Question 1

A school nurse cautions a group of parents about children playing barefoot on dirt.To what infectious agents can this action expose the children?

Accepted Answer

Playing barefoot on dirt can expose children to helminths (parasitic worms) which can enter the body through the skin and cause infections such as hookworm and schistosomiasis. Protozoa, rickettsiae, and mycoplasmas are not typically associated with exposure from playing on dirt.

Question 2

A school nurse starts a clean-up campaign at a local elementary school in an effort to combat allergens.What is the most common allergic response disorder?

Accepted Answer

Asthma is the most common allergic response disorder, affecting approximately 300 million people worldwide. Anaphylaxis, contact dermatitis, and urticaria are also allergic response disorders, but they are less common than asthma.

Question 3

A patient has had several increasingly severe allergic reactions during last year's pollen season.This year, the patient comes regularly to the office to receive some antigen injections.What education will the nurse provide regarding these injections?

Accepted Answer

Antigen injections are a type of immunotherapy that aim to increase the patient's tolerance to the antigen that is causing the allergic reactions. By gradually exposing the patient to small amounts of the antigen over time, their immune system will eventually become desensitized to it and the allergic reactions will decrease in severity or even stop altogether.

Question 4

A patient who is receiving daily steroids for the control of a condition calls the nurse to ask advice about whether a small child who has been exposed to influenza should come and visit because she has not had any symptoms.What is the most appropriate response by the office nurse?

Accepted Answer

Patients who are taking steroids have a weakened immune system and are at a higher risk of developing infections. It is possible for the small child who has been exposed to influenza to be contagious even before they develop symptoms. Therefore, it is important to avoid any unnecessary exposure to possible infectious organisms. The nurse should advise the patient that the child should not visit at this time.

Question 5

A nurse caring for a patient who is immunosuppressed is diligent about protecting the patient from infection.When visitors come in, in addition to having them put on isolation attire, what should the nurse also prohibit?

Accepted Answer

While items like a battery-operated DVD player or book may be easily disinfected or removed from the room after the visit, a potted plant can harbor microorganisms that can cause infection and cannot be easily disinfected. Similarly, a box of candy may have been handled by multiple people before being brought into the room, so it's best to avoid it as well.

Question 6

A patient receiving a large intramuscular dose of antibiotic was asked to please wait 20 to 30 minutes before checking out.What is the reason for this request?

Accepted Answer

Antibiotics can cause severe allergic reactions within the first few minutes after being injected. Waiting 20 to 30 minutes allows the healthcare provider to monitor the patient and intervene in case of an adverse reaction. This is a standard precautionary measure taken in healthcare settings.

Question 7

An air conditioner duct cleaning is recommended by a home health nurse.What should this precaution prevent the spread of in the patient's home?

Accepted Answer

Cleaning air conditioner ducts can help prevent the spread of fungi, such as mold, which can grow in damp environments and be circulated through the air system.

Question 8

A large, heavy, and older adult patient has a stroke and develops an infected decubitus ulcer on the sacrum during the hospital stay.Approximately 2 weeks after the patient has gone home, the patient returns to the hospital with pneumonia.What is the distinction between these two infections?

Accepted Answer

The decubitus ulcer is considered a health care-associated infection because it was acquired during the hospital stay, while the pneumonia is considered a community-acquired infection since it was acquired after the patient went home. This distinction is important because different strategies may be needed to prevent and control these different types of infections.

Question 9

What is the most effective method to control the spread of communicable disease?

Accepted Answer

Hand washing is one of the most effective methods to prevent the spread of communicable diseases as it removes pathogens from the hands, reducing transmission.

Question 10

A mosquito or a fly carries an organism that infects another living organism.What is this mode of transmission of infection?

Accepted Answer

A mosquito or a fly is a vector, meaning it carries the infectious organism from one living organism to another.

Question 11

Which patient diagnosis is most likely related to acquiring a health care-associated infection?

Accepted Answer

Insertion of a Foley catheter increases the risk of developing a urinary tract infection, which is a common type of health care-associated infection. The other options do not necessarily have a direct relationship with acquiring a health care-associated infection.

Question 12

On a visit to administer the fifth in a series of 10 antibiotic doses, a home health nurse is told that the patient is now complaining about a bothersome vaginal discharge.The nurse communicates the problem and arranges for medication.What is the most likely cause of the vaginal discharge?

Accepted Answer

The most likely cause of the vaginal discharge is a superinfection response to the antibiotic medication. Antibiotics can kill off the normal bacteria in the vagina, allowing for overgrowth of other organisms that can cause a new infection. This is a common side effect of antibiotic use. Poor hygiene or soap allergies are less likely to cause a sudden onset of vaginal discharge. Sexual contact with an infected person could also be a cause of vaginal discharge, but this information is not provided in the scenario.

Question 13

A nurse explains that a medication given to a patient with a severe inflammatory response mimics a hormone secreted by the adrenal cortex.To what hormone is the nurse referring?

Accepted Answer

The adrenal cortex secretes cortisol, which is a glucocorticoid hormone that has anti-inflammatory effects. Medications that mimic cortisol can be used to treat severe inflammatory responses.

Question 14

A patient with the diagnosis of Clostridium difficile infection asks what has caused the diarrhea.What is the best response by the nurse?

Accepted Answer

Clostridium difficile infection is caused by a long-term antibiotic therapy. Antibiotics can disrupt the normal balance of bacteria in the gut, allowing C. difficile to overgrow and produce toxins that lead to diarrhea.

Question 15

With the exposure to an antigen, a nurse explains that the initiator of the inflammatory response is the presence of histamine.What is responsible for releasing histamine?

Accepted Answer

Basophils are responsible for releasing histamine during an inflammatory response.

Question 16

A nurse is discussing the body's first and second lines of defense against infection with a community group.What does the body's first line of defense include?

Accepted Answer

The body's first line of defense against infection includes physical and chemical barriers such as skin, mucous membranes, and secretions like sweat. Sweat contains antimicrobial peptides that help prevent infection, making it part of the first line of defense. White blood cells and T lymphocytes are part of the body's second line of defense, involved in the immune response once pathogens have bypassed the first line of defense.

Question 17

A nurse explains that although some drugs reduce inflammation, they also hinder the body's immune response.What are examples of such drugs?

Accepted Answer

Bronchodilators and corticosteroids are drugs that reduce inflammation but can also hinder the body's immune response. Bronchodilators are often used to treat asthma and other respiratory conditions, while corticosteroids are used to treat a variety of inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease. Both of these drugs suppress the immune system, which can increase the risk of infection. Antihistamines and salicylates are not typically associated with suppressing the immune system, and cardiotonic and anticholinergic drugs and diuretics and sedatives do not reduce inflammation.

Question 18

A nurse is bathing a patient who is immunodeficient and has a Cryptococcus infestation.What is the classification of this organism?

Accepted Answer

Cryptococcus is a fungus.

Question 19

A patient in early labor says to the nurse, "I will pass on protection from diseases, and the baby will not ever need any shots." What is the best response by the nurse?

Accepted Answer

Babies are born with immunoglobulin E (IgE), an antibody that crosses the placenta, but it only briefly protects the baby.

Question 20

A community picnic is held.A number of the attendees become ill after the picnic.How was the pathogen acquired?

Accepted Answer

The fact that several individuals became ill after attending the community picnic suggests that a common vehicle of transmission was involved. A common vehicle is a source of infection that is shared by multiple people, such as contaminated food or water. It is possible that the pathogen was acquired through indirect contact (such as touching contaminated surfaces) or vector transmission (such as through insect bites), but the fact that multiple people were affected suggests a common source of contamination. Airborne transmission is also a possibility, but it is less likely in a picnic setting where people are outdoors and not crowded closely together.

Quiz 5: Immunity, Inflammation, and Infection