NCSBN - National Council of State Boards of Nursing Safety and Infection Control Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A nurse is preparing to enter the room of a client who has active pulmonary tuberculosis. Which of the following pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) is essential for the nurse to wear?
- Surgical mask
- N95 respirator (Correct answer)
- Face shield
- Sterile gloves
Correct answer: N95 respirator
Tuberculosis (TB) is transmitted via airborne particles. Therefore, healthcare workers must wear an N95 respirator, which is designed to filter out these small particles, when entering the room of a client with active TB. A surgical mask is insufficient for airborne precautions.
Question 2: A nurse discovers a fire in a client's room. After rescuing the client, which of the following actions should the nurse take next?
- Extinguish the fire with the nearest fire extinguisher.
- Close the door to the client's room.
- Activate the fire alarm. (Correct answer)
- Evacuate all other clients from the unit.
Correct answer: Activate the fire alarm.
The RACE acronym is a standard protocol for fire safety in healthcare settings: Rescue, Alarm, Contain, Extinguish. After rescuing the immediate client in danger, the next critical step is to activate the alarm to alert other staff and the fire department.
Question 3: A nurse is caring for a client who is confused and has been pulling at their intravenous (IV) lines. The nurse has attempted reorientation and distraction techniques without success. Which of the following actions is appropriate when applying wrist restraints?
- Secure the restraint straps to the side rails of the bed.
- Use a square knot to ensure the restraints are secure.
- Attach the restraints to the bed frame using a quick-release knot. (Correct answer)
- Ensure the restraints are tight enough to prevent any wrist movement.
Correct answer: Attach the restraints to the bed frame using a quick-release knot.
Restraints must be attached to a part of the bed frame that moves with the client, not the side rails, to prevent injury if the rail is lowered. A quick-release knot must be used for easy removal in an emergency.
Question 4: A client is admitted with a diagnosis of influenza. Which of the following transmission-based precautions should the nurse initiate?
- Airborne precautions
- Contact precautions
- Protective precautions
- Droplet precautions (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Droplet precautions
Influenza is transmitted through large respiratory droplets. Therefore, droplet precautions are required. This includes wearing a surgical mask when within 3 to 6 feet of the client and placing the client in a private room or cohorting with a client who has the same infection.
Question 5: Which of the following actions by the nurse demonstrates the most effective method for preventing the spread of infection among clients?
- Wearing gloves for all client contact.
- Placing all clients on contact precautions.
- Performing consistent and thorough hand hygiene. (Correct answer)
- Administering prophylactic antibiotics to all clients.
Correct answer: Performing consistent and thorough hand hygiene.
The single most effective way to prevent the transmission of infection is through proper and frequent hand hygiene. While other measures are important for specific situations, hand hygiene is a component of standard precautions applied to all patients.
Question 6: The nurse is caring for a client with a C. difficile infection. When exiting the room after providing care, which action is required?
- Perform hand hygiene using an alcohol-based sanitizer.
- Remove the gown first, then the gloves.
- Wash hands with soap and water. (Correct answer)
- Keep the same N95 respirator on for the next client.
Correct answer: Wash hands with soap and water.
C. difficile forms spores that are resistant to alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Therefore, it is essential to wash hands with soap and water to physically remove the spores after caring for a client with this infection.
NCSBN - National Council of State Boards of Nursing Safety and Infection Control Questions and Answers
A nurse is preparing to enter the room of a client who has active pulmonary tuberculosis.
Which of the following pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) is essential for the nurse to wear?