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Certification in Infection Prevention and Control Exam
Questions and Answers 2025
Recipients of allogenic hematopoeietic stem transplantation (HSCT) should be placed in rooms
with how many air exchanges per hour?
3
5
10
12 correct answers 12. A greater number of air exchanges per hour prevent opportunistic
infections among stem cell transplant recipients
Because of the increased risk of infection with parenteral nutrition, the maximum infusion time
for a parenteral lipid bag to run is?
6 hours
12 hours
18 hours
24 hours correct answers Maximum 12 hours. Lipid emulsions pose greatest risk of
contamination w/ bacteria or fungi
The single most effective method of controlling hospital-acquired infections (HAI) is:
Screening patients
Isolating infected patients
Handwashing
Immunizing staff members correct answers Handwashing
If a breastfeeding mother develops mastitis, the most likely cause is:
Infant colonized with Staphylococcus aureus
Inadequate cleansing of breast
Maternal flora invading nipple
Contaminated breast pump correct answers Infant colonized with S. aureus. 50% of neonates
become colonized w/ S. aureus w/in a few days of birth, & pass infection into breast
If hair removal is required for a surgical procedure, the BEST method is to:
Shave hair with razor immediately before the incision
Remove hair with a depilatory the night before surgery
Remove hair with clippers the night before surgery
Remove hair with clippers immediately before incision correct answers Remove hair with
clippers immediately before incision. Clippers cause the least trauma, always immediately before
surgery. Hair removal in general may not reduce rate of SSIs and may increase risk of infection
1
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IPC plan for an ambulatory surgery center should be evaluated (multiple options possible):
I - annually
II - monthly
III - when risks change
IV - when staff members change correct answers I - annually and III - when risks change
How long after exposure to Hep A are IgM antibodies to HAV detectable in the blood?
48 hrs
7 days
3 weeks
1-10 weeks correct answers 3 weeks
For patients who require hemodialysis, which type of vascular access device (VAD) poses the
lowest risk of infection?
Arteriovenous graft
Subclavian catheter
Arteriovenous fistula
Right internal jugular catheter correct answers Arteriovenous fistula. Placed in the arm rather the
thigh. Patients w/ catheters have 7x the risk of infection (subclavian catheters have high risk).
Patients w/ chronic kidney disease should have vascular access preserved and AV fistulas
created as soon as possible
Which items in medical facility require most frequent environmental cleaning?:
Bedrails
Floors
Ventilation grilles
Window curtains correct answers Bedrails, because they are high touch. Others only require
frequent cleaning if visibly soiled
Which preventive measures are recommended to prevent community-acquired pneumonia?:
Pneumococcal vaccination
Herpes zoster vaccination
Influenza vaccination
Smoking cessation correct answers Pneumococcal vaccine, influenza vaccine, smoking cessation
The best time to collect a sputum specimen for acid-fast bacilli is:
Early morning
Midday
Afternoon
Bedtime correct answers Early morning
2
, 3
A distribution curve that has a skew value of +3 will exhibit what shape? correct answers An
enlarged tail to the right. This is indicating there are more data than expected on the right (or
positive) end of the distribution curve. Skew is positive when the mean is greater than the
median, negative when the mean is lesser than the median. Value of 0 = normal bell curve with
no skew. Negative value = skew to the left.
How long does a patient remain infectious after exposure to West Nile virus? correct answers 6-7
days before symptoms occur
With which teaching style (Grasha) does the IP focus on content rather than relationships w/
learners?:
Demonstrator
Formal authority
Facilitator
Expert correct answers Formal authority
In outbreak investigation, a line list & epi curve have been completed. Before generating
hypotheses, the next step should be to:
Establish plan for methodology
Conduct lit review
Conduct brainstorming session
Determine what resources are needed correct answers Conduct lit review to ID other outbreaks
w/ similar profiles
Which diagnostic tests for C. difficile has the BEST sensitivity and specificity?:
Nucleic acid amplification (ex. PCR)
Glutamate dehydrogenase
Toxigenic culture
Toxic enzyme immunoassay (EIA) correct answers NAAT, including PCR, has excellent
sensitivity/specificity, is quick, but is expensive
When considering reprocessing medical devices, most facilities will require:
A contract w/ third party reprocessing organization
Increasing training for staff regarding reprocessing procedure
Hiring of additional personnel
Improved sterilization, processing equipment correct answers A contract w/ third party
reprocessing organization
Burn patients are especially at risk due to:
Overall immunosuppresion
3
Certification in Infection Prevention and Control Exam
Questions and Answers 2025
Recipients of allogenic hematopoeietic stem transplantation (HSCT) should be placed in rooms
with how many air exchanges per hour?
3
5
10
12 correct answers 12. A greater number of air exchanges per hour prevent opportunistic
infections among stem cell transplant recipients
Because of the increased risk of infection with parenteral nutrition, the maximum infusion time
for a parenteral lipid bag to run is?
6 hours
12 hours
18 hours
24 hours correct answers Maximum 12 hours. Lipid emulsions pose greatest risk of
contamination w/ bacteria or fungi
The single most effective method of controlling hospital-acquired infections (HAI) is:
Screening patients
Isolating infected patients
Handwashing
Immunizing staff members correct answers Handwashing
If a breastfeeding mother develops mastitis, the most likely cause is:
Infant colonized with Staphylococcus aureus
Inadequate cleansing of breast
Maternal flora invading nipple
Contaminated breast pump correct answers Infant colonized with S. aureus. 50% of neonates
become colonized w/ S. aureus w/in a few days of birth, & pass infection into breast
If hair removal is required for a surgical procedure, the BEST method is to:
Shave hair with razor immediately before the incision
Remove hair with a depilatory the night before surgery
Remove hair with clippers the night before surgery
Remove hair with clippers immediately before incision correct answers Remove hair with
clippers immediately before incision. Clippers cause the least trauma, always immediately before
surgery. Hair removal in general may not reduce rate of SSIs and may increase risk of infection
1
,2
IPC plan for an ambulatory surgery center should be evaluated (multiple options possible):
I - annually
II - monthly
III - when risks change
IV - when staff members change correct answers I - annually and III - when risks change
How long after exposure to Hep A are IgM antibodies to HAV detectable in the blood?
48 hrs
7 days
3 weeks
1-10 weeks correct answers 3 weeks
For patients who require hemodialysis, which type of vascular access device (VAD) poses the
lowest risk of infection?
Arteriovenous graft
Subclavian catheter
Arteriovenous fistula
Right internal jugular catheter correct answers Arteriovenous fistula. Placed in the arm rather the
thigh. Patients w/ catheters have 7x the risk of infection (subclavian catheters have high risk).
Patients w/ chronic kidney disease should have vascular access preserved and AV fistulas
created as soon as possible
Which items in medical facility require most frequent environmental cleaning?:
Bedrails
Floors
Ventilation grilles
Window curtains correct answers Bedrails, because they are high touch. Others only require
frequent cleaning if visibly soiled
Which preventive measures are recommended to prevent community-acquired pneumonia?:
Pneumococcal vaccination
Herpes zoster vaccination
Influenza vaccination
Smoking cessation correct answers Pneumococcal vaccine, influenza vaccine, smoking cessation
The best time to collect a sputum specimen for acid-fast bacilli is:
Early morning
Midday
Afternoon
Bedtime correct answers Early morning
2
, 3
A distribution curve that has a skew value of +3 will exhibit what shape? correct answers An
enlarged tail to the right. This is indicating there are more data than expected on the right (or
positive) end of the distribution curve. Skew is positive when the mean is greater than the
median, negative when the mean is lesser than the median. Value of 0 = normal bell curve with
no skew. Negative value = skew to the left.
How long does a patient remain infectious after exposure to West Nile virus? correct answers 6-7
days before symptoms occur
With which teaching style (Grasha) does the IP focus on content rather than relationships w/
learners?:
Demonstrator
Formal authority
Facilitator
Expert correct answers Formal authority
In outbreak investigation, a line list & epi curve have been completed. Before generating
hypotheses, the next step should be to:
Establish plan for methodology
Conduct lit review
Conduct brainstorming session
Determine what resources are needed correct answers Conduct lit review to ID other outbreaks
w/ similar profiles
Which diagnostic tests for C. difficile has the BEST sensitivity and specificity?:
Nucleic acid amplification (ex. PCR)
Glutamate dehydrogenase
Toxigenic culture
Toxic enzyme immunoassay (EIA) correct answers NAAT, including PCR, has excellent
sensitivity/specificity, is quick, but is expensive
When considering reprocessing medical devices, most facilities will require:
A contract w/ third party reprocessing organization
Increasing training for staff regarding reprocessing procedure
Hiring of additional personnel
Improved sterilization, processing equipment correct answers A contract w/ third party
reprocessing organization
Burn patients are especially at risk due to:
Overall immunosuppresion
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