UNAR Infection Control Practices 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient is placed on airborne precautions for suspected tuberculosis. Which type of room is required?
- Any private room with the door closed
- Negative pressure airborne infection isolation room (AIIR) (Correct answer)
- Positive pressure room
- A semi-private room with a curtain drawn
Correct answer: Negative pressure airborne infection isolation room (AIIR)
Airborne precautions require a negative pressure AIIR where air is exhausted outside or filtered, preventing airborne pathogens from escaping into the corridor.
Question 2: A patient is on contact precautions for MRSA. Which PPE must a nursing assistant wear before entering the room?
- N95 respirator and gloves
- Gown and gloves (Correct answer)
- Surgical mask and gown
- Eye protection and gloves only
Correct answer: Gown and gloves
Contact precautions require at minimum a gown and gloves to prevent transmission through direct or indirect contact with the patient or environment.
Question 3: Droplet precautions are required for a patient with influenza. What is the maximum distance at which droplet transmission can occur?
- 1 foot
- 3 feet
- 6 feet (Correct answer)
- 10 feet
Correct answer: 6 feet
Droplets typically travel up to 6 feet (approximately 2 meters) from the source, which is why a surgical mask is required within that distance.
Question 4: Which pathogen is typically managed with droplet precautions?
- Measles
- Tuberculosis
- Pertussis (whooping cough) (Correct answer)
- C. difficile
Correct answer: Pertussis (whooping cough)
Pertussis is transmitted by respiratory droplets and requires droplet precautions; measles and TB require airborne precautions, and C. diff requires contact precautions.
Question 5: Standard precautions apply to which of the following body fluids?
- Blood only
- Blood and all body fluids regardless of visible blood (Correct answer)
- Only body fluids from patients with known infections
- Respiratory secretions only
Correct answer: Blood and all body fluids regardless of visible blood
Standard precautions apply to blood, all body fluids, secretions, excretions (except sweat), non-intact skin, and mucous membranes of ALL patients.
Question 6: A nursing assistant is transporting a patient on contact precautions to an X-ray. Which action is correct?
- No special precautions are needed during transport
- Place a gown on the patient and notify receiving staff (Correct answer)
- The patient cannot leave the room under any circumstances
- Only the nursing assistant needs to wear PPE during transport
Correct answer: Place a gown on the patient and notify receiving staff
During transport of patients on contact precautions, infected areas should be covered with a clean gown or sheet, and receiving staff must be notified to prepare.
Question 7: Which is the BEST description of the purpose of transmission-based precautions?
- They replace standard precautions for infected patients
- They are used in addition to standard precautions for patients with known or suspected infections (Correct answer)
- They are only used in ICU settings
- They apply exclusively to patients with bloodborne pathogens
Correct answer: They are used in addition to standard precautions for patients with known or suspected infections
Transmission-based precautions are added on top of standard precautions when a patient's infection route requires additional barriers beyond baseline measures.
UNAR Infection Control Practices 3
A patient is placed on airborne precautions for suspected tuberculosis.
Which type of room is required?