CIC Exam Dumps - CBIC Infection Control Questions and Answers

Reviewing compliance with VAP prevention bundles (e.g., head-of-bed elevation, oral care, sedation breaks) is the first step in outbreak control​.

Preemptive antibiotics (B) are not recommended due to antibiotic resistance risks.

Negative pressure rooms (C) are not required for VAP.

Ventilator circuit cultures (D) do not guide patient management.

CBIC Infection Control References:

APIC Text, "VAP Prevention Measures," Chapter 11​.

Perioperative normothermia maintenance reduces SSI rates by improving immune function and tissue perfusion​.

Routine wound irrigation (B) has no strong evidence supporting SSI prevention.

Prolonged antibiotic use (C) increases antibiotic resistance without added benefit.

Extended use of wound dressings (D) does not reduce SSI rates.

CBIC Infection Control References:

APIC Text, "SSI Prevention in Surgery," Chapter 12​.

To determinewhich surgeon has the highest surgical site infection (SSI) rate, use the following formula:

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SinceDr. White has the highest SSI rate at 9.1%, the correct answer isD. White.

CBIC Infection Control Reference

SSI rates are calculated usinginfection count per total proceduresand reported aspercentage values​.

When an outbreak of infectious disease is suspected, the first step is to conduct an epidemiologic investigation. This begins withcharacterizing the outbreak by person, place, and timeto establish patterns and trends. This approach, known as descriptive epidemiology, provides critical insights into potential sources and transmission patterns.

Step-by-Step Justification:

Identify Cases and Patterns:

The infection preventionist should analyze patient demographics (person), locations of cases (place), and onset of symptoms (time). This helps in defining the outbreak scope and potential exposure sources​.

Create an Epidemic Curve:

An epidemic curve helps determine whether the outbreak is a point-source or propagated event. This can indicate whether the infection is spreading person-to-person or originating from a common source​.

Compare with Baseline Data:

Reviewing historical data ensures that the observed cases exceed the expected norm, confirming an outbreak​.

Guide Further Investigation:

Establishing basic epidemiologic patterns guides subsequent actions, such as laboratory testing, environmental sampling, and surveillance​.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

B. Increase surveillance facility-wide for additional cases:

While enhanced surveillance is important, it should follow the initial characterization of the outbreak. Surveillance without a defined case profile may lead to misclassification and misinterpretation​.

C. Contact the laboratory to confirm stool identification results:

Confirming lab results is essential but comes after defining the outbreak's characteristics. Without an epidemiologic link, testing may yield results that are difficult to interpret​.

D. Form a tentative hypothesis about the potential reservoir for this outbreak:

Hypothesis generation occurs after sufficient epidemiologic data have been collected. Jumping to conclusions without characterization may result in incorrect assumptions and ineffective control measures​.

CBIC Infection Control References:

APIC Text, "Outbreak Investigations," Epidemiology, Surveillance, Performance, and Patient Safety Measures​.

APIC/JCR Infection Prevention and Control Workbook, Chapter 4, Surveillance Program​.

APIC Text, "Investigating Infectious Disease Outbreaks," Guidelines for Epidemic Curve Analysis​.

The infection preventionist’s (IP) best conclusion, based on the provided evidence, is that the evidence at this time fails to support the nurse's claim of acquiring hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection through occupational exposure. This conclusion is grounded in the clinical and epidemiological understanding of HAV, as aligned with the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (CBIC) guidelines. Hepatitis A typically has an incubation period ranging from 15 to 50 days, with an average of approximately 28-30 days, following exposure to the virus (CBIC Practice Analysis, 2022, Domain I: Identification of Infectious Disease Processes, Competency 1.3 - Apply principles of epidemiology). The reported 5-day interval between exposure and symptom onset in the nurse is significantly shorter than the expected incubation period, making it inconsistent with HAV transmission. Additionally, the presence of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies in the source patient indicates past exposure or immunity to HAV, rather than an active or recent infection, which would typically be associated with immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies during the acute phase.

Option A (the nurse should be given hepatitis A virus immunoglobulin) is not supported because post-exposure prophylaxis with HAV immunoglobulin is recommended only within 14 days of exposure to a confirmed case with active infection, and the evidence here does not confirm a recent exposure or active case. Option C (the patient has serologic evidence of recent hepatitis A viral infection) is incorrect because IgG antibodies signify past infection or immunity, not a recent infection, which would require IgM antibodies. Option D (the 5-day incubation period is consistent with hepatitis A virus transmission) is inaccurate due to the mismatch with the known incubation period of HAV.

The IP’s role includes critically evaluating epidemiological data to determine the likelihood of transmission events. The discrepancy in the incubation period and the serologic status of the patient suggest that the nurse’s claim may not be substantiated by the current evidence, necessitating further investigation rather than immediate intervention or acceptance of the claim. This aligns withCBIC’s emphasis on accurate identification and investigation of infectious disease processes (CBIC Practice Analysis, 2022, Domain I: Identification of Infectious Disease Processes, Competency 1.2 - Investigate suspected outbreaks or exposures).

The correct answer is D, "staff education related to loaner instrument reprocessing has occurred," as this is the infection prevention process that should be ensured when a surgeon is beginning a new procedure requiring loaner instruments within the next two weeks. According to the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (CBIC) guidelines, loaner instruments—those borrowed from external sources for temporary use—pose unique infection prevention challenges due to potential variability in reprocessing standards and unfamiliarity among staff. Ensuring that staff are educated on proper reprocessing protocols (e.g., cleaning, sterilization, and handling per manufacturer instructions and AAMI ST79) is critical to prevent healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) (CBIC Practice Analysis, 2022, Domain III: Infection Prevention and Control, Competency 3.3 - Ensure safe reprocessing of medical equipment). This education should cover the specific requirements for loaner instruments, including documentation and verification of sterilization, and should occur proactively before the instruments are used to ensure competency and compliance.

Option A (items arrive in time for immediate use steam sterilization) is a logistical consideration, but it does not address the infection prevention process itself; timely arrival is necessary but insufficient without proper reprocessing validation. Option B (instruments are able to be used prior to the biological indicator results) is unsafe, as biological indicators are essential to confirm sterilization efficacy, and using instruments before results are available violates infection control standards. Option C (the planning process takes place after the instruments have arrived) is impractical, as planning (e.g., coordinating with vendors, assessing reprocessing needs) must occur in advance to ensure readiness and safety, not as a reactive step.

The focus on staff education aligns with CBIC’s emphasis on preparing healthcare personnel to handle loaner instruments safely, reducing the risk of contamination and ensuring patient safety (CBIC Practice Analysis, 2022, Domain IV: Education and Research, Competency 4.1 - Develop and implement educational programs). This proactive measure is supported by AAMI and CDC guidelines, which stress the importance of training for reprocessing complex or unfamiliar devices.

Benchmarkingcompares infection rates across healthcare facilities.For accurate benchmarking, case definitions must be standardized and adjusted for patient demographics, severity of illness, and other risk factors.

Why the Other Options Are Incorrect?

A. Data collectors are trained on how to collect data–Training is necessary, but it does notdirectly ensure comparabilitybetween facilities.

B. Collecting data on a small population–A larger sample sizeincreasesaccuracy and reliabilityin benchmarking.

C. Denominator rates selected based on an organizational risk assessment– Risk assessment is important, butstandardized case definitionsare critical for comparison.

CBIC Infection Control Reference

According to APIC,accurate benchmarking relies on using standardized case definitions that account for differences in patient populations​.

Themost effective way to assess emergency preparednessfor an influx of patients withviral hemorrhagic fever (VHF)is throughtabletop exercises or full-scale drills. These exercises simulate real-life scenarios, allowing hospitals totest protocols, identify weaknesses, and improve response efforts.

Why the Other Options Are Incorrect?

A. Meet frequently with emergency management professionals– Whileimportant, meetings alonedo not provide hands-on testingof preparedness.

B. Conduct regular rounding in the Emergency Department– Rounding helps withpolicy compliance, butdoes not test the entire emergency response plan.

D. Collaborate to assess the availability of supplies and PPE– This isone componentof preparedness butdoes not evaluate the facility’s response in real-time.

CBIC Infection Control Reference

APIC recommendsfull-scale emergency drillsas thegold standard for assessing preparedness for emerging infectious diseases​.

Before initiating airborne precautions, theinfection preventionist must first confirm the clinical suspicion of active TB.

Step-by-Step Justification:

Confirming Active TB:

Apositive tuberculin skin test (TST) alone does not indicate active disease​.

A review ofchest X-ray, symptoms, and risk factorsis needed.

Medical Record Review:

Past TB history, imaging, and sputum testingare key to diagnosis​.

Not all TST-positive patients require isolation.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

A. Contact the roommate's physician to initiate TST:Premature, asno confirmation of active TB existsyet.

C. Report findings to Employee Health for staff follow-up:Should occuronly after TB confirmation.

D. Transfer to airborne isolation immediately:Airborne isolation is necessaryonly if active TB is suspected based on clinical findings​.

CBIC Infection Control References:

The standard way to reportventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) ratesis:

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Why the Other Options Are Incorrect?

A. Ventilator-associated pneumonia rate of 2%– This does not use thecorrect denominator (ventilator days).

C. Postoperative pneumonia rate of 6% in SICU patients–Not relevant, as the data focuses onVAP, not postoperative pneumonia.

D. More information is needed regarding ventilator days per patient–The total ventilator days are already provided, so no additional data is required.

CBIC Infection Control Reference

APIC and NHSN recommend reporting VAP rates as cases per 1,000 ventilator days​.