The CBIC Certified Infection Control Exam Study Guide (6th edition) emphasizes that when surveillance identifies an increasing trend in occupational exposures, such as needlestick injuries, the infection preventionist must take prompt, proactive, and collaborative action. The most appropriate response is to convene a multidisciplinary safety team in partnership with Occupational Health to perform a focused evaluation of the problem.
A multidisciplinary approach allows for comprehensive assessment of workflows, staffing practices, device selection, training, and compliance with standard precautions. Team members may include nursing leadership, frontline staff, occupational health, infection prevention, materials management, and safety officers. This collaboration supports root cause analysis to identify contributing factors—such as improper technique, workflow inefficiencies, inadequate training, or suboptimal safety-engineered devices—and to implement targeted interventions.
Option A is inappropriate because delaying action increases risk to healthcare personnel. Option B may be part of the evaluation but is too narrow and should not occur in isolation. Option D is insufficient because discussing trends alone does not result in immediate corrective action.
The Study Guide highlights that timely, interdisciplinary performance improvement efforts are essential to reduce occupational exposures and comply with regulatory and safety standards. Convening a multidisciplinary safety team enables rapid intervention, staff engagement, and sustainable injury reduction—making option C the best answer and a high-yield CIC® exam concept.
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