Chapter 05: Infection Control

Question 1

The patient is in isolation in a negative-pressure room for active tuberculosis. The patient is
too weak to cover the mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing. Which is the most
important intervention for the nurse to implement for self-protection while providing nursing
care?
a. Cover the patient’s mouth and nose snugly with a surgical mask.
b. Wear an N-95 mask, gloves, face shield, and isolation gown.
c. Place tissues and a contaminated waste container within reach.
d. Use a properly fitted surgical mask and gloves to help with tissues.

Answer 1

b. Wear an N-95 mask, gloves, face shield, and isolation gown.

Question 2

The nurse is caring for several patients under contact precautions. Which option is possible for
the nurse to use if two of her patients have “like” infections?
a. Double gloving
b. Single gloving
c. Cohorting
d. Hand sanitizer only

Answer 2

c. Cohorting

Question 3

The nurse bathes a patient who has an infection transmitted by the oral-fecal route such as C.
difficile, and notes a small tear in one glove. Which group of interventions does the nurse use
for self-protection?
a. Finish the bath, apply fresh gloves, and use hand sanitizer.
b. Continue the bath and change gloves when finished.
c. Apply a new glove over the torn one to finish the bath.
d. Remove the gloves, wash hands, and apply new gloves

Answer 3

d. Remove the gloves, wash hands, and apply new gloves

Question 4

he nurse completes care for the patient on droplet precautions. Which procedure does the
nurse implement to prevent transmitting the pathogen to other people?
a. Removes gloves and mask at the bedside and gown in hallway.
b. Removes all personal protective equipment (PPE) in the soiled utility room.
c. Removes gloves first, gown second, and mask third in the patient’s doorway.
d. Removes mask first, gloves second, and gown third outside the patient’s room.

Answer 4

c. Removes gloves first, gown second, and mask third in the patient’s doorway.

Question 5

A patient on isolation precautions tries to leave the isolation room because of loneliness
despite repeated instructions to remain in the room. Which action should the nurse implement
as a patient advocate?
a. Allow visitors to remove masks while in the patient’s room.
b. Talk with the patient about ways to reduce the sense of loneliness.
c. Remind the patient that the isolation is for the patient’s benefit.
d. Leave the door open slightly so the patient can see into hallway.

Answer 5

b. Talk with the patient about ways to reduce the sense of loneliness.

Question 6

Gloves are effective protective barriers from pathogens when caring for patients in isolation.
Which patient factor associated with the gloves should the nurse investigate for patients in
isolation?
a. Patient resistance to therapy
b. Transmission mode of organism
c. Patient potential for latex allergy
d. Virulence of infectious organism

Answer 6

c. Patient potential for latex allergy

Question 7

The nurse is getting ready to provide a sterile dressing change. Which nursing action is
consistent with principles used to prepare a sterile field?
a. Identify that items below waist height are contaminated.
b. Use opened packages of dressing supplies within the same shift.
c. Identify that sterile drapes have a 5.08 cm (2-inch) contaminated border.
d. Replace bottle caps if the inside of the cap is not touched.

Answer 7

a. Identify that items below waist height are contaminated.

Question 8

The nurse teaches the patient the proper handwashing technique before discharge and asks for
a return demonstration. Which hand-hygiene technique indicates that patient teaching by the
nurse is effective?
a. The patient washes hands with running water.

b. Soap, water, and friction are used by the patient.
c. The patient washes hands with very hot water.
d. A basin with warm soapy water is used.

Answer 8

b. Soap, water, and friction are used by the patient.

Question 9

The nurse is caring for a patient who is 4 years old and in isolation. Which approach should
the nurse implement to reduce the patient’s anxiety?
a. Put the child in a room with a locked door.
b. Ask the parents to keep the child in the room.
c. Explain isolation to the child by using a cartoon.
d. Put the mask, gown, and gloves on in view of the child.

Answer 9

d. Put the mask, gown, and gloves on in view of the child.

Question 10

In which of the following situations should the nurse use surgical asepsis?

a. Performing urinary catheter care
b. Inserting a nasogastric tube
c. Inserting a Foley catheter
d. Performing nasogastric tube care

Answer 10

c. Inserting a Foley catheter

Question 11

The nurse is caring for a 4-year-old child who has rubella. Which transmission precautions
should the nurse implement to prevent rubella exposure?
a. Contact precautions
b. Droplet precautions
c. Airborne precautions
d. Standard precautions

Answer 11

b. Droplet precautions

Question 12

The nurse evaluates the handwashing technique of nursing assistive personnel (NAP). Which
behavior by NAP requires additional training by the nurse?
a. Rubs sudsy hands for 5–10 seconds.
b. Uses warm running water and soap.
c. Dries the hands from the fingers to the wrists.
d. Keeps the hands and forearms below the elbows.

Answer 12

a. Rubs sudsy hands for 5–10 seconds.

Question 13

The nurse assists the health care provider during the insertion of a central venous catheter.
Which is the most effective intervention for the nurse to implement to prevent patient
infection?
a. Adhere to the principles of surgical asepsis.
b. Close the door of the sterile procedure room.
c. Sterilize working surfaces for the procedure.
d. Restrict foot traffic into the sterile procedure room

Answer 13

a. Adhere to the principles of surgical asepsis.

Question 14

The nurse sets up a sterile field and notes several tiny holes in the sterile drape of the table
that served as the wrap for the pack. What does the nurse do to facilitate completion of the
procedure?
a. Uses a sterile towel to cover the existing holes.
b. Replaces the entire sterile field and the supplies.
c. Moves the sterile supplies to a replacement drape.
d. Avoids using any of the sterile items near the holes.

Answer 14

b. Replaces the entire sterile field and the supplies.

Question 15

The nurse completes preparation of the sterile field to change a patient’s dressing when the
patient’s dinner tray arrives. Which action should the nurse take?
a. Use the sterile field on another patient in another room.
b. Change the dressing using clean technique to save time.
c. Set the tray aside and proceed with the dressing change.
d. Cover the setup with a sterile drape and let the patient eat.

Answer 15

c. Set the tray aside and proceed with the dressing change.

Question 16

While setting up a sterile field for a procedure, the nurse knocks a linen-wrapped sterile
package to the floor. Which reaction allows the nurse to maintain safe practice?
a. Inspect the package for tears.
b. Brush away the visible debris.
c. Record the procedure as clean.
d. Replace the sterile package.

Answer 16

d. Replace the sterile package.

Question 17

The nurse helps the health care provider get supplies and monitor the patient during an
emergency insertion of a femoral line at the patient’s bedside. Which nursing behavior helps
to maintain the sterile environment?
a. Avoid reaching over the field.
b. Wear a sterile cap and booties.
c. Use sterile examination gloves.
d. Place a face mask on the patient.

Answer 17

a. Avoid reaching over the field.

Question 18

The nurse is preparing to put on sterile gloves. What should the nurse do to begin this
procedure?
a. Pull the first glove up and over the nondominant hand.
b. Place the fingers of the dominant hand under the cuff of the first glove.
c. Let the cuff of the glove roll up over the hand for more coverage.
d. Hold the inside surface of the first glove to pull over the hand.

Answer 18

d. Hold the inside surface of the first glove to pull over the hand.

Question 19

The nurse has just finished a sterile dressing change. Which technique should he or she use to
remove sterile gloves?
a. Pull the first glove off with the sterile glove hand.
b. Reach inside the first glove to pull it off quickly.
c. Pull the edge of the glove down to create a cuff.
d. Wipe off the gloves with an antiseptic wipe first.

Answer 19

a. Pull the first glove off with the sterile glove hand.

Question 20

The nurse is caring for a patient with C. difficile. What type of precautions should the nurse 
use?
a. Airborne
b. Droplet
c. Contact
d. Protective

Answer 20

c. Contact

Question 21

The nurse is preparing a sterile field with several items on it. Which action should the nurse
implement to maintain a sterile field?
a. Flip sterile objects onto the sterile field.
b. Put fluid holders near the edge of the field.
c. Wear sterile gloves to open sterile packs.
d. Open the inner flaps of the sterile packages first

Answer 21

b. Put fluid holders near the edge of the field.

Question 22

The nurse is orientating a nursing assistant and is discussing handwashing principles. Which
statement from the nursing assistant indicates a good understanding of those principles?
a. If my hands are visibly soiled, I cannot use an alcohol rub.
b. I do not need to wash my hands if I have used gloves.
c. I must always use soap and water after a dressing change.
d. I can always use an alcohol rub instead of soap and water.

Answer 22

a. If my hands are visibly soiled, I cannot use an alcohol rub.

Question 23

The nurse is preparing to transfer a sterile voided urine specimen from the patient’s bathroom
to the laboratory. What supplies should he or she gather to complete this procedure?
a. Clean gloves, biohazard bag, mask
b. Plastic bag, gown, gloves
c. Sterile gloves, gown, biohazard bag
d. Clean gloves, plastic bag, biohazard label

Answer 23

d. Clean gloves, plastic bag, biohazard label

Question 24

The nurse is preparing to enter a room for the patient on contact precautions. In which order
should the nurse don personal protection equipment?
a. Gloves, gown, cap, eyewear
b. Gown, cap, eyewear, gloves
c. Cap, eyewear, gown, gloves
d. Eyewear, cap, gloves, gown

Answer 24

b. Gown, cap, eyewear, gloves

Question 25

1. Which of the follow elements are present in the chain of infections? (Select all that apply.)
   a. Source of growth
   b. Mode of transmission
   c. Infectious agent
   d. Susceptible host
   e. Portal of exit
   f. Catalyst
   g. Port of entrance

Answer 25

a. Source of growth
b. Mode of transmission
c. Infectious agent
d. Susceptible host
e. Portal of exit

g. Port of entrance

Question 26

The nurse is screening a patient for latex allergy. Which factors place the patient at a higher
risk for latex allergies? (Select all that apply.)
a. High latex exposure
b. History of using condom catheters
c. Urogenital defects
d. History of multiple childhood surgeries
e. Gluten intolerance

Answer 26

a. High latex exposure
b. History of using condom catheters
c. Urogenital defects
d. History of multiple childhood surgeries

Question 27

The nurse is orientating a new graduate nurse. Which statements by the orientee indicate a
high level of understanding about the principles of hand hygiene? (Select all that apply.)
a. I need to perform hand hygiene before and after having direct contact with
patients.
b. I can use alcohol rub when my hands are not visibly soiled.
c. I need to perform hand hygiene after I remove my gloves.
d. I only need to wash my hands with soap and water when they are visibly soiled.
e. I should perform hand hygiene before a sterile procedure.

Answer 27

a. I need to perform hand hygiene before and after having direct contact with
patients.
b. I can use alcohol rub when my hands are not visibly soiled.
c. I need to perform hand hygiene after I remove my gloves.

e. I should perform hand hygiene before a sterile procedure.