Pass the CBIC Infection Control CIC Questions and answers with CertsForce

The CBIC Certified Infection Control Exam Study Guide (6th edition) describes the Preparedness and Response Framework for Influenza Pandemics as a structured model that divides a pandemic into distinct intervals to guide public health and healthcare response activities. These intervals include investigation, recognition, initiation, acceleration, deceleration, and preparation for future waves.

The Deceleration of the Pandemic Wave interval is defined by a consistent and sustained decrease in the number of new pandemic influenza cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. This decline reflects the impact of mitigation strategies such as vaccination campaigns, antiviral use, nonpharmaceutical interventions, and the development of population immunity. Although transmission is decreasing, healthcare systems are advised to remain vigilant, as localized transmission may still occur.

Option A describes activities associated with the Investigation Interval, when experts assess the potential public health implications of a novel virus. Option B corresponds to the Recognition Interval, marked by identification of a novel influenza A virus. Option C aligns more closely with the Preparation for Future Waves Interval, when overall activity is low but the risk of resurgence remains.

Understanding these distinctions is critical for infection preventionists, as response priorities shift during each interval. During deceleration, focus transitions from surge response to recovery planning, evaluation of response effectiveness, and preparation for potential subsequent waves—key concepts emphasized in the CIC® exam.

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The CBIC Certified Infection Control Exam Study Guide (6th edition) explains that sterile items are no longer managed using time-related expiration dating but rather by event-related shelf life. Under an event-related shelf-life system, sterile items remain sterile indefinitely unless an event occurs that compromises their integrity, such as package damage, moisture exposure, improper handling, or poor storage conditions.

Therefore, the absence of an expiration date on sterile instrument pouches does not automatically indicate noncompliance or require disposal. The most appropriate action for the infection preventionist is to verify that the facility has a written event-related shelf-life policy and to assess whether sterile packages are intact, properly sealed, clean, dry, and stored under appropriate environmental conditions. This approach aligns with nationally recognized standards and current evidence-based practice.

Option A is incomplete because it does not ensure that a formal policy and appropriate storage practices are in place. Option B is unnecessary and wasteful when no compromise of sterility has occurred. Option C is incorrect because arbitrarily assigning a time-based expiration (e.g., 30 days) contradicts modern sterilization principles and is not evidence-based.

For the CIC® exam, this question reinforces the principle that sterility is event-related, not time-related, and that infection preventionists must evaluate policies, storage conditions, and package integrity rather than defaulting to unnecessary disposal.

The infectiousness of tuberculosis (TB) is directly related to the number of Mycobacterium tuberculosis organisms expelled into the air by an infected patient.

Step-by-Step Justification:

TB Transmission Mechanism:

TB spreads through airborne droplet nuclei, which remain suspended for long periods​.

Factors Affecting Infectiousness:

High bacterial load in sputum: Smear-positive patients are much more infectious​.

Coughing and sneezing frequency: More expelled droplets increase exposure risk.

Environmental factors: Poor ventilation increases transmission​.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

A. Hand hygiene habits: TB is airborne, not transmitted via hands.

B. Presence of acid-fast bacilli (AFB) in blood: TB is not typically hematogenous, and blood AFB does not correlate with infectiousness.

C. Tuberculin skin test (TST) >20 mm: TST indicates prior exposure, not infectiousness.

CBIC Infection Control References:

APIC Text, "Tuberculosis Transmission and Control Measures"​.

The CBIC Certified Infection Control Exam Study Guide (6th edition) clearly emphasizes that oncology units house highly immunocompromised patients, making environmental sources of infection a critical concern during design and planning phases. Natural plants, soil, and standing water are well-recognized reservoirs for environmental fungi and gram-negative bacteria, including Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Pseudomonas species, all of which pose a serious infection risk to oncology patients.

Rather than allowing the process to continue unchecked (Option A) or completely shutting down discussion (Option D), the infection preventionist’s role is to guide the team toward safer alternatives while supporting collaborative planning. Asking whether artificial plants can be used instead (Option C) is the most appropriate action because it maintains the aesthetic goals of the design team while eliminating the infection risks associated with live plants.

Option B, asking about the air handling unit, is important in oncology design but does not directly address the specific and preventable risk posed by natural plants. The Study Guide notes that potted plants, dried flower arrangements, and soil-containing décor should be avoided in areas caring for severely immunocompromised patients.

For the CIC® exam, this question highlights the IP’s responsibility to anticipate environmental infection risks early in facility planning and recommend practical, evidence-based alternatives that protect patient safety without unnecessarily impeding design goals.

HIV patients require Airborne Precautions if they have tuberculosis (TB). A cavitary lesion in the upper lobe is highly suggestive of active pulmonary TB, which requires Airborne Precautions due to aerosolized transmission.

Why the Other Options Are Incorrect?

A. 24-year-old male newly diagnosed with a CD4 count of 70 – Low CD4 count alone does not warrant Airborne Precautions unless there is active TB or another airborne pathogen.

B. 28-year-old female with Mycobacterium avium in sputum – Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) is not airborne, and standard precautions are sufficient.

C. 36-year-old male with cryptococcal meningitis – Cryptococcus neoformans is not transmitted via the airborne route, so Airborne Precautions are unnecessary.

CBIC Infection Control Reference

Patients with HIV and suspected TB require Airborne Precautions until TB is ruled out​.

Chickenpox (varicella) is primarily spread through airborne transmission, and exposure is defined by being in the same airspace with a contagious person (from 1-2 days before rash onset until lesions are crusted), even if briefly.

The APIC Text states:

“Significant exposure is defined as being in the same room or airspace during the period of infectivity, regardless of duration”.

This reflects airborne precaution definitions and CDC exposure management guidelines for varicella.

The Certification Study Guide (6th edition) describes surveillance in infection prevention as a systematic method for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting health data, and it categorizes surveillance approaches based on scope and focus. The three recognized categories of surveillance are whole house surveillance, targeted surveillance, and a combination of both, making option D the correct answer.

Whole house surveillance involves monitoring infections across the entire healthcare facility. This approach provides a broad overview of infection trends but may lack depth in high-risk areas. Targeted surveillance, on the other hand, focuses on specific populations, locations, procedures, or devices—such as CLABSI in ICUs or SSIs following orthopedic surgery—where risk is highest or where prevention efforts are prioritized. A combination approach integrates both methods, allowing facilities to maintain broad situational awareness while dedicating resources to high-impact areas.

The study guide emphasizes that infection prevention programs should select surveillance categories based on risk assessment, available resources, regulatory requirements, and organizational priorities. CIC exam questions often test understanding of surveillance structure rather than timing (prospective vs. retrospective) or purpose (baseline vs. benchmark), which are surveillance methods or uses, not categories.

Recognizing whole house, targeted, and combination surveillance as the core categories reflects foundational infection prevention principles and supports effective program design, evaluation, and regulatory compliance.

The Certification Study Guide (6th edition) explains that the probability of infection after an exposure is influenced by several factors, including the dose of the infectious agent, the route of exposure, and host susceptibility. Among the options provided, an unknown concentration of infectious virions introduced via a needlestick injury represents the greatest increase in infection risk.

Percutaneous injuries, such as needlesticks, provide direct access to the bloodstream, bypassing natural protective barriers like intact skin. The study guide emphasizes that when the inoculum (number of organisms) is unknown, particularly in bloodborne exposures, the risk of transmission for pathogens such as hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and human immunodeficiency virus is significantly higher. This uncertainty necessitates immediate evaluation and consideration of post-exposure prophylaxis.

The other options describe situations with lower or reduced risk. Prior immunization for hepatitis B is protective and therefore decreases susceptibility. Exposure of clothing alone does not constitute a significant transmission route unless there is penetration to skin or mucous membranes. Blood splashes onto intact skin are considered low-risk because intact skin acts as an effective barrier against infection.

CIC exam questions frequently test understanding of exposure routes and inoculum size. Recognizing that percutaneous exposure with an unknown infectious dose poses the highest risk is essential for accurate risk assessment and appropriate occupational health response.

Pseudomonas spp., particularly Pseudomonas aeruginosa, is a common waterborne pathogen. Using tap water to rinse suction tubing has been associated with outbreaks of Pseudomonas infections.

From the APIC Text:

“Water bottles improperly filled with tap water and used for rinsing tracheal suction tubing resulted in an outbreak of P. cepacia... Tubing permanently attached to showers... implicated in a serious outbreak of P. aeruginosa bloodstream infection.”

The CDC and FDA have identified duodenoscopes as high-risk devices due to inadequate reprocessing, leading to MDRO transmission​.

The first priority is enhancing reprocessing protocols and ensuring strict compliance with manufacturer instructions.

CBIC Infection Control References:

APIC Text, "Endoscope Reprocessing and Infection Risk," Chapter 10​.