Chapter 15: Surveillance and Outbreak Investigation

Chapter 15: Surveillance and Outbreak Investigation

Complete Chapter Questions With Answers

Sample Questions Are Posted Below

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. A nurse seriously considered copying last month’s surveillance report and changing the date since the number of occurrences per month had not noticeably changed in the entire time the nurse had worked at the local department. If the data are always about the same, why spend time continuing to collect and report it?

ANS:   C

Disease surveillance helps establish baseline (endemic) rates of disease occurrence and patterns of spread. Surveillance makes it possible to initiate a rapid response to an outbreak of a disease or event that can cause a health problem.

DIF:    Cognitive Level: Application             REF:    p. 273

2. Why is it so crucial that nurses be knowledgeable about public health surveillance?

ANS:   B

Nurses are often in the forefront of responses to be made in the surveillance process whether working in a small rural agency or a large urban agency; within the health department, school, or urgent care center; or on the telephone performing triage services during a disaster. It is the nurse who sees the event first.

DIF:    Cognitive Level: Application             REF:    p. 273

3. Why would a rural public health nurse spend time reviewing death certificates?

ANS:   D

Mortality data are often the only source of health-related data available for small geographic areas. Vital statistics reports such as death certificates are reviewed. Useful information also comes from administrative data such as discharge reports and billing records.

DIF:    Cognitive Level: Application             REF:    p. 274

4. What is the type of surveillance when case reports are routinely sent to local health departments by health care providers and laboratories, where the data are then summarized and forwarded to those responsible for monitoring such reports?

ANS:   B

It is passive surveillance when case reports are sent to local health departments by health care providers or laboratories. The case reports are summarized and forwarded to the state health department, national government, or organizations responsible for monitoring the problem, such as the CDC. In active surveillance, the health department nurse may begin a search for cases through contacts to determine the magnitude of the problem. Sentinel surveillance involves looking for trends. Special surveillance is developed when a particular type of data is sought.

DIF:    Cognitive Level: Knowledge             REF:    p. 276