Infection control & patient safety worksheet with answers

Which finding suggests a systemic infection rather than only a local one?

1. ARedness around a small cut
2. BFever with a raised heart rate
3. CMild swelling at an injection site
4. DSlight tenderness around an IV site

Which precautions are used for a patient with HIV infection who has no other infection?

1. AAirborne precautions
2. BDroplet precautions
3. CContact precautions
4. DStandard precautions

Which procedure requires surgical asepsis (sterile technique)?

1. AMeasuring blood pressure on the upper arm
2. BGiving a bed bath
3. CInserting an indwelling urinary catheter
4. DGiving an oral medication through the mouth

A nurse cleans an IV pump with a disinfectant wipe. What must happen for the disinfectant to work?

1. AThe surface is wiped once lightly without pressure
2. BThe surface is dried with a clean towel right after wiping
3. CThe surface stays wet for the contact time on the product label
4. DThe wipe is used on many pumps to save product

Which equipment practice is correct for a patient on contact precautions?

1. AUsing a dedicated stethoscope and blood pressure cuff for that patient
2. BUsing equipment from the clean utility room and putting it back unchanged
3. CUsing the same stethoscope for all patients without cleaning
4. DTaking the patient’s equipment to the next room

A patient has a very low platelet count. Which safety measure is appropriate?

1. AUse a soft toothbrush and an electric razor
2. BFloss hard each day to keep the gums healthy
3. CTake rectal temperatures for accuracy
4. DUse a firm toothbrush and a safety razor

A patient dies after a wrong-drug error, and the hospital carries out a root cause analysis. What is its main focus?

1. AIdentifying which staff member made the error and should be disciplined
2. BFinding the system and process weaknesses that allowed the error
3. CEstimating the legal costs for the hospital
4. DDeciding whether to tell the family about the error

A patient is receiving a high-alert drug by continuous infusion. At handover, which practice is safest?

1. AThe incoming nurse checks it at the end of the shift
2. BBoth nurses check the pump and bag against the prescription
3. COnly the rate is checked, not the drug or concentration
4. DThe outgoing nurse says that “the pump is fine” at the desk