Written Questions

1. You work on an older person’s rehabilitation ward; your colleague is unwell but has come into work. She makes herself a cup of tea in the staff room coughing and sneezing without covering her mouth or nose.

a) Name and discuss the mode of transmission that is passed by sneezing and coughing.

b) Is your colleague well enough to stay at work? Justify your reasoning and explain the procedure you would follow if your colleague refused to go home.

c) Describe ‘immunity’ providing at least 4 examples of clients who may have low levels of immunity.

d) List 4 examples of respiratory etiquette.

2. You are working on the obstetric ward caring for a client who had an emergency caesarean 2 days ago. When you enter the room your client is complaining of being cold and achy. You complete a set of vital observations and note that your client is febrile and tachycardic.

You are due to take down the dressing and check the wound site and when you do, you observe that it is very red and hot to touch.

a) Name and explain the term associated with this type of infection. Your answer must contain details of the possible methods of transfer and be supported with examples.

b) You discuss your findings with the Registered Nurse and the Dr is called to review; she asks you to take a wound swab and apply a clean dressing. 

 Discuss the type of dressing technique you will use and why.

 Why it is necessary to clean a dressing trolley and when this needs to be undertaken.

c) List the 5 moments of hand hygiene and explain why they are important in the prevention of infection.

d) Justify the use of ABHR’s in the healthcare setting, include in your answer when the use of ABHR may be contraindicated

3. You are working in an aged care facility which is in lockdown due to Norovirus. You are asked to gather the staff together and explain PPE and how to correctly remove it.

a) What is your explanation of PPE?

b) You finish showering and changing the bed linen of a client who has active diarrhoea and vomiting, list the removal of PPE in sequence before you leave the room stating when you would complete hand hygiene in this process. 

4. During the outbreak of norovirus at your facility, Betty, a client with dementia, comes out of her room and vomits on the vinyl in the hallway. 

Betty is very distressed and opens the door to Pam’s room, Pam does not have norovirus. Betty leans on the wall in the doorway before staff manage to gently guide her back to her room.

a) Describe in detail the process for removing the vomit in the hallway, include the equipment you will need, any PPE which is to be worn and any safety signs which are to be used.

b) Will Pam’s room need cleaning? Justify your reasoning.

c) Discuss any reporting obligations you may have following this incident.

d) Explain the role of signage in the prevention and control of infection and the precautions or measures that may be taken by the facility to limit the spread of norovirus.

5. You are the nurse in charge of a small area on a medical ward. One of the HSA’s comes to you in a distressed state and informs you that whilst carrying a full urine bottle, she tripped and the urine splashed onto her face.

Discuss in order of priority what you would do next, detailing any reporting actions.

6. What is the most important PPE to be worn when cleaning equipment for reuse? 

7. What is the difference, when discussing infection, between colonisation, infection and disease?

8. Define viruses and how they work to cause infection and disease?

9. Define fungi and how they can be involved in the infection process?

10.

a) Discuss the legislation that supports safe work practices in Australia.

b) What are the 4 key principles of WHS?

c) Describe the term ‘Duty of Care’ and provide 3 examples of how your compliance with policies and procedures can promote a safe workplace 

11.

a) Discuss your role as an EN in minimising hazards during manual handling tasks.

b) Give a brief description of the musculoskeletal anatomy and discuss at least 4 ways in which you can reduce the risk of injury to yourself and others during manual handling tasks.

c) Discuss the link between infection prevention and control, and, compliance with WHS legislation.

d) Discuss how infection is transmitted in the working environment and what practices could you put in place to minimise this risk? Give an example of a common source of infection in your answer12.

a) Identify the following symbols

13.

a) Discuss the importance of workplace policies and procedures for WHS using legislation to support your answer.

b) Outline the difference between a policy and a procedure.

c) Provide at least 3 examples of how work procedures assist the worker to remain safe

14.

a) Provide a definition for each of the following terms –

Hazard

Risk

Risk Assessment

Hierarchy of Control

b) At a meeting of the Lazy Dayz health and safety committee, a health and safety representative raises the issue of manual handling. The health and safety rep is particularly concerned about tasks that involve the handling of non-weight bearing clients. 

Complete the risk assessment matrix attached to document your findings and use the hierarchy of control to suggest ways for addressing the risks.

c) You witness your colleague injuring his back whilst trying to prevent a client from falling. 

Describe in detail the reporting procedures that would follow this incident, including the key areas of information which must be completed on reporting forms.

d) Identify at least 2 ways in which you can raise WHS issues in the workplace

15.

a) Provide a definition of fatigue 

b) Provide 3 examples of some of the early signs of fatigue. 

c) Discuss who you would approach if you were concerned about your own levels of stress and fatigue and how debriefing can reduce individual levels of stress in the workplace.

16.

a) Provide 5 examples of possible emergencies in the workplace.

b) From your examples above, choose 2 and outline your role and responsibilities in each emergency situation.

Questions 17, 18 and 19 relate specifically to caring for a client in their home.

17.

a) Outline the main WHS responsibilities of both workers and clients, when caring for someone in the home environment.

b) You are asked by a client whether they legally need to have a smoke alarm fitted in their home. Describe the legislation for smoke alarms in Queensland.

c) Discuss how you would assist the client to have a smoke alarm installed and maintained.

d) Discuss behaviours that may contribute to fire injury and fatalities. 

18.

a) Discuss how you would minimise the risk of cross infection when caring for a client in the home

19.

a) Provide 3 examples of possible manual handling risks when caring for a client in the home. 

(Provide at least one for the worker and one for the client.)

b) Apply at least one strategy each to the client and worker, to identify how you would minimise those risks.

c) Discuss what you can do to maintain a healthy muscoskeletal system whilst caring a client in their own home.