1Formulas and methods
Infection control & patient safety
Method
- Start with standard precautions for every patient: hand hygiene, PPE for the expected exposure, safe sharps.
- Add precautions by route: contact (gown, gloves), droplet (surgical mask), airborne (N95, negative-pressure room).
- Keep sterile items sterile: if in doubt, it is not sterile; replace, never wipe.
- Prevent harm in the environment: fall measures, restraints only as a last resort, RACE and PASS for fire.
- Check the rights of medication administration, two identifiers and extra safeguards for high-alert drugs; report errors and near misses.
2Practice problems
1.Infection control & patient safetyMedium
Which equipment practice is correct for a patient on contact precautions?
- AUsing a dedicated stethoscope and blood pressure cuff for that patient
- BUsing equipment from the clean utility room and putting it back unchanged
- CUsing the same stethoscope for all patients without cleaning
- DTaking the patient’s equipment to the next room
2.Infection control & patient safetyHard
A handwritten order is hard to read, and the nurse is not sure of the drug name. What should the nurse do?
- AHold the drug until the next day without telling anyone
- BChoose the drug that seems most likely from the diagnosis
- CAsk a colleague to guess what it says
- DContact the prescriber to clarify before giving anything
3.Nursing fundamentalsMedium
A student nurse is asked to carry out a procedure they have not been trained to do. What should they do?
- ADo it anyway, carefully, to avoid upsetting the team or delaying care
- BAsk the patient to talk them through it
- CExplain that they have not been trained and ask for supervision
- DWatch a video and then do it alone
4.Nursing fundamentalsHard
A patient has a temperature of 38.7 °C and a white cell count of 18 × 10⁹/L (18,000/mm³). What do these findings most suggest?
- ADehydration only
- BAn infection or significant inflammation
- CA low risk of infection because the count is high
- DA normal post-meal result
5.MicrobiologyMedium
What is the incubation period?
- AThe time during which a patient remains infectious to others
- BThe time between infection and the first symptoms
- CThe time a culture needs in the laboratory
- DThe time an antibiotic takes to work
6.MicrobiologyHard
A young adult with sore throat, fever and swollen lymph nodes is given amoxicillin and develops a widespread rash. Which infection is most likely?
- AChickenpox
- BMeasles
- CInfectious mononucleosis caused by Epstein–Barr virus
- DStreptococcal tonsillitis
3Solutions
1.Infection control & patient safety
Answer: A · Using a dedicated stethoscope and blood pressure cuff for that patient
Why this is the answer
Non-critical equipment such as stethoscopes and cuffs is dedicated to the patient, or cleaned and disinfected before it is used for another patient.
A · Using a dedicated stethoscope and blood pressure cuff for that patient
2.Infection control & patient safety
Answer: D · Contact the prescriber to clarify before giving anything
Why this is the answer
Illegible or unclear orders are clarified directly with the prescriber. The nurse never guesses, and a held dose is reported so treatment is not missed.
D · Contact the prescriber to clarify before giving anything
3.Nursing fundamentals
Answer: C · Explain that they have not been trained and ask for supervision
Why this is the answer
Nurses and students must only practise within their competence. Saying so, and asking to observe or be supervised, protects the patient and the student.
C · Explain that they have not been trained and ask for supervision
4.Nursing fundamentals
Answer: B · An infection or significant inflammation
Why this is the answer
A raised white cell count with fever usually means the body is fighting an infection or major inflammation. The nurse reports it and looks for the source, including sepsis.
B · An infection or significant inflammation
5.Microbiology
Answer: B · The time between infection and the first symptoms
Why this is the answer
The incubation period runs from exposure to the onset of symptoms. People can sometimes already transmit the infection during it.
B · The time between infection and the first symptoms
6.Microbiology
Answer: C · Infectious mononucleosis caused by Epstein–Barr virus
Why this is the answer
Glandular fever is caused by EBV. Many patients given amoxicillin during the illness develop a rash. Antibiotics do not help because the cause is viral.
C · Infectious mononucleosis caused by Epstein–Barr virus