Infection Prevention and Control Practice Questions
Standard Precautions
1. Which of the following is the most effective method for preventing the spread of healthcare-
associated infections (HAIs)?
o A) Wearing gloves
o B) Using hand sanitizer
o C) Hand hygiene (Correct Answer)
o D) Wearing a mask
Rationale: Hand hygiene is the most effective method for preventing the spread of HAIs. Proper
handwashing or the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers before and after patient contact is crucial.
2. When should a nurse wear gloves?
o A) Only when handling blood
o B) Only when handling body fluids
o C) When there is a potential for contact with blood, body fluids, or contaminated surfaces (Correct
Answer)
o D) Only during surgical procedures
Rationale: Gloves should be worn whenever there is a potential for contact with blood, body fluids,
or contaminated surfaces to prevent the spread of infection.
Transmission-Based Precautions
3. A patient with tuberculosis (TB) should be placed under which type of precautions?
o A) Contact Precautions
o B) Droplet Precautions
o C) Airborne Precautions (Correct Answer)
o D) Standard Precautions
Rationale: TB is spread through airborne particles, so patients should be placed under airborne
precautions, which include the use of an N95 respirator and a negative pressure room.
4. Which personal protective equipment (PPE) is required for a nurse caring for a patient with
influenza?
o A) Gloves and gown
o B) Surgical mask (Correct Answer)
o C) N95 respirator
o D) Face shield
Rationale: Influenza is spread by large droplets, so a surgical mask is required to prevent
transmission.
Safe Disposal
5. How should needles be disposed of to ensure safety?
o A) Recap the needle and place it in a regular trash bin
o B) Place the needle directly into a sharps container without recapping (Correct Answer)
o C) Break the needle before disposal
o D) Place the needle in a biohazard bag
Rationale: Needles should be placed directly into a sharps container without recapping to prevent
needlestick injuries and the spread of infection.
6. When should a nurse perform hand hygiene?
o A) Before and after patient contact (Correct Answer)
,o B) Only after patient contact
o C) Only before patient contact
o D) Only when hands are visibly soiled
Rationale: Hand hygiene should be performed before and after patient contact to prevent the
spread of infections.
7. Which of the following is the correct method for handwashing?
o A) Rinse hands with water, apply soap, scrub for 5 seconds, rinse, and dry
o B) Apply soap to dry hands, scrub for 10 seconds, rinse, and dry
o C) Wet hands, apply soap, scrub for at least 20 seconds, rinse, and dry (Correct Answer)
o D) Wet hands, apply soap, scrub for 5 seconds, rinse, and dry
Rationale: Proper handwashing involves wetting hands, applying soap, scrubbing for at least 20
seconds, rinsing, and drying to effectively remove pathogens.
PPE Usage
8. Which PPE should be worn when there is a risk of splashes or sprays of blood or body
fluids?
o A) Gloves only
o B) Gloves and gown
o C) Gloves, gown, mask, and eye protection (Correct Answer)
o D) Mask and eye protection only
Rationale: When there is a risk of splashes or sprays of blood or body fluids, gloves, gown, mask,
and eye protection should be worn to protect mucous membranes and skin.
9. A nurse is caring for a patient with Clostridium difficile (C. diff). Which type of precautions
should be implemented?
o A) Standard Precautions
o B) Droplet Precautions
o C) Contact Precautions (Correct Answer)
o D) Airborne Precautions
Rationale: C. diff is spread by direct or indirect contact, so contact precautions, including the use of
gloves and gowns, should be implemented.
Isolation Procedures
10. What is the primary purpose of isolation procedures in a healthcare setting?
o A) To provide privacy for the patient
o B) To prevent the spread of infections (Correct Answer)
o C) To reduce noise levels
o D) To ensure patient comfort
Rationale: The primary purpose of isolation procedures is to prevent the spread of infections to
other patients, healthcare workers, and visitors.
11. Which of the following is a key component of airborne precautions?
o A) Using a surgical mask
o B) Placing the patient in a negative pressure room (Correct Answer)
o C) Wearing gloves and gown
o D) Using a face shield
Rationale: Airborne precautions require placing the patient in a negative pressure room to prevent
the spread of airborne pathogens.
, Safe Disposal
12. What is the correct procedure for disposing of contaminated linens?
o A) Place them in a regular laundry bin
o B) Place them in a biohazard bag (Correct Answer)
o C) Rinse them before disposal
o D) Place them in a sharps container
Rationale: Contaminated linens should be placed in a biohazard bag to prevent the spread of
infection.
13. How should biohazardous waste be handled?
o A) Disposed of in regular trash bins
o B) Incinerated or autoclaved (Correct Answer)
o C) Flushed down the toilet
o D) Stored in a regular storage area
Rationale: Biohazardous waste should be incinerated or autoclaved to ensure it is safely destroyed
and does not pose a risk of infection.
14. Which type of room is required for a patient under airborne precautions?
o A) Standard room
o B) Positive pressure room
o C) Negative pressure room (Correct Answer)
o D) Isolation room with no special ventilation
Rationale: A negative pressure room is required for airborne precautions to prevent the spread of
airborne pathogens.
15. What PPE should a nurse wear when caring for a patient with pertussis?
o A) Gloves and gown
o B) Surgical mask (Correct Answer)
o C) N95 respirator
o D) Face shield
Rationale: Pertussis is spread by large droplets, so a surgical mask is required to prevent
transmission.
Safe Disposal
16. How should a nurse dispose of a used surgical mask?
o A) Place it in a regular trash bin
o B) Place it in a biohazard bag (Correct Answer)
o C) Reuse it after disinfecting
o D) Place it in a sharps container
Rationale: Used surgical masks should be placed in a biohazard bag to prevent the spread of
infection.
17. What is the correct procedure for disposing of contaminated sharps?
o A) Recap the sharps and place them in a regular trash bin
o B) Place the sharps directly into a sharps container without recapping (Correct Answer)
o C) Break the sharps before disposal
o D) Place the sharps in a biohazard bag
, Rationale: Contaminated sharps should be placed directly into a sharps container without recapping
to prevent needlestick injuries and the spread of infection.
Isolation Procedures
18. Which of the following is a key component of contact precautions?
o A) Using a surgical mask
o B) Wearing gloves and gown (Correct Answer)
o C) Placing the patient in a negative pressure room
o D) Using a face shield
Rationale: Contact precautions require wearing gloves and a gown to prevent the spread of
infections through direct or indirect contact.
19. What signage should be placed on the door of a patient under droplet precautions?
o A) “Standard Precautions”
o B) “Contact Precautions”
o C) “Droplet Precautions” (Correct Answer)
o D) “Airborne Precautions”
Rationale: Signage indicating “Droplet Precautions” should be placed on the door to inform
healthcare workers and visitors of the necessary precautions.
Hand Hygiene
20. Which of the following is NOT an appropriate time for hand hygiene?
o A) Before patient contact
o B) After removing gloves
o C) Before eating
o D) After touching clean linens (Correct Answer)
Rationale: Hand hygiene is not typically required after touching clean linens, but it is crucial before
patient contact, after removing gloves, and before eating to prevent the spread of infections.
21. What is the minimum duration for scrubbing hands with soap and water during
handwashing?
o A) 5 seconds
o B) 10 seconds
o C) 15 seconds
o D) 20 seconds (Correct Answer)
Rationale: The minimum duration for scrubbing hands with soap and water is 20 seconds to
effectively remove pathogens.
22. Which of the following is a key component of standard precautions?
o A) Using an N95 respirator
o B) Hand hygiene (Correct Answer)
o C) Placing patients in isolation
o D) Using a face shield
Rationale: Hand hygiene is a key component of standard precautions to prevent the spread of
infections.
23. When should a nurse use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer?
o A) When hands are visibly soiled
o B) Before eating
