why the nurse should continu
and reporting data that is always nearly the same?
a. Because such data are legally required
b. Because it is still part of the nurse’s responsibilities, even if on minimal value
c. To determine a local baseline rate and immediately notice any change
d. To determine differences among communities in need for state assistance
ANS: C
Disease surveillance generates knowledge of a disease or event outbreak patterns. Surveillance system
professionals monitor emerging infections and bioterrorist outbreaks. Surveillance provides a means fo
trends to reduce morbidity and mortality and improve health. Disease surveillance is not part of a legal
many useful purposes for surveillance including monitoring for emerging infections and disease trends
surveillance report is not for comparison among communities, rather it is a description of what is happ
community.
2. A nurse attends a conference to learn more about public health surveillance. Why is it so important tha
about this topic?
a. Because nurses are employed in public health agencies
b. Because nurses are often the first to recognize and respond to a problem
c. Because nurses are responsible for ensuring that action is taken when necessary
d. Because nurses are typically the ones to interact with the public and the media
ANS: B
Nurses are often in the forefront of responses to be made in the surveillance process whether working i
large urban agency; within the health department, school, or urgent care center; or on the telephone pe
during a disaster. It is the nurse who sees the event first. Nurses may work in a variety of community a
health agencies. Nurses will collaborate with others to take action as necessary; it would not be the sol
nurse. A wide variety of public health professionals interact with the public and the media, not only nu
3. A rural public health nurse is spending time reviewing death certificates. Which of the following best e
activity?
a. To ensure that local causes of death are consistent with national causes of death
b. To confirm that no local health problems are beginning
c. To evaluate effectiveness of health promotion programs
d. To obtain mortality data for the local area
ANS: D
Mortality data are often the only source of health-related data available for small geographic areas. Vi
death certificates, are reviewed. Useful information also comes from administrative data such as discha
records. It is not necessary that the local causes of death are consistent with national causes, rather it is
aware of the major causes of mortality in the community so that the needs of the community can be ad
occasionally be used to evaluate the effectiveness of health promotion programs, but this would not be
reviewing death certificates. Other data can be used to detect the start of local health problems. Analyz
only means of examining local health problems would provide the nurse with data that is not current.
4. Which of the following types of surveillance systems is being used when case reports are routinely sen
departments by health care providers and laboratories, where the data are then summarized and forwar
monitoring such reports?
a. Active
b. Passive
c. Sentinel
d. Special
