1. CIC Practice Questions
Intermountain APIC
September 27, 2019

2. Urinary tract infections in the postpartum period have three important risk factors. Which of the following is not one of them:
a. Induction of labor
b. Tocolysis
c. Cesarean delivery
d. Twin births
Tocolysis – anti-contraction medication to suppress premauture labor

3. D. Twin Births
Rationale: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) in the postpartum period have three important risk factors: cesarean delivery, tocolysis, and induction of labor. Twin births are not associated with an increased risk of UTI.
Reference: APIC Text, 4th edition, Chapter 33 – Urinary Tract Infection
CBIC Core Competency: Preventing/Controlling the Transmission of Infectious Agents
Question: Certification Study Guide 6th edition, Practice exam 1 page 230, #31

4. To calculate the catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) rate for a unit for one month, the denominator should be:
The number of patient days for the unit for the month
The number of admissions for the unit for the month
The number of patients with urinary catheters for the month
The number of urinary catheter insertions for the month

5. C. The number of patients with urinary catheters for the month
Rationale: There are three important aspects of the formula in determining the CAUTI rate: (1) persons in the denominator must reflect the same population from which the numerator was taken; (2) counts in the numerator and denominator should cover the same time period; and (3) the persons in the denominator should have been at risk of the event or occurrence (that is, number of patients with urinary catheters.)
Reference: APIC Text, 4th edition, Chapter 13 – Use of Statistics in Infection Prevention
CBIC Core Competency: Surveillance and Epidemiologic Investigation
Question: Certification Study Guide 6th edition, Practice exam 1, page 231, #35

6. An IP collected the following data from the ICU for the month of March
An IP collected the following data from the ICU for the month of March. How would she calculate the CAUTI rate for the month of March?
March 2014
6 CAUTIs
240 patient days
180 catheter days
(6 ÷ 240) x 1,000 = 25 per 1,000 patient days
(6 ÷ 180) x 1,000 = 33.3 per 1,000 catheter days
(180 ÷ 240) x 1,000 = 750 per 1,000 patient days
(240 ÷ 180) x 1,000 = per 1,000 catheter days

7. B. (6 ÷ 180) x 1,000 = 33.3 per 1,000 catheter days
Rationale: A rate is calculated by dividing the numerator (number of occurrences) by the denominator (number of opportunities for that occurrence) and then multiplying by a constant.
Basic formula for all types or rates: Rate = x/y x k
x = the numerator, which equals the number of times the event has occurred during a specified time interval.
y = the denominator, which equals a population (e.g., number of patients at risk) from which those experiencing the event were derived during the same time interval.
k = A constant used to transform the result of division into a uniform quantity so that it can be compared with other, similar quantities
Reference: APIC Text, 4th edition, Chapter 13 – Use of Statistics in Infection Prevention
CBIC Core Competency: Surveillance and Epidemiologic Investigation
Question: Certification Study Guide 6th edition, Practice exam 1, page 246, #84

8. The IP has been benchmarking her data to other facilities performing similar activities for a period of time. The IP should analyze the entire process to ensure that which of the following conditions are met?
Standardized definitions are used consistently
Overall rates are used to accurately track trends over time
Adequate training of personnel to collect, store, manage, and analyze data
Data are calculated using the same methodology as a nationally validated system
1, 2, 3
2, 3, 4
1, 3, 4
1, 2, 4

9. C. 1, 3, 4
Rationale: To accurately trend surveillance data over time within a facility or compare rates between facilities, surveillance criteria (i.e., case definitions) must be consistently used to determine the presence of an HAI, occurrence of an event, or compliance with a process. Rates, rather than raw numbers, must be used to accurately track trends over time. Personnel who are responsible for collecting and managing surveillance data must have adequate training in reviewing medical records, interpreting clinical notes, applying standardized criteria for identifying cases, using appropriate statistical and risk adjustment methods, and using computer tools and technology (especially electronic records, spreadsheets, and databases) to collect, store, manage, and analyze data. Whenever possible, data should be expressed as rates or ratios that are calculated using the same methodology as a nationally validated surveillance system. This allows an organization to compare it rates with another organization or a recognized benchmark.
Reference: APIC Text, 4th edition, Chapter 11 – Surveillance
Question: Certification Study Guide 6th edition, Chapter 4, page 73, #10