RN Infection Control and Prevention 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient is diagnosed with influenza. Which precautions should be added to standard precautions?
- Airborne precautions
- Droplet precautions (Correct answer)
- Contact precautions
- Protective environment precautions
Correct answer: Droplet precautions
Influenza spreads via large respiratory droplets (>5 microns) that travel up to 3-6 feet, requiring droplet precautions including a surgical mask.
Question 2: A non-immune nurse must care for a patient with active varicella (chickenpox). Which combination of PPE is required?
- Surgical mask and gloves only
- N95 respirator and gown only
- N95 respirator, gown, and gloves (Correct answer)
- Surgical mask, gown, and gloves
Correct answer: N95 respirator, gown, and gloves
Varicella requires both airborne precautions (N95 respirator) and contact precautions (gown and gloves) because it spreads via airborne droplet nuclei and direct contact with lesions.
Question 3: Which condition requires droplet precautions rather than airborne precautions?
- Measles
- Meningococcal meningitis (Correct answer)
- Active pulmonary tuberculosis
- Disseminated varicella
Correct answer: Meningococcal meningitis
Meningococcal meningitis spreads via large respiratory droplets and requires droplet precautions, while measles, TB, and varicella require airborne precautions.
Question 4: A neutropenic patient is admitted following chemotherapy. Which type of precautions is most appropriate for this patient?
- Standard precautions only
- Contact precautions
- Protective environment (reverse isolation) (Correct answer)
- Droplet precautions
Correct answer: Protective environment (reverse isolation)
Neutropenic patients require protective environment to shield them from environmental pathogens because their severely compromised immunity makes them highly susceptible to infection.
Question 5: A nurse is about to enter a room under airborne precautions. Which room characteristic must be confirmed before entering?
- Positive pressure ventilation
- Negative pressure with at least 12 air changes per hour (Correct answer)
- HEPA filtration without pressure differential
- Standard ventilation with door kept closed
Correct answer: Negative pressure with at least 12 air changes per hour
Airborne precaution rooms require negative pressure with ≥12 air changes per hour to direct contaminated air inward and prevent its escape to hallways.
Question 6: In which situation should a nurse use soap and water for hand hygiene instead of an alcohol-based hand rub?
- After removing gloves following standard care
- Before performing a sterile procedure
- After caring for a patient with Clostridioides difficile (Correct answer)
- Before touching a patient
Correct answer: After caring for a patient with Clostridioides difficile
Alcohol is ineffective against C. difficile spores; the mechanical friction of soap and water is required to physically remove spores from the hands.
Question 7: A nurse observes a colleague leaving a contact isolation room while still wearing their isolation gown. What is the most appropriate immediate action?
- Report the incident to the charge nurse immediately
- Inform the colleague of the breach and have them remove the gown (Correct answer)
- Document the observation in the patient's medical record
- Notify the infection control department in writing
Correct answer: Inform the colleague of the breach and have them remove the gown
The immediate priority is to stop the ongoing breach by informing the colleague to remove the gown before contamination spreads further into the unit.
RN Infection Control and Prevention 2
A patient is diagnosed with influenza.
Which precautions should be added to standard precautions?