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NSQHS - Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare
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Assessment
Questions
1. National Health Service Standard (NSQHS) which relates to the prevention and management of infections and outline the intention of this standard.
2. For each hazard listed in the table below:
- explain one (1) infectious risk that can occur.
- Two (2) risk control measures to prevent and reduce harm.
The first row provides an example to assist with completing this question.
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Hazard |
One (1) infectious risk |
Two (2) risk control measures to prevent and reduce harm |
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Example - Eating perishable food that has been unrefrigerated for 6 hours |
Example- Bacteria such as salmonella have started to grow, which can lead to food poisoning |
Example – Ensure that perishable food is stored in the refrigerator immediately |
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Not washing hands after touching a client |
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Incorrect handling of sharps |
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Coughing or sneezing without covering mouth/nose |
3. Provide a description for each microorganism listed and one (1) example of an infection they may cause.
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Microorganism |
Description |
One (1) example of infection |
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Virus |
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Bacterial |
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Fungi |
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Parasites |
4. Provide a description for each of the following processes listed
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Process |
Description |
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Infection |
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Colonisation |
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Disease |
5. Match the following terms associated with transmission of infectious agents as per the Chain of Infection with descriptions:
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Term |
Description |
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How a pathogen ‘hitches’ a ride |
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How the organism leaves the reservoir |
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Someone/something carrying pathogenic organism that causes infection. |
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Someone vulnerable to infection |
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Avenues by which an organism can enter the body. |
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Chronic disease, age, degree of exposure |
6. For each of the reservoirs listed in the table:
- identify one (1) method of transmission.
- Identify one (1) transmission mode/s, possible choosing from droplet, contact, airborne, or vector borne.
|
Reservoir |
One (1) method of transmission e.g. inadequate hand hygiene procedure. |
One (1) transmission mode droplet, contact, airborne, or vector-borne |
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Example: Water |
Ingested |
Droplet, Contact |
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People |
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Animals (Australian bat lyssavirus (ablv) |
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Bird flu (avian influenza) |
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Insects |
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Blood and body fluids |
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Food and water |
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Waste |
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Soil (Legionella) |
7. a) Identify the mode of infection transmission for a needle stick injury
b) Identify four (4) control measures to prevent a needlestick injury.
8. Match the correct personal hygiene practices that must be followed by workers to limit the spread of contamination and infectious microorganisms.
|
Personal hygiene |
Answer |
Correct practices |
|
A |
Long Hair |
Avoid all except plain banded rings |
|
B |
Fingernails |
Completely cover with a wound strip or bandage (brightly coloured waterproof bandages are recommended) |
|
C |
You are ill |
Keep clean and tie back and secure while at work |
|
D |
Jewellery |
Keep short, neat and natural; artificial, painted, or long types harbour organisms |
|
E |
Cuts and Wounds |
Wash at home separately from other items |
|
F |
Laundering of work clothing |
Do not attend work, stay home, notify supervisor due to possible contagious risk to workplace |
9. Provide four (4) strategies you could give your colleague to reduce the risk of cross infection.
10. a) Explain the main aim of effective hand hygiene.
b) As per the Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare (2019), what are the guidelines for the wearing of jewellery and watches, artificial nails and nail polish?
c) Provide three (3) actions to maintain the skin integrity for your hands.
d) List five (5) circumstances when you would need to perform a hand wash or use an antimicrobial gel hand rub in your workplace.
e) A routine / social hand wash will take between 20-30 seconds. In the table, number the actions (from 0 – 11) to represent the correct sequence of how to perform a routine/social hand wash using soap (including antimicrobial soap) and water.
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Number in the sequence |
Action |
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Wet hands with water |
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Rotational rubbing of left thumb clasped in right palm and vice versa |
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Rub hands palm to palm |
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Dry hands thoroughly with a single use towel |
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Palm to palm with fingers interlaced |
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Apply enough soap to cover all hand surfaces |
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Backs of fingers to opposing palms with fingers interlocked |
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Rotational rubbing, backwards and forward with clasped fingers of right hand in left palm and vice versa |
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Use towel to turn off faucet/tap |
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Right palm over left dorsum with interlaced fingers and vice versa |
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Your hands are now safe |
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Rinse hands with water |
11. Identify the purpose and two (2) examples for when to use each of the stated Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
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PPE |
Purpose |
Two (2) examples for when to use |
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Gloves |
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Gowns or waterproof aprons |
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Protective face shields and eyeglasses |
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Masks |
12. Identify the type of face masks that are required for any healthcare workers providing direct care or working within a zone where assessment of a client suggests a high-risk of COVID 19 transmission.
13. Why is it important to ensure PPE is applied, worn and removed correctly?
14.a) Number the correct sequence 1-5 for putting on PPE.
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Correct sequence for putting on PPE |
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Gloves |
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Hand Hygiene |
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Protective Eyewear or Face Shield |
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Mask |
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Gown |
b) Provide the correct sequence for removing the following PPE, including inserting when Hand Hygiene should be conducted.
- PPE: Gloves, Hand Hygiene, Gown, Hand Hygiene, Protective Eyewear or Face Shield, Hand Hygiene, Mask, Hand Hygiene
c) Describe the correct disposal of soiled PPE following use.
15. a) Identify four (4) immediate actions required following exposure to blood or body fluids and discuss the reporting process.
b) While assisting the colleague, what four (4) types of PPE should the staff member have donned to reduce the risk of contamination through contact or droplet transmission?
16. List the following tasks that you need to complete for a body fluid spill in the correct order from 1 - 8.
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Order of completion |
Task |
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Place all contaminated items into impervious container or plastic bag for disposal |
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Cover area of the spill with an absorbent clumping agent and allow to absorb |
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Discard contaminated materials |
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Wipe the area with sodium hypochlorite and allow to dry |
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Select appropriate PPE |
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Use disposable scraper and pan to scoop up absorbent material and any unabsorbed blood or body substances |
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Mop the area with detergent solution |
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Perform hand hygiene |
17. Identify three (3) people Melissa may report this incident to.
18. As per the Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare, when should the following items be cleaned and the solution to be used?
|
Items and Risk Level Scenario |
Cleaning required |
Solution to use |
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Bed Rails (High Risk) |
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Bedside table (Medium Risk) |
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Computer & keyboard (general use, fixed to desk area) (Medium Risk) |
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Manual handling – Hoists (Medium Risk) |
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Blood pressure cuff (Low Risk) |
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Surfaces (general, horizontal) in patient room e.g., ledges. (Medium Risk) |
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Chair (High Risk) |
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Microwave (Low Risk) |
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Telephone (High Risk) |
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Toilet (Medium Risk) |
19. Equipment for reprocessing is categorised using the Spaulding system. In the table below, identify the three (3) categories used and outline "when and how" the cleaning for that category should occur.
20. Outline the procedure for managing a clients soiled linen and clothing.
21. Identify and provide a brief outline of the five essential principles of aseptic technique in healthcare.
Step-by-Step Approach Guided by the Academic Mentor
-
Clarifying Requirements
- The mentor began by reviewing the NSQHS Standard on infection prevention, explaining its purpose to ensure the learner linked theory with real-world application.
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Key terminology such as “infection,” “colonisation,” and “aseptic technique” was clarified upfront.
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Breaking Down Questions into Sections
- The assessment was divided into manageable parts (hazards, microorganisms, hand hygiene, PPE, cleaning protocols).
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Each section was addressed systematically with examples, so the student could connect concepts to practice.
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Practical Scenarios & Tables
- For hazard tables, the mentor encouraged the student to identify one risk and two control measures per hazard, reinforcing the importance of prevention over cure.
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For microorganisms, structured comparisons (virus, bacteria, fungi, parasites) were used to build strong conceptual clarity.
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Application to Workplace Context
- In PPE and hand hygiene sections, the mentor guided the student with step-by-step checklists (e.g., donning/doffing order, hand wash sequence).
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Real workplace scenarios (needle-stick injuries, body fluid spills, linen handling) were discussed to demonstrate direct relevance.
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Integration of Guidelines
- The mentor emphasized compliance with Australian Guidelines (2019), showing how policies guide everyday practice.
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This helped the student understand the link between regulations and safe patient care.
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Ensuring Critical Thinking
- Instead of rote learning, the mentor encouraged reasoning: Why is a mask needed in high-risk zones? Why must jewellery be avoided in hand hygiene?
- This ensured depth of understanding, not just surface-level answers.
Outcome & Learning Objectives Achieved
By the end of the assessment, the student:
- Demonstrated understanding of the NSQHS infection control standards.
- Applied theoretical knowledge to practical infection risks and control measures.
- Accurately described microorganisms, infection processes, and chain of transmission.
- Understood the correct use of PPE and hand hygiene practices in clinical settings.
- Learned incident management protocols for spills, exposures, and reporting.
- Developed knowledge of cleaning, aseptic technique, and equipment reprocessing aligned with the Spaulding system.
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