Infection control & patient safety worksheet with answers

What is the purpose of hip protectors for older adults at risk of falls?

1. ATo stop the person from falling at all when they walk
2. BTo keep the hips warm in a cold room at night
3. CTo reduce the chance of a hip fracture if a fall happens
4. DTo hold a urinary catheter in place

How should the bed be left for a patient at high risk of falls?

1. AWith all four side rails up at all times
2. BIn the highest position
3. CWith the brakes released so it can be moved quickly
4. DIn the lowest position with the brakes locked

An adult’s white blood cell count is 18,000/mm³ (18 × 10⁹/L). How is this best described?

1. ALow (leukopenia)
2. BRaised (leukocytosis)
3. CNormal for an older adult
4. DWithin the normal range

Why are blood cultures usually taken from two separate venipuncture sites?

1. ABecause each site tests a different antibiotic
2. BTo make the results come back faster from the laboratory
3. CTo help tell a true infection from skin contamination
4. DTo reduce the total amount of blood taken

How should a nurse handle soiled bed linen?

1. AHold it away from the uniform and place it straight into a linen bag
2. BCarry it bundled against the body to the soiled utility room down the hall
3. CPut it on the floor until the bed is made
4. DShake it out first to check for lost items

A nurse gives part of a dose of an opioid from a vial and must discard the rest. What is correct?

1. AKeep the rest for the patient’s next dose
2. BDiscard it alone in the sink and document the amount wasted later in the shift
3. CReturn the rest to the patient’s medication drawer
4. DDiscard it in front of a second licensed (registered) nurse, who witnesses and documents it

A 2-year-old living in a house built many decades ago has anemia, irritability and poor appetite. Which cause should the nurse suspect?

1. AIron overload from eating too much red meat
2. BLead poisoning from old paint dust or chips
3. CCarbon dioxide from a gas cooker
4. DA food allergy to cow’s milk proteins

Which action best prevents a wrong-route error with an epidural infusion?

1. AUse the same pump type and tubing for all of the patient’s infusions
2. BUse a free IV port if the epidural port becomes blocked
3. CTape all the lines together to keep them tidy
4. DLabel the epidural line and keep it on its own dedicated pump