Exam 15: Surveillance and Outbreak Investigation

A public health department becomes aware of an impending health problem before any problem is reported to the agency.Which of the following has most likely occurred within the community?

A nurse considered copying last month's surveillance report and changing the date because the number of occurrences per month had not noticeably changed.Which of the following best explains why the nurse should continue to spend time collecting and reporting data that is always nearly the same?

The outpatient health care data show a notable increase in asthma over the numbers treated the previous year.Which of the following actions should the public health nurse take first?

A child came to school coughing almost constantly.The next day,six other children in the same school room were coughing.Which of the following types of outbreak would the nurse suspect?

Which of the following types of surveillance systems is being used 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?

In which of the following situations would the nurse most likely use an active surveillance system?

A nurse noted that of 18 children in a daycare center room,5 became ill.Which of the following best describes a host factor that may be associated with this illness and who became ill?

A rural public health nurse is spending time reviewing death certificates.Which of the following best explains the purpose of this activity?

Which of the following describes the purpose of surveillance systems today?

In January,a nurse is listening to colleagues talk about the increase in depressed patients asking for help from their physicians recently.The incidence of complaints of depression was higher in the last month than in the previous 3 months.Based on this data,which of the following would be the next step for the nurse to take?

Several children were hospitalized for severe vomiting and diarrhea.Which of the following best explains why the nurse would continue to pursue the cause of the illness even after the children have been discharged from the hospital?

Which aspect of a biological agent is probably the most frightening to those exposed?

A nurse attends a conference to learn more about public health surveillance.Why is it so important that the nurse be knowledgeable about this topic?