NURS 2003 EXAM 2 (2025) QUESTIONS
AND (elaborated) WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS
What is infection? - (answers)an invasion of and multiplication in the body by a
pathogen (a microorganism capable of causing disease)
What are four goals of infection prevention and control for nurses? - (answers)-
protect patients from infections
-meet professional standards and guidelines
-protect yourself from disease
-help lower the cost of healthcare
What are some interventions that support the body's defenses? -
(answers)medical and surgical asepsis
What is the goal or mission of the CDC? - (answers)to protect Americans from
health, safety, and security threats through education, research, and action
What is a healthcare-associated infection? - (answers)refers to infections
associated with healthcare given in any setting
What is a nosocomial infection? - (answers)hospital acquired infection
,What are some things that may cause a HAI? - (answers)-central line
-surgical site infections
-catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI)
-ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP)
-multi drug-resistant organisms (MDROs)
what is the role of the Joint Commission? - (answers)-quality oversight agency
-includes strategies from healthcare providers to prevent infection in inpatient
and community-based settings
What are the six links of a chain of infection? - (answers)infectious agent,
reservoir, portal of exit, mode of transmission, portal of entry, susceptible host
Do all 6 links of the chain of infection have to be present in order to transmit
infection from one individual to another? - (answers)yes
What is the normal flora? - (answers)beneficial or essential microorganisms for
human health and well-being
What are some roles of the normal flora in the intestine that aid in digestion? -
(answers)-synthesize vitamin K; release vitamin B12, thiamine, and riboflavin
when they die
-limit the growth of harmful bacteria by competing with them for available
nutrients
,What are the two types of normal flora? - (answers)Transient and Resident
What is transient flora? - (answers)normal microbes you acquire by coming in
contact with objects or another person (hand-washing can remove these)
What is resident flora? - (answers)permanent inhabitants of the skin and cannot
usually be removed with routine hand washing; they live and multiply harmlessly
deep in skin layers
What are pathogens? - (answers)microorganisms capable of causing disease
What are the largest groups of pathogenic microorganisms? - (answers)bacteria,
fungi, and viruses
What are some less common pathogenic microorganisms? - (answers)protozoa,
helminths, and prions
When might normal flora become pathogenic? - (answers)-when a patient is
especially vulnerable to a disease
-if the microorganisms enter regions of the body they do not normally inhabit
What four factors determine whether a person develops infection? - (answers)-
virulence of the organism (its power to cause disease)
, -ability of the organism to survive in the host environment
-number of organisms (the greater their number, the more likely they are to
cause disease)
-ability of the host's defenses to prevent infection
Why do nurses need to know about infections? - (answers)-protect patients from
infections
-meet professional standards and guidelines
-protect yourself from diseases
-help Lower the cost of healthcare
What is a reservoir? - (answers)-a source of infection; a place where pathogens
survive and multiply
Why is the human body the most common reservoir for pathogens? -
(answers)because most pathogens flourish in a warm, moist, dark environment
What are examples of non-living reservoirs? - (answers)soil, water, food, and
environmental surfaces
What are some surfaces in healthcare facilities that act as reservoirs? -
(answers)sinks, toilets, bed rails, and bed linens
AND (elaborated) WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS
What is infection? - (answers)an invasion of and multiplication in the body by a
pathogen (a microorganism capable of causing disease)
What are four goals of infection prevention and control for nurses? - (answers)-
protect patients from infections
-meet professional standards and guidelines
-protect yourself from disease
-help lower the cost of healthcare
What are some interventions that support the body's defenses? -
(answers)medical and surgical asepsis
What is the goal or mission of the CDC? - (answers)to protect Americans from
health, safety, and security threats through education, research, and action
What is a healthcare-associated infection? - (answers)refers to infections
associated with healthcare given in any setting
What is a nosocomial infection? - (answers)hospital acquired infection
,What are some things that may cause a HAI? - (answers)-central line
-surgical site infections
-catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI)
-ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP)
-multi drug-resistant organisms (MDROs)
what is the role of the Joint Commission? - (answers)-quality oversight agency
-includes strategies from healthcare providers to prevent infection in inpatient
and community-based settings
What are the six links of a chain of infection? - (answers)infectious agent,
reservoir, portal of exit, mode of transmission, portal of entry, susceptible host
Do all 6 links of the chain of infection have to be present in order to transmit
infection from one individual to another? - (answers)yes
What is the normal flora? - (answers)beneficial or essential microorganisms for
human health and well-being
What are some roles of the normal flora in the intestine that aid in digestion? -
(answers)-synthesize vitamin K; release vitamin B12, thiamine, and riboflavin
when they die
-limit the growth of harmful bacteria by competing with them for available
nutrients
,What are the two types of normal flora? - (answers)Transient and Resident
What is transient flora? - (answers)normal microbes you acquire by coming in
contact with objects or another person (hand-washing can remove these)
What is resident flora? - (answers)permanent inhabitants of the skin and cannot
usually be removed with routine hand washing; they live and multiply harmlessly
deep in skin layers
What are pathogens? - (answers)microorganisms capable of causing disease
What are the largest groups of pathogenic microorganisms? - (answers)bacteria,
fungi, and viruses
What are some less common pathogenic microorganisms? - (answers)protozoa,
helminths, and prions
When might normal flora become pathogenic? - (answers)-when a patient is
especially vulnerable to a disease
-if the microorganisms enter regions of the body they do not normally inhabit
What four factors determine whether a person develops infection? - (answers)-
virulence of the organism (its power to cause disease)
, -ability of the organism to survive in the host environment
-number of organisms (the greater their number, the more likely they are to
cause disease)
-ability of the host's defenses to prevent infection
Why do nurses need to know about infections? - (answers)-protect patients from
infections
-meet professional standards and guidelines
-protect yourself from diseases
-help Lower the cost of healthcare
What is a reservoir? - (answers)-a source of infection; a place where pathogens
survive and multiply
Why is the human body the most common reservoir for pathogens? -
(answers)because most pathogens flourish in a warm, moist, dark environment
What are examples of non-living reservoirs? - (answers)soil, water, food, and
environmental surfaces
What are some surfaces in healthcare facilities that act as reservoirs? -
(answers)sinks, toilets, bed rails, and bed linens
