Prevention
Multiple Choice
1. Which of the following is the most effective method to prevent the spread of infection in healthcare settings?
A. Wearing gloves at all times
B. Using antibacterial air fresheners
C. Practicing proper hand hygiene
D. Placing all patients in isolation
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Proper hand hygiene is the most effective and evidence-based method to prevent the transmission of infections.
1. A nurse is assisting with teaching a newly licensed nurse about removing personal protective equipment (PPE). Which of the following items should the nurse instruct to remove first?
A.) Mask
B.) Gloves
C.) Goggles
D.) Face shield
Correct Answer: B.) Gloves
Rationale: The nurse should first remove the gloves to reduce the risk of transmitting an infectious agent.
1. A nurse is caring for a patient with suspected influenza. Which of the following infection control measures should the nurse implement?
Select all that apply:
A. Place the patient in a private room
B. Wear an N95 respirator
C. Don a surgical mask when entering the room
D. Instruct the patient to wear a mask during transport
E. Use contact precautions only
Correct Answers: A, C, D
Rationale: A. Correct. Influenza requires droplet precautions, and a private room is preferred to prevent transmission.
B. Incorrect. An N95 respirator is used for airborne precautions (e.g., TB, measles), not for influenza.
C. Correct. A surgical mask is appropriate for droplet precautions like influenza.
D. Correct. To minimize the spread of droplets, the patient should wear a mask when leaving the room.
E. Incorrect. While contact precautions may be used in some cases, droplet precautions are required for influenza.
1. Which one of the following is a risk factor in hand hygiene?
a. Wearing rings
b. Chipped nail polish
c. ½ in. nail length
d. All of the above
Answer: D, all of the above
Rationale: Since they are all exposing a person to bacteria
MC: Prioritization/Safety
1. A nurse is caring for multiple clients. Which client should the nurse place on airborne precautions?
A. A client with bacterial pneumonia
B. A client with pertussis
C. client with measles
D. A client with RSV (respiratory syncytial virus)
Answer: C. A client with measles
Rationale: Measles requires airborne precautions
(N95 + negative pressure room). The others require droplet or contact precautions
Fill in the Blank
2. To prevent the spread of infection, healthcare workers should wash their hands for at least ____ seconds with soap and water.
Correct Answer: 20
Rationale: The CDC recommends scrubbing hands for at least 20 seconds to effectively remove microbes.
2. What is the primary purpose of wearing PPE?
A. To avoid doing patient care
B. To protect healthcare workers and patients from the transmission of infections
C. To look professional
D. To limit the use of cleaning supplies
Correct Answer: B. To protect healthcare workers and patients from the transmission of infections
Rationale: PPE serves as a barrier between the healthcare provider and potentially infectious materials, helping to prevent the spread of pathogens and ensuring both patient and provider safety.
3. A nurse is reinforcing teaching with a client who has tuberculosis (TB). Which of the following statements by the client indicates an understanding of the teaching?
A. "I will need to be on antibiotics for 7 days."
B. "I should wear a surgical mask when in public."
C. "My family should wear N95 respirators at home."
D. "I will stay in a room with negative air pressure in the hospital."
Correct Answer: D. "I will stay in a room with negative air pressure in the hospital."
Rationale: TB is an airborne infection, so clients must be in airborne isolation, which includes a negative pressure room and the use of N95 respirators by staff.
2. A nurse is treating a patient infected with Clostridium difficile. What is the best approach for her hand hygiene?
a. Wear gloves and after disposal use hand sanitizer
b. wear gloves and after disposal use wash hands with soap and water
c. wear gloves and after disposal use antiseptic solution
d. only wear gloves and simply dispose of them after use
Answer: B wear gloves and after disposal, wash hands with soap and water
Rationale: Since Clostridium difficile is only killed through proper handwashing
SATA: Isolation
2. Which of the following are appropriate interventions for a client on contact precautions?
A. Don a gown and gloves before entering the room
B. Place the client in a negative-pressure room
C. Use dedicated equipment for the client
D. Perform hand hygiene after removing PPE
E. Wear a surgical mask at all times
Answer: A, C, D
Rationale: A: Gloves and Gowns are essential for contact precautions
Dedicated equipment prevents cross-contamination
Hand hygiene is always done after PPE removal
B = airborne only; E = droplet, not required for contact
True or False
3. Wearing gloves eliminates the need for hand hygiene before and after patient care.
Answer: False
Rationale: Hand hygiene is required before and after glove use, as gloves can have microscopic defects and may become contaminated during removal.
3. When should gloves be changed?
A. At the end of a shift
B. Between tasks on the same patient
C. Every two hours
D. Only when contaminated with blood
Correct Answer: B. Between tasks on the same patient
Rationale: Gloves should be changed between different care activities on the same patient and always between patients to prevent cross-contamination.
SATA: Select All That Apply
3. A nurse is contributing to the plan of care for a client who is being admitted to the facility with a suspected diagnosis of pertussis. Which of the following interventions should the nurse suggest? (Select all that apply.)
A. Place the client in a room that has negative air pressure of at least six exchanges per hour.
B. Wear a mask when providing care within 3 ft of the client.
C. Place a surgical mask on the client if transportation to another department is unavoidable.
D. Use sterile gloves when handling soiled linens.
E. Wear a gown when performing care that might result in contamination from secretions.
CORRECT: B, C, E
Rationale: When generating solutions for a client who has pertussis, the nurse should suggest using droplet precautions when caring for this client, including wearing a mask when within 3 feet when caring for the client to protect against inhalation of small droplets and placing a surgical mask on the client when transporting them to contain respiratory droplets. The nurse should also suggest wearing a gown when care may involve contamination from respiratory secretions.
3. A nurse is caring for a patient and after washing her hands
a. She uses a towel to close the faucet
b. She closes the faucet like she would do at home
c. She closes the faucet only after putting her gloves back on
d. She closes the faucet after using an antiseptic solution on her hands
Answer: A
Rationale: She uses a towel to close the faucet since the faucet is a reservoir for bacteria
T/F - Precaution Protocols
3. A client with chickenpox (varicella) requires both airborne and contact precautions.
Answer: True
Rationale: Varicella spreads via airborne particles and contact with lesions, requiring an N95, gown, gloves, and isolation.
Select All That Apply
4. Which of the following are standard infection prevention measures? (Select all that apply.)
A. Using alcohol-based hand sanitizer when hands are visibly dirty
B. Placing sharps in a puncture-resistant container
C. Wearing gloves when in contact with bodily fluids
D. Cleaning equipment between patient uses
E. Recapping needles after use
Correct Answers: B, C, D
Rationale: A is incorrect because visibly dirty hands require soap and water.
B, C, and D are correct standard precautions.
E is incorrect — needles should never be recapped after use due to the risk of needle-stick injury.
True or False
4. Eye protection is only necessary when caring for patients with known eye infections.
Correct Answer: False
Rationale: Eye protection is required when there is a risk of splashes or sprays of blood, body fluids, secretions, or excretions, not just for eye infections.
4. A nurse is caring for a patient who is recovering from a stroke. The patient spends most of their time in bed and is undergoing PT to be able to walk again. What are some nursing interventions to prevent pressure injuries from occurring?
A. Have the patient sit up at 45 degrees all day
B. Encourage the patient to change positions
C. Keep the skin clean and dry
D. Promote a nutrient- and protein-rich diet
E. B, C, and D
Answer: E
Rationale: All prevent pressure injuries
4. A nurse has opened sterile supplies to form a sterile field. Which action is correct?
a. She can touch without her gloved hands inside the 1-inch border
b. She should wear sterile gloves following a proper procedure, including wearing the glove from the inside out
c. She can touch the wall with her sterile gloves
d. She can hover over the sterile field as long as her gloves are on
Answer: B
Rationale: She should wear sterile gloves following a proper procedure, including wearing the gloves from inside out to avoid contamination and sterility
Fill in the Blank - PPE for Droplets
4. A nurse caring for a client with influenza should wear a ______ when within 3 feet of the client.
Answer: Surgical Mask
Rationale: Influenza spreads through droplet transmission, and a mask is required within close proximity.
“Which is NOT” Question
5. Which of the following is NOT a recommended practice for infection prevention?
A. Getting annual flu vaccinations
B. Reusing single-use medical equipment
C. Wearing PPE when indicated
D. Disinfecting surfaces between patients
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Reusing single-use equipment increases the risk of infection and violates infection control standards.
Short answer
5. List four types of PPE commonly used in healthcare settings.
Answer/Rationale:
• Gloves
• Gown
• Mask or N95 respirator
• Goggles or face shield
5. A nurse is caring for a client who has a new diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. Which of the following interventions should the nurse implement first?
A. Provide the client with a list of carbohydrate-containing foods.
B. Assess the client’s readiness to learn.
C. Administer insulin as prescribed.
D. Refer the client to a diabetic educator.
Answer: B. Assess the client’s readiness to learn.
Rationale: (Interventions should be individualized based on the client’s current status and readiness.)
5. A nurse is removing her PPE. When should she remove her gloves?
a. She should first remove the gloves
b. She should remove the gloves last after removing her mask, gown, and goggles
c. She should remove the gown first, then the gloves
d. She should first remove the mask then the gloves
Answer: A
Rationale: She should first remove the gloves since they are the most contaminated
MC - Recognizing a Broken Protocol
5. Which of the following actions by a nurse violates airborne precaution guidelines?
A. Wearing a surgical mask to enter a TB patient's room
B. Donning gloves and a gown before entering a client's room
C. Using a negative-pressure room for a patient with measles
D. Limiting patient transport outside of the room
Answer: A. Wearing a surgical mask to enter a TB patient's room
Rationale: TB requires a fit-tested N95 respirator, not a surgical mask. This is a direct break in infection