LVN Infection Control & Safety Practices 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which environmental surface in a patient room is considered a high-touch surface requiring more frequent disinfection?
- Ceiling tiles
- Window ledges above bed height
- Call light button and bed rails (Correct answer)
- Floor under the bed
Correct answer: Call light button and bed rails
High-touch surfaces like call lights and bed rails are frequently contacted by patients and staff, increasing pathogen transmission risk.
Question 2: A nurse prepares to don sterile gloves using the closed-glove technique. At which point should the outer wrapper of the glove package be opened?
- After the gown is fully on with hands inside the cuffs (Correct answer)
- Before putting on the sterile gown
- After pulling hands through the gown cuffs
- Any time before touching the sterile field
Correct answer: After the gown is fully on with hands inside the cuffs
In the closed-glove technique, glove packages are opened while hands remain inside the gown cuffs to prevent bare-hand contamination.
Question 3: Which finding best indicates that an alcohol-based hand rub is NOT appropriate and soap and water must be used?
- Hands are visibly moist from perspiration
- The patient has MRSA
- Hands are visibly soiled with feces (Correct answer)
- The nurse just removed sterile gloves
Correct answer: Hands are visibly soiled with feces
Visibly soiled hands must be washed with soap and water because alcohol-based rubs do not mechanically remove dirt or C. difficile spores.
Question 4: A nurse is caring for a patient in droplet precautions. At what distance from the patient should a surgical mask be worn?
- Only when entering the room
- Within 3 feet (1 meter) of the patient (Correct answer)
- Only during aerosol-generating procedures
- Whenever in the same building as the patient
Correct answer: Within 3 feet (1 meter) of the patient
Droplets travel up to approximately 3 feet, so a surgical mask is required within that distance from a patient on droplet precautions.
Question 5: Which action by a nursing student demonstrates correct understanding of surgical asepsis?
- Reaching over the sterile field to hand an instrument to the surgeon
- Considering items below waist level as contaminated (Correct answer)
- Turning back to the sterile field briefly to check a supply cart
- Opening a package and dropping contents from 12 inches above the field
Correct answer: Considering items below waist level as contaminated
In surgical asepsis, any item that falls below waist level or is out of direct line of vision is considered contaminated.
Question 6: When disposing of sharps, which action is correct?
- Recap the needle using two hands before disposal
- Place used sharps in a puncture-resistant container at the point of use (Correct answer)
- Remove the needle from the syringe with gloved hands before disposal
- Overfill the sharps container to consolidate waste
Correct answer: Place used sharps in a puncture-resistant container at the point of use
Sharps must be discarded immediately in puncture-resistant containers at the point of use to minimize handling and needlestick risk.
Question 7: A patient develops diarrhea and is suspected of having C. difficile infection. Which PPE is essential beyond standard precautions?
- N95 respirator and face shield
- Gown and gloves for contact precautions (Correct answer)
- PAPR and shoe covers
- Surgical mask and eye protection only
Correct answer: Gown and gloves for contact precautions
C. difficile spreads via the fecal-oral route; contact precautions with gown and gloves are required to prevent spore transmission.
LVN Infection Control & Safety Practices 3
Which environmental surface in a patient room is considered a high-touch surface requiring more frequent disinfection?