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QUESTION #1
Fundamentals of Nursing Exam 1 Fundamentals
A patient receiving chemotherapy has a severely low neutrophil count. What type of precautions does this patient require?
A Airborne precautions
B Droplet precautions
C Protective (reverse) isolation
D No isolation required

Explanations

A
Airborne precautions protect the public from the patient, not the patient from others.
B
Droplet precautions also protect others from the patient’s infection, not vice versa.
C
Reverse isolation protects immunocompromised patients from environmental and caregiver microorganisms. This prevents life-threatening infections.
D
Low neutrophils significantly increase infection risk, making isolation necessary.
When the patient is the one needing protection—such as with neutropenia—choose protective isolation to prevent exposure to common pathogens.
QUESTION #2
Fundamentals of Nursing Exam 1 Fundamentals
A nurse is preparing to enter the room of a patient on droplet precautions. Which action demonstrates correct mask usage?
A Touching the mask during care to readjust it
B Tying the upper strings first, then the lower strings
C Allowing space on the sides for airflow
D Reusing the same mask between patients

Explanations

A
Touching the mask during care contaminates the hands and increases infection risk.
B
Proper procedure is securing the upper ties first to ensure stability, then tightening the lower ties to create a snug fit. This ensures droplet protection.
C
Gaps allow droplets to enter or escape, reducing effectiveness.
D
Masks are single-use and must be discarded after leaving the room.
Masks must form a tight seal, so securing the upper ties first is essential for proper positioning and effective protection.
QUESTION #3
Fundamentals of Nursing Exam 1 Fundamentals
A nurse must transport a patient on contact precautions to radiology. Which action is appropriate?
A The patient should wear a surgical mask
B Staff should wear N95 respirators during transfer
C Place a clean gown over the patient before transport
D No special precautions are needed during transport

Explanations

A
Masks are unnecessary unless the patient has a respiratory infection.
B
N95 respirators are for airborne precautions, not contact precautions.
C
Covering the patient with a clean gown prevents environmental contamination during movement. This minimizes pathogen spread along hallways.
D
Ignoring precautions risks transmitting contact-based pathogens via surfaces.
Think “contain the contamination” by covering the patient so germs stay with them rather than spreading through shared areas.
QUESTION #4
Fundamentals of Nursing Exam 1 Fundamentals
A nurse has completed care for a patient in isolation and must remove personal protective equipment to prevent contamination. Which sequence is correct when removing PPE after care in an isolation room?
A Gown → gloves → goggles → mask
B Gloves → goggles → gown → mask
C Mask → gloves → gown → goggles
D Gloves → mask → goggles → gown

Explanations

A
Removing the gown before gloves risks contamination from the dirtiest PPE (gloves).
B
Gloves are removed first because they are the most contaminated, followed by goggles, gown, and mask to prevent self-contamination. This sequence minimizes exposure risk.
C
Removing the mask early increases the chance of exposure to lingering droplets.
D
Mask removal should be last—not second—to maintain respiratory protection.
Always remove the dirtiest item first—gloves—then work outward to protect yourself from contaminated surfaces.
QUESTION #5
Fundamentals of Nursing Exam 1 Fundamentals
A patient with suspected measles is placed on airborne precautions. Which room assignment is appropriate?
A Semi-private room with similar diagnosis
B Negative-pressure private room
C Private room with the door open
D Cohort with a patient who has influenza

Explanations

A
Measles patients cannot share a room unless the other patient has the exact same disease.
B
Airborne diseases require a negative-pressure private room to prevent infectious particles from spreading. This protects others in the facility.
C
Doors must remain closed to maintain negative pressure.
D
Influenza is droplet-based, not airborne, so cohorting is unsafe.
Airborne = negative pressure room, so look for the option that isolates airflow and keeps infectious particles from escaping.
QUESTION #6
Fundamentals of Nursing Exam 1 Fundamentals
A nurse wants to reduce health care–associated infections (HAIs) on the unit. Which action is most effective?
A Enforcing hand hygiene compliance
B Increasing isolation rooms
C Encouraging visitors to bring personal items
D Reducing nursing staff workload

Explanations

A
Proper hand hygiene is proven to significantly reduce HAIs by preventing transmission of microorganisms. Consistent adherence has the highest impact on infection rates.
B
More isolation rooms help but do not replace hand hygiene's impact across all patients.
C
Personal items may introduce contaminants and increase risk.
D
Workload may indirectly affect infection rates but is not as immediately impactful as hand hygiene.
Hand hygiene is the single most effective method to reduce infections, so always select the answer emphasizing its enforcement.
QUESTION #7
Fundamentals of Nursing Exam 1 Fundamentals
A nurse is teaching proper hand hygiene. Which situation requires handwashing with soap and water instead of an alcohol-based rub?
A After removing gloves
B Before administering oral medications
C After caring for a child with diarrhea
D Before preparing an injection

Explanations

A
Alcohol rub is effective after glove removal unless hands are visibly soiled.
B
Alcohol rub is acceptable before medication administration.
C
Caring for a patient with diarrhea poses risk for pathogens like C. difficile; only soap and water remove spores effectively. This is a CDC-mandated exception.
D
Alcohol rub is sufficient before injections.
When diarrhea is involved, always choose soap and water because alcohol cannot destroy spore-forming organisms.
QUESTION #8
Fundamentals of Nursing Exam 1 Fundamentals
A nurse is preparing to irrigate a patient’s wound and anticipates that the procedure may cause fluid to splash toward the caregiver. Which PPE should the nurse wear?
A Gloves only
B Gloves and gown
C Gloves, gown, and mask with eye protection
D Full sterile attire

Explanations

A
Gloves alone do not protect against splashes to the face or clothing.
B
A gown helps protect the nurse’s clothing, but without eye protection, mucous membranes remain vulnerable.
C
Wound irrigation with splashing potential requires gloves, gown, and mask with goggles/face shield to block fluid spray. This combination protects all exposure sites.
D
Sterile attire is unnecessary unless performing sterile procedures.
If splashing is expected, protect clothing, hands, and the entire face because irrigation commonly produces fluid spray.
QUESTION #9
Fundamentals of Nursing Exam 1 Fundamentals
A nurse responds to a patient who suddenly develops a nosebleed. To ensure proper protection and follow standard precautions, which PPE is appropriate?
A No PPE is needed
B Gloves only
C Gloves and face shield
D Sterile gloves and gown

Explanations

A
Contact with blood is possible, so PPE is required.
B
Gloves provide adequate protection for brief, direct contact with blood during simple epistaxis care. This level of PPE matches the low splatter risk.
C
Eye protection is unnecessary unless active spurting is expected.
D
Sterile gloves and gown exceed standard precaution requirements.
Choose gloves alone when handling small amounts of blood with low splatter risk because this aligns with standard precautions.
QUESTION #10
Fundamentals of Nursing Exam 1 Fundamentals
A nurse is preparing to perform oral suctioning for a patient who is generating large amounts of secretions. To maintain proper infection-control precautions, which PPE is needed?
A Gloves only
B Gloves and gown
C Gloves and goggles or face shield
D Full sterile attire

Explanations

A
Gloves protect hands but do not prevent droplets from reaching the eyes during suctioning.
B
A gown is not required unless heavy splashing is expected; eye protection remains more critical.
C
Suctioning can generate droplets; therefore, gloves and goggles or a face shield are required to protect mucous membranes. The face is at high risk during this close-contact procedure.
D
Sterile attire is unnecessary for clean suctioning.
Whenever fluid droplets may spray upward—like during suctioning—protect the eyes as well as the hands to prevent mucous membrane exposure.