A-IPC Comprehensive 2025 Study
Questions with 100% Verified
Correct Answers & Detailed
Rationales
Introduction
This document provides a comprehensive set of 100 study questions for the Associate
- Infection Prevention and Control (A-IPC) certification exam, tailored for 2025. Each
question is accompanied by a verified correct answer and a detailed rationale to enhance
understanding of key infection prevention and control concepts. The content is sourced
and inspired by reliable educational platforms like Quizlet, focusing on clarity, relevance,
and exam readiness while avoiding unnecessary jargon.
1 Study Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of hand hygiene in healthcare settings?
Answer: To reduce the transmission of pathogens and prevent healthcare-
associated infections (HAIs).
Rationale: Hand hygiene is the most effective measure to prevent the
spread of microorganisms between patients, healthcare workers, and the
environment. It disrupts the chain of infection by removing transient flora
and reducing resident flora on the hands.
Question 2: Which standard precaution is most critical when dealing with a patient
with suspected tuberculosis?
Answer: Airborne precautions.
Rationale: Tuberculosis is transmitted via airborne droplet nuclei. Air-
borne precautions, including the use of N95 respirators and negative pres-
sure rooms, are essential to prevent the spread of Mycobacterium tubercu-
losis.
Question 3: What is the recommended duration for handwashing with soap and water
in a healthcare setting?
Answer: 4060 seconds.
Rationale: The CDC and WHO recommend washing hands for 4060 sec-
onds to ensure thorough cleaning, covering all surfaces of the hands and
wrists to remove pathogens effectively.
Question 4: What is the role of an Infection Preventionist (IP) in outbreak investiga-
tion?
Answer: To identify the source, implement control measures, and monitor
outcomes.
Rationale: IPs coordinate outbreak investigations by collecting data, an-
alyzing trends, implementing interventions like isolation or enhanced clean-
1
, ing, and evaluating the effectiveness of these measures to prevent further
spread.
Question 5: What type of isolation is required for a patient with Clostridium difficile
infection?
Answer: Contact precautions.
Rationale: C. difficile is transmitted through contact with contaminated
surfaces or hands. Contact precautions, including gloves, gowns, and ded-
icated equipment, reduce the risk of transmission.
Question 6: How often should high-touch surfaces in patient rooms be cleaned?
Answer: At least daily, and more frequently as needed.
Rationale: High-touch surfaces, such as bedrails and call buttons, are
common reservoirs for pathogens. Regular cleaning reduces the environ-
mental bioburden and the risk of HAIs.
Question 7: What is the primary mode of transmission for methicillin-resistant Staphy-
lococcus aureus (MRSA)?
Answer: Contact transmission.
Rationale: MRSA is primarily spread through direct contact with in-
fected skin or contaminated surfaces. Contact precautions are critical to
preventing its spread in healthcare settings.
Question 8: What is the purpose of the Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP)?
Answer: To reduce surgical site infections (SSIs) through evidence-based
practices.
Rationale: SCIP guidelines promote measures like timely antibiotic pro-
phylaxis, proper hair removal, and glucose control to minimize the risk of
SSIs.
Question 9: What is the definition of a healthcare-associated infection (HAI)?
Answer: An infection acquired by a patient during the course of receiving
healthcare.
Rationale: HAIs are infections that patients develop as a result of medical
care, typically 48 hours or more after admission, and were not present or
incubating at the time of admission.
Question 10: What is the significance of the chain of infection?
Answer: It illustrates how infections spread and identifies points for in-
tervention.
Rationale: The chain of infection includes the infectious agent, reservoir,
portal of exit, mode of transmission, portal of entry, and susceptible host.
Breaking any link prevents infection.
Question 11: What is the minimum contact time for an alcohol-based hand sanitizer to
be effective?
Answer: 2030 seconds.
Rationale: Alcohol-based sanitizers require sufficient contact time to kill
pathogens effectively, as recommended by the CDC and WHO.
Question 12: Which organism is most commonly associated with catheter-associated uri-
nary tract infections (CAUTIs)?
2
Questions with 100% Verified
Correct Answers & Detailed
Rationales
Introduction
This document provides a comprehensive set of 100 study questions for the Associate
- Infection Prevention and Control (A-IPC) certification exam, tailored for 2025. Each
question is accompanied by a verified correct answer and a detailed rationale to enhance
understanding of key infection prevention and control concepts. The content is sourced
and inspired by reliable educational platforms like Quizlet, focusing on clarity, relevance,
and exam readiness while avoiding unnecessary jargon.
1 Study Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of hand hygiene in healthcare settings?
Answer: To reduce the transmission of pathogens and prevent healthcare-
associated infections (HAIs).
Rationale: Hand hygiene is the most effective measure to prevent the
spread of microorganisms between patients, healthcare workers, and the
environment. It disrupts the chain of infection by removing transient flora
and reducing resident flora on the hands.
Question 2: Which standard precaution is most critical when dealing with a patient
with suspected tuberculosis?
Answer: Airborne precautions.
Rationale: Tuberculosis is transmitted via airborne droplet nuclei. Air-
borne precautions, including the use of N95 respirators and negative pres-
sure rooms, are essential to prevent the spread of Mycobacterium tubercu-
losis.
Question 3: What is the recommended duration for handwashing with soap and water
in a healthcare setting?
Answer: 4060 seconds.
Rationale: The CDC and WHO recommend washing hands for 4060 sec-
onds to ensure thorough cleaning, covering all surfaces of the hands and
wrists to remove pathogens effectively.
Question 4: What is the role of an Infection Preventionist (IP) in outbreak investiga-
tion?
Answer: To identify the source, implement control measures, and monitor
outcomes.
Rationale: IPs coordinate outbreak investigations by collecting data, an-
alyzing trends, implementing interventions like isolation or enhanced clean-
1
, ing, and evaluating the effectiveness of these measures to prevent further
spread.
Question 5: What type of isolation is required for a patient with Clostridium difficile
infection?
Answer: Contact precautions.
Rationale: C. difficile is transmitted through contact with contaminated
surfaces or hands. Contact precautions, including gloves, gowns, and ded-
icated equipment, reduce the risk of transmission.
Question 6: How often should high-touch surfaces in patient rooms be cleaned?
Answer: At least daily, and more frequently as needed.
Rationale: High-touch surfaces, such as bedrails and call buttons, are
common reservoirs for pathogens. Regular cleaning reduces the environ-
mental bioburden and the risk of HAIs.
Question 7: What is the primary mode of transmission for methicillin-resistant Staphy-
lococcus aureus (MRSA)?
Answer: Contact transmission.
Rationale: MRSA is primarily spread through direct contact with in-
fected skin or contaminated surfaces. Contact precautions are critical to
preventing its spread in healthcare settings.
Question 8: What is the purpose of the Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP)?
Answer: To reduce surgical site infections (SSIs) through evidence-based
practices.
Rationale: SCIP guidelines promote measures like timely antibiotic pro-
phylaxis, proper hair removal, and glucose control to minimize the risk of
SSIs.
Question 9: What is the definition of a healthcare-associated infection (HAI)?
Answer: An infection acquired by a patient during the course of receiving
healthcare.
Rationale: HAIs are infections that patients develop as a result of medical
care, typically 48 hours or more after admission, and were not present or
incubating at the time of admission.
Question 10: What is the significance of the chain of infection?
Answer: It illustrates how infections spread and identifies points for in-
tervention.
Rationale: The chain of infection includes the infectious agent, reservoir,
portal of exit, mode of transmission, portal of entry, and susceptible host.
Breaking any link prevents infection.
Question 11: What is the minimum contact time for an alcohol-based hand sanitizer to
be effective?
Answer: 2030 seconds.
Rationale: Alcohol-based sanitizers require sufficient contact time to kill
pathogens effectively, as recommended by the CDC and WHO.
Question 12: Which organism is most commonly associated with catheter-associated uri-
nary tract infections (CAUTIs)?
2
