NACE Safety and Infection Control 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A nurse is caring for a patient with Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) infection. Which personal protective equipment (PPE) is essential when entering the room?
- Gown and gloves only (Correct answer)
- N95 respirator and eye protection
- Surgical mask and gloves
- Gown, gloves, and surgical mask
Correct answer: Gown and gloves only
C. diff is transmitted via contact, so a gown and gloves are required; a mask is not routinely needed unless splashing is anticipated.
Question 2: Which disinfectant is most appropriate for cleaning surfaces contaminated with C. difficile spores?
- Alcohol-based wipes
- Quaternary ammonium compounds
- Bleach (sodium hypochlorite) solution (Correct answer)
- Hydrogen peroxide spray
Correct answer: Bleach (sodium hypochlorite) solution
Bleach (sodium hypochlorite) is sporicidal and is the recommended agent for environmental decontamination of C. diff.
Question 3: A nurse must perform hand hygiene after caring for a patient with C. difficile. Which method is preferred?
- Alcohol-based hand rub for 15 seconds
- Soap and water for at least 20 seconds (Correct answer)
- Alcohol-based hand rub for 30 seconds
- Waterless antimicrobial foam
Correct answer: Soap and water for at least 20 seconds
Soap and water physically removes C. diff spores; alcohol-based hand rubs are not effective against spores.
Question 4: A nurse administers the wrong dose of a medication but the patient experiences no harm. This event is classified as a:
- Sentinel event
- Near miss (Correct answer)
- Adverse event
- Never event
Correct answer: Near miss
A near miss (close call) is an error that reaches the patient but causes no harm.
Question 5: When removing PPE after caring for a patient on contact precautions, which item should be removed FIRST?
- Mask
- Goggles
- Gloves (Correct answer)
- Gown
Correct answer: Gloves
Gloves are removed first because they are the most contaminated item and removal prevents contaminating the hands during further doffing.
Question 6: A nurse finds a patient on the floor next to the bed. After ensuring safety, which action should be taken NEXT?
- Help the patient back into bed immediately
- Notify the physician and complete an incident report (Correct answer)
- Reassess vital signs only
- Administer pain medication if ordered
Correct answer: Notify the physician and complete an incident report
After immediate safety is ensured, the nurse must notify the physician and document the fall using an incident report per facility policy.
Question 7: Which patient is at HIGHEST risk for developing a healthcare-associated infection (HAI)?
- A 30-year-old ambulatory patient post-appendectomy
- A 75-year-old patient with an indwelling urinary catheter on antibiotics (Correct answer)
- A 45-year-old patient receiving oral antihypertensives
- A 20-year-old patient admitted for observation after a minor injury
Correct answer: A 75-year-old patient with an indwelling urinary catheter on antibiotics
Older age, invasive devices (urinary catheter), and antibiotic use are all major risk factors for HAIs.
NACE Safety and Infection Control 4
A nurse is caring for a patient with Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) infection.
Which personal protective equipment (PPE) is essential when entering the room?