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Free CIC Practice Questions

10 free, exam-style Certified in Infection Control (CIC) practice questions with answers and explanations. No signup required. Work through them below, then take the full free CIC practice test to study every exam domain.

Question 1

A 78-year-old female nursing home resident is admitted for elective hip fracture repair scheduled in 48 hours. On admission, the surgical team obtains a routine urine culture, which grows greater than 100,000 CFU/mL of Escherichia coli. The patient is asymptomatic with no fever, no dysuria, no suprapubic tenderness, no flank pain, and a normal white blood cell count. She does not have an indwelling urinary catheter. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate interpretation of this finding?

  1. Hospital-onset urinary tract infection requiring immediate empiric antibiotic therapy
  2. Catheter-associated urinary tract infection meeting NHSN surveillance criteria
  3. Asymptomatic bacteriuria, which generally does not warrant antibiotic treatment in this patient
  4. Specimen contamination requiring repeat collection prior to surgery
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C - Asymptomatic bacteriuria, which generally does not warrant antibiotic treatment in this patient

Question 2

A patient is scheduled for an elective open colon resection with skin incision planned for 0800. The surgical team plans to administer cefazolin 2 g IV plus metronidazole 500 mg IV as antimicrobial prophylaxis. According to current evidence-based guidelines for surgical antibiotic prophylaxis, what is the LATEST acceptable time the cefazolin should be administered to optimally reduce the risk of surgical site infection?

  1. 0700 - within 60 minutes prior to surgical incision
  2. 0630 - within 90 minutes prior to surgical incision
  3. 0600 - within 120 minutes prior to surgical incision
  4. At the time of surgical incision, with the agent administered as a rapid IV push
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: A - 0700 - within 60 minutes prior to surgical incision

Question 3

A 64-year-old patient is admitted to the medical ICU on hospital Day 1. A non-tunneled central venous catheter is inserted on hospital Day 2. On hospital Day 4, the patient develops a temperature of 38.5°C. Two blood cultures are drawn from separate peripheral venipuncture sites the same day. One culture grows Staphylococcus epidermidis; the second culture is negative after 5 days of incubation. The patient has no other identified source of infection and no skin breakdown at the catheter site. According to current NHSN surveillance criteria, this event:

  1. Meets CLABSI criteria as a Laboratory-Confirmed Bloodstream Infection (LCBI 1)
  2. Does NOT meet CLABSI criteria because Staphylococcus epidermidis is a common commensal and only one specimen was positive
  3. Meets CLABSI criteria as a Laboratory-Confirmed Bloodstream Infection (LCBI 2)
  4. Does NOT meet CLABSI criteria because the central line was not in place for more than 2 consecutive days
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: B - Does NOT meet CLABSI criteria because Staphylococcus epidermidis is a common commensal and only one specimen was positive

Question 4

A medical-surgical intensive care unit reports the following surveillance data for the third quarter of the fiscal year: • Number of CLABSI events: 4 • Central line-days: 1,250 • Patient-days: 2,500 • ICU admissions: 187 What is the unit's CLABSI rate per 1,000 central line-days for the quarter?

  1. 1.6 CLABSIs per 1,000 central line-days
  2. 3.2 CLABSIs per 1,000 central line-days
  3. 4.0 CLABSIs per 1,000 central line-days
  4. 16.0 CLABSIs per 1,000 central line-days
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: B - 3.2 CLABSIs per 1,000 central line-days

Question 5

A 4-year-old previously healthy child is brought to the emergency department by his parents with three days of high fever, dry cough, coryza, and conjunctivitis. On physical examination, you note small bluish-white spots on a red base on the buccal mucosa opposite the lower molars, along with a maculopapular rash that began on the forehead and is now spreading down the neck and trunk. The child has no documented immunizations. Which of the following isolation precautions are MOST appropriate for this patient?

  1. Droplet Precautions in a single-patient room with the door open and a surgical mask within 3 feet
  2. Contact Precautions in a single-patient room with gown and gloves on entry
  3. Airborne Precautions in an Airborne Infection Isolation Room (AIIR) with a fit-tested N95 respirator
  4. Standard Precautions only with the room door closed and a surgical mask for the patient during transport
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C - Airborne Precautions in an Airborne Infection Isolation Room (AIIR) with a fit-tested N95 respirator

Question 6

A nurse has just completed personal care for a patient with confirmed Clostridioides difficile infection on Contact Precautions. After removing her gown and gloves and exiting the patient's anteroom, which of the following is the MOST appropriate hand hygiene method per current CDC and SHEA/IDSA/APIC guidelines?

  1. Apply alcohol-based hand rub and rub vigorously until completely dry
  2. Apply a 4% chlorhexidine gluconate antiseptic foam and rub for 30 seconds without rinsing
  3. Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, then dry with a single-use towel
  4. Apply alcohol-based hand rub immediately, and then wash with soap and water 30 minutes later
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C - Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, then dry with a single-use towel

Question 7

A new registered nurse is hired into a hospital emergency department where her duties will include starting peripheral IVs, drawing blood, and assisting with invasive procedures. She has reasonably anticipated occupational exposure to blood and other potentially infectious materials (OPIM). Per the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030), the employer must offer hepatitis B vaccination to this employee:

  1. Within 10 working days of initial assignment, at no cost to the employee, after training and an opportunity to ask questions
  2. Within 30 calendar days of hire, with the employee responsible for half of the vaccine cost as a payroll deduction
  3. Only upon employee request during new-hire orientation, with vaccination considered optional
  4. Within 90 days of hire, after successful completion of the standard probationary employment period
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: A - Within 10 working days of initial assignment, at no cost to the employee, after training and an opportunity to ask questions

Question 8

An infection preventionist is auditing central line insertions in the surgical ICU as part of a CLABSI reduction initiative. Which of the following insertion practices BEST aligns with the evidence-based CDC/IHI/SHEA central line insertion bundle?

  1. Skin antisepsis with povidone-iodine solution allowed to air-dry for 30 seconds before insertion
  2. Sterile gloves, sterile gown, mask, and a small fenestrated drape covering only the insertion site
  3. Skin antisepsis with greater than 0.5% chlorhexidine in alcohol, allowed to dry, with a full-body sterile drape and maximal sterile barriers
  4. Routine scheduled replacement of the central line every 7 days at a new anatomic site to prevent biofilm formation
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C - Skin antisepsis with greater than 0.5% chlorhexidine in alcohol, allowed to dry, with a full-body sterile drape and maximal sterile barriers

Question 9

A hospital plans to remove existing ductwork and install new HVAC ductwork above the ceiling of a corridor that is directly adjacent to and shares HVAC return air with the hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) unit. The work is scheduled to take place over three consecutive 8-hour shifts and will generate substantial dust. Per the standard 4-class Infection Control Risk Assessment (ICRA) matrix, what Class of Precautions is required for this project?

  1. Class I - minimize dust generation and replace any displaced ceiling tiles immediately
  2. Class II - implement active dust control measures, water-mist surfaces, and seal air vents in the work area
  3. Class III - construct critical barriers, use HEPA-filtered negative-air machines, and isolate HVAC in the work area
  4. Class IV - Class III precautions plus a required anteroom for personnel entry, sealed barriers from floor to deck, and HEPA-filtered exhaust
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: D - Class IV - Class III precautions plus a required anteroom for personnel entry, sealed barriers from floor to deck, and HEPA-filtered exhaust

Question 10

A central sterile processing supervisor is reviewing reprocessing requirements for various reusable medical devices used at the facility. According to the Spaulding classification system, which of the following items is correctly categorized as semi-critical and therefore requires HIGH-LEVEL DISINFECTION at minimum (rather than full sterilization)?

  1. A reusable laparoscope used for laparoscopic cholecystectomy
  2. A flexible bronchoscope used for diagnostic bronchoalveolar lavage
  3. A reusable electronic blood pressure cuff used between patients on a medical-surgical unit
  4. An indwelling urinary catheter inserted for continuous bladder drainage
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: B - A flexible bronchoscope used for diagnostic bronchoalveolar lavage

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