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Question 1

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Which term describes the ability of a microorganism to cause disease?

Fomite

Pathogenicity

Virulence

Colonization

to track

2026 Statistics

Key Facts: a-IPC Exam

100

Exam Questions

CBIC

2 hours

Exam Time

CBIC

~$300

Exam Fee

CBIC 2026

Entry-level

Certification Level

CBIC (vs advanced CIC)

WHO 5

Hand Hygiene Moments

WHO/CDC guidelines

3 types

Transmission-Based Precautions

CDC/HICPAC

The a-IPC exam has 100 questions with a 2-hour time limit and costs approximately $300. It is the entry-level credential from CBIC, designed for professionals new to infection prevention. The exam covers the chain of infection, surveillance methods, outbreak investigation, Standard and Transmission-Based Precautions, hand hygiene, Spaulding classification, and antimicrobial stewardship basics. The advanced CIC certification requires more experience.

Sample a-IPC Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your a-IPC exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Which of the following is the MOST effective method for reducing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs)?

A.Administering prophylactic antibiotics to all patients

B.Performing hand hygiene with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub

C.Wearing gloves at all times during patient contact

D.Restricting visitor access to patient rooms

Explanation: Hand hygiene is the single most effective intervention for preventing healthcare-associated infections. Proper hand hygiene with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub before and after patient contact, after removing gloves, and after touching contaminated surfaces significantly reduces pathogen transmission. Prophylactic antibiotics contribute to resistance, gloves are not a substitute for hand hygiene, and visitor restrictions alone do not address staff-mediated transmission.

2When should alcohol-based hand rub NOT be used for hand hygiene?

A.Before entering a patient room

B.After removing gloves

C.When hands are visibly soiled or contaminated with blood or body fluids

D.Before performing a sterile procedure

Explanation: Alcohol-based hand rub should not be used when hands are visibly soiled, contaminated with blood or body fluids, or after caring for patients with C. difficile or norovirus (spore-forming or non-enveloped organisms). In these situations, soap and water hand washing is required because alcohol does not effectively remove visible organic material, bacterial spores, or certain non-enveloped viruses. ABHR is acceptable for all other routine hand hygiene indications.

3Which type of precaution is required for a patient with active pulmonary tuberculosis?

A.Standard Precautions only

B.Contact Precautions

C.Droplet Precautions

D.Airborne Precautions

Explanation: Airborne Precautions are required for active pulmonary tuberculosis because Mycobacterium tuberculosis is transmitted via small airborne droplet nuclei (less than 5 microns) that can remain suspended in air for extended periods and travel long distances. Requirements include a negative-pressure airborne infection isolation room (AIIR) and N95 respirators for staff. Standard Precautions are always applied but insufficient alone, Contact Precautions address direct/indirect contact, and Droplet Precautions address larger respiratory droplets.

4What is the PRIMARY purpose of surveillance in infection prevention and control?

A.To punish healthcare workers who do not follow protocols

B.To systematically collect, analyze, and interpret data on infections to guide prevention efforts

C.To satisfy regulatory requirements only

D.To determine which antibiotics to prescribe

Explanation: Surveillance is the systematic, ongoing collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of infection data to guide prevention and control efforts. It identifies trends, detects outbreaks, evaluates intervention effectiveness, and benchmarks performance against national standards (e.g., NHSN). While surveillance data support regulatory compliance and antibiotic stewardship, its primary purpose is to drive evidence-based prevention strategies, not punitive actions.

5Which surveillance method involves monitoring specific patient populations or procedures for targeted infections?

A.Facility-wide comprehensive surveillance

B.Targeted (focused) surveillance

C.Passive surveillance

D.Sentinel surveillance

Explanation: Targeted (focused) surveillance monitors specific populations, procedures, or infections that are high-risk, high-volume, or problem-prone. Examples include surgical site infection surveillance for specific procedure types or central line-associated bloodstream infection surveillance in ICUs. This approach is more efficient than facility-wide surveillance because it directs limited resources to areas of greatest risk and impact. Most facilities use a combination of targeted surveillance programs.

6Which link in the chain of infection represents the method by which a pathogen travels from the reservoir to a susceptible host?

A.Portal of exit

B.Reservoir

C.Mode of transmission

D.Susceptible host

Explanation: Mode of transmission is the link in the chain of infection that describes how a pathogen travels from its reservoir (source) to a susceptible host. The main modes are contact (direct and indirect), droplet, airborne, vehicle (food, water, blood), and vector-borne. Breaking any link in the chain prevents infection, but understanding the mode of transmission is critical for selecting appropriate precautions and control measures. Other chain links include infectious agent, reservoir, portal of exit, and portal of entry.

7An infection preventionist identifies a cluster of three cases of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) wound infections on a surgical unit within two weeks. What is the FIRST step in investigating this potential outbreak?

A.Close the surgical unit immediately

B.Verify the diagnosis and confirm that the cases represent a true increase above baseline

C.Begin treating all patients on the unit with vancomycin

D.Issue a press release about the outbreak

Explanation: The first step in outbreak investigation is to verify the diagnosis and confirm that the cluster represents a true increase above baseline rates. This involves reviewing laboratory results, confirming case definitions, examining medical records, and comparing current rates to historical data. Premature actions like closing units, mass treatment, or public communications are inappropriate before confirming an actual outbreak. This verification step prevents unnecessary responses to pseudo-outbreaks or chance clusters.

8Which level of disinfection is required for semi-critical devices such as endoscopes that contact mucous membranes?

A.Low-level disinfection

B.Intermediate-level disinfection

C.High-level disinfection

D.Sterilization

Explanation: According to the Spaulding Classification, semi-critical devices that contact mucous membranes or non-intact skin require high-level disinfection (HLD) at minimum. HLD eliminates all microorganisms except large numbers of bacterial spores. Common HLD agents include glutaraldehyde, ortho-phthalaldehyde (OPA), hydrogen peroxide, and peracetic acid. Low-level disinfection is for non-critical items, intermediate-level for some non-critical surfaces, and sterilization is required for critical devices entering sterile tissue.

9Which organism is the MOST common cause of healthcare-associated urinary tract infections?

A.Staphylococcus aureus

B.Escherichia coli

C.Clostridium difficile

D.Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Explanation: Escherichia coli is the most common causative organism of healthcare-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs), accounting for approximately 21-25% of cases. Other common uropathogens include Klebsiella species, Enterococcus species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida species. The primary risk factor for CAUTI is the presence of an indwelling urinary catheter. Prevention strategies include avoiding unnecessary catheterization, timely removal, and aseptic insertion technique.

10What is the recommended minimum contact time for most EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectants to be effective?

A.5 seconds

B.The manufacturer's specified contact time on the product label

C.Wiping once and moving on immediately

D.24 hours

Explanation: The manufacturer's specified contact time (also called dwell time or wet contact time) listed on the EPA-registered product label must be followed for the disinfectant to be effective. This time varies by product and target organism, typically ranging from 1-10 minutes for most hospital-grade disinfectants. Surfaces must remain wet with the disinfectant for the entire specified contact time. Wiping a surface dry before the contact time elapses reduces or eliminates antimicrobial effectiveness.

About the a-IPC Exam

The a-IPC exam is the entry-level infection prevention and control certification offered by CBIC. It validates foundational knowledge in infection prevention including identification of infectious disease processes, surveillance and epidemiologic investigation, preventing and controlling transmission, hand hygiene, cleaning and disinfection, isolation precautions, and antimicrobial stewardship. The a-IPC is designed for professionals new to the infection prevention field.

Assessment

100 multiple-choice questions (scored and pretest items)

Time Limit

2 hours

Passing Score

Scaled passing score (criterion-referenced)

Exam Fee

~$300 (CBIC (Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology))

a-IPC Exam Content Outline

25%

Infection Prevention and Standard Precautions

Standard and Transmission-Based Precautions, PPE, safe injection practices, bloodborne pathogen prevention, CLABSI/CAUTI bundles, and SSI prevention

20%

Surveillance and Epidemiology

Surveillance methods, NHSN reporting, incidence/prevalence calculations, device-associated rates, SIR benchmarking, and data analysis

20%

Cleaning, Disinfection, and Sterilization

Spaulding classification, high-level disinfection, sterilization monitoring, terminal cleaning, contact time, and equipment reprocessing

15%

Outbreak Investigation

Outbreak detection, case definitions, epidemic curves, line listings, case-control studies, and control measure implementation

20%

Hand Hygiene and Antimicrobial Stewardship

WHO 5 Moments, compliance monitoring, ABHR vs soap and water, antibiogram use, de-escalation, IV-to-oral conversion, and resistance prevention

How to Pass the a-IPC Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Scaled passing score (criterion-referenced)
Assessment: 100 multiple-choice questions (scored and pretest items)
Time limit: 2 hours
Exam fee: ~$300

Keys to Passing

Complete 500+ practice questions
Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
Focus on highest-weighted sections
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

a-IPC Study Tips from Top Performers

1Master the chain of infection and modes of transmission — this underpins all infection prevention concepts

2Know the WHO 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene and when to use soap and water vs. alcohol-based hand rub

3Study Standard Precautions components and all three types of Transmission-Based Precautions (Contact, Droplet, Airborne)

4Understand the Spaulding classification system for critical, semi-critical, and non-critical device reprocessing

5Learn outbreak investigation steps: verify, define cases, create line listings and epidemic curves, implement controls

6Know NHSN surveillance definitions and how to calculate device-associated infection rates per 1,000 device-days

7Study antimicrobial stewardship strategies including prospective audit, de-escalation, and IV-to-oral conversion

8Review common healthcare-associated infections (CLABSI, CAUTI, SSI, VAP) and their evidence-based prevention bundles

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the a-IPC certification?

The a-IPC (Associate Infection Prevention and Control) is an entry-level certification offered by CBIC for professionals who are new to infection prevention or beginning their career in the field. It validates foundational knowledge of infection prevention principles, surveillance, and control measures. The a-IPC complements the more advanced CIC (Certification in Infection Prevention and Control) credential.

How does a-IPC differ from the CIC certification?

The a-IPC is the entry-level credential designed for professionals new to infection prevention, with 100 questions and a 2-hour time limit. The CIC is the advanced certification with 130 questions and a 3-hour time limit that requires deeper knowledge and experience. The a-IPC covers foundational concepts while the CIC tests advanced application, program management, and research capabilities.

What are the eligibility requirements for a-IPC?

The a-IPC has fewer prerequisites than the CIC, making it accessible to professionals entering the infection prevention field. Candidates should have a basic understanding of infection prevention concepts. CBIC encourages candidates to review the official content outline and candidate handbook before applying. Specific eligibility requirements are detailed on the CBIC website.

How many questions are on the a-IPC exam?

The a-IPC exam consists of 100 multiple-choice questions, including scored items and pretest (unscored) questions. You have 2 hours to complete the exam. The exam is administered via computer-based testing at PSI testing centers or through remote proctoring.

What topics are covered on the a-IPC exam?

The a-IPC exam covers infection prevention fundamentals including the chain of infection, Standard and Transmission-Based Precautions, hand hygiene, surveillance methods, epidemiological concepts, outbreak investigation, cleaning/disinfection/sterilization (Spaulding classification), antimicrobial stewardship basics, and regulatory requirements for infection prevention programs.

How much does the a-IPC exam cost?

The a-IPC exam costs approximately $300. The exact fee may vary by registration period. This is lower than the CIC exam fee ($410), reflecting its entry-level positioning. Check the CBIC website for current pricing and registration deadlines.

Can I pursue CIC after passing a-IPC?

Yes, the a-IPC is designed as a stepping stone toward the CIC certification. After gaining more infection prevention experience and developing advanced competencies, a-IPC holders can pursue the CIC. The a-IPC demonstrates foundational knowledge while the CIC validates advanced practice capability.