NMC CBT NMC-CBT Infection Prevention and Control 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient is diagnosed with Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) infection. Which type of precautions should be implemented?
- Droplet precautions
- Airborne precautions
- Contact precautions (Correct answer)
- Standard precautions only
Correct answer: Contact precautions
C. diff requires contact precautions due to spore transmission via contaminated surfaces and hands.
Question 2: When caring for a patient on contact precautions, a nurse must remove PPE in which order before leaving the room?
- Mask, gloves, gown, hand hygiene
- Gloves, gown, mask, hand hygiene (Correct answer)
- Gown, gloves, mask, hand hygiene
- Gloves, hand hygiene, gown, mask
Correct answer: Gloves, gown, mask, hand hygiene
The correct doffing sequence is gloves first, then gown, then mask/respirator, followed by hand hygiene to prevent self-contamination.
Question 3: Which disinfectant is most effective against C. difficile spores on environmental surfaces?
- Alcohol-based solutions
- Quaternary ammonium compounds
- Sodium hypochlorite (bleach) (Correct answer)
- Hydrogen peroxide wipes
Correct answer: Sodium hypochlorite (bleach)
Sodium hypochlorite (bleach) is sporicidal and is the recommended agent for disinfecting surfaces in C. diff outbreaks.
Question 4: A nurse is about to perform a urinary catheter insertion. Which hand hygiene technique is most appropriate immediately before the procedure?
- Alcohol hand rub for 15 seconds
- Soap and water for 40–60 seconds (Correct answer)
- Surgical hand scrub
- Alcohol hand rub for 30 seconds
Correct answer: Soap and water for 40–60 seconds
Soap and water for 40–60 seconds is required for invasive procedures and when hands are visibly soiled.
Question 5: An outbreak of norovirus is suspected on a ward. Which action is the PRIORITY response?
- Administer prophylactic antibiotics to all patients
- Place affected patients in cohort isolation and restrict admissions (Correct answer)
- Increase antibiotic prescribing for symptomatic patients
- Transfer symptomatic patients to the ICU
Correct answer: Place affected patients in cohort isolation and restrict admissions
Cohorting affected patients and restricting ward admissions limits norovirus spread during an outbreak.
Question 6: Which of the following is the MOST common cause of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs)?:
- Streptococcus pyogenes
- Escherichia coli (Correct answer)
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Clostridium perfringens
Correct answer: Escherichia coli
Escherichia coli is the most frequent pathogen responsible for catheter-associated urinary tract infections.
Question 7: A nurse sustains a needlestick injury from a patient with unknown HIV status. What is the FIRST action to take?
- Report to occupational health immediately
- Encourage bleeding and wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water (Correct answer)
- Apply an occlusive dressing and continue the shift
- Test the patient for HIV before any further action
Correct answer: Encourage bleeding and wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water
The immediate first step is to encourage bleeding and wash the site thoroughly with soap and running water.
NMC CBT NMC-CBT Infection Prevention and Control 2
A patient is diagnosed with Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) infection.
Which type of precautions should be implemented?