1. A client with diabetes and neuropathy asks for a pedicure. What is the most
important adjustment you should make?
A) Use hotter water to improve circulation
B) Skip the foot massage and use gentle pressure
C) Perform a deep cuticle removal
D) Use a metal foot file aggressively
Correct answer: B) Skip the foot massage and use gentle pressure
Rationale: Neuropathy reduces sensation, so clients cannot feel pain or excessive pressure;
massage and hot water can cause injury without the client realizing it.
2. When you notice a small, fresh cut on a client’s finger during a service, you should
immediately:
A) Continue the service but avoid the area
B) Apply antiseptic and a bandage, then discontinue the service on that finger
C) Apply nail glue to seal the cut
D) Ignore it if the client doesn’t mention it
Correct answer: B) Apply antiseptic and a bandage, then discontinue the service on that
finger
Rationale: Open wounds are entry points for infection; you must stop service on that digit,
clean, and cover the cut per state board rules.
3. Which of the following is the correct way to disinfect metal nail files after a client
with a fungal infection?
A) Wipe with alcohol and reuse
B) Immerse in EPA-registered disinfectant for full contact time
C) Spray with disinfectant and air dry
D) Boil for 5 minutes
Correct answer: B) Immerse in EPA-registered disinfectant for full contact time
Rationale: Metal implements must be fully submerged in an EPA-registered hospital-grade
disinfectant for the manufacturer’s recommended contact time to kill pathogens.
,4. A client’s toenail is thick, yellow, and crumbly. What should you do?
A) Proceed with the pedicure but avoid that nail
B) File down the thickness and continue
C) Refer the client to a podiatrist and do not perform the service
D) Soak the foot in vinegar first
Correct answer: C) Refer the client to a podiatrist and do not perform the service
Rationale: These are signs of onychomycosis (fungal infection), which is contagious and
requires medical diagnosis; you cannot treat it as a nail tech.
5. What is the primary difference between a disinfectant and a sterilant?
A) Disinfectants kill all microorganisms including spores; sterilants do not
B) Sterilants destroy all microbial life including spores; disinfectants do not
C) Disinfectants are only for skin; sterilants are for tools
D) There is no difference
Correct answer: B) Sterilants destroy all microbial life including spores; disinfectants do
not
Rationale: Sterilization kills all organisms including bacterial spores; disinfection
eliminates most but not all, especially spores.
6. During a monomer liquid and polymer powder application, you notice the bead is
very wet and runs into the sidewall. What went wrong?
A) Too much polymer powder in the bead
B) Too much monomer liquid in the bead
C) The brush was too dry
D) The room temperature was too low
Correct answer: B) Too much monomer liquid in the bead
Rationale: A wet bead with excess monomer liquid flows too easily; correct ratio is 2 parts
monomer to 1 part powder for a medium consistency bead.
7. Which of the following is a bloodborne pathogen that nail technicians should be most
concerned about?
A) Tinea pedis
B) Staphylococcus aureus
C) Hepatitis B virus
D) Pseudomonas aeruginosa
,Correct answer: C) Hepatitis B virus
Rationale: Hepatitis B is a bloodborne pathogen that can survive outside the body for days
and is highly infectious via contaminated tools or cuts.
8. A client requests nail tips but has very short, bitten nails with no free edge. Which
type of tip is most appropriate?
A) Full well tip
B) Partial well tip
C) Sculpted nail form
D) Well-less tip
Correct answer: D) Well-less tip
Rationale: Well-less tips have no well and are designed for nails with little to no free edge,
allowing better adhesion on short nail beds.
9. What should you do if you accidentally mix bleach with a quaternary ammonium
disinfectant?
A) Continue using it, it becomes stronger
B) Evacuate the area and call poison control
C) Add water to dilute
D) Pour it down the drain immediately
Correct answer: B) Evacuate the area and call poison control
Rationale: Mixing bleach with quats or ammonia creates toxic chloramine gas, which can
cause severe respiratory damage or death.
10. A pregnant client in her third trimester asks for a gel polish removal. What is your
best course of action?
A) Decline all services due to pregnancy
B) Soak-off with acetone in a well-ventilated area
C) Use a drill to mechanically remove the gel
D) Apply acetone and cover with plastic wrap
Correct answer: B) Soak-off with acetone in a well-ventilated area
Rationale: Acetone is safe in moderation with proper ventilation; avoid prolonged
exposure. No evidence shows harm, but ensure good air flow.
11. Which implement is used to remove debris from under the free edge without
damaging the hyponychium?
, A) Metal cuticle pusher
B) Curette
C) Nail file
D) Nail brush
Correct answer: B) Curette
Rationale: A curette has a small scoop-shaped end designed to gently clean under the free
edge without causing trauma or bleeding.
12. You are performing a UV gel service, and the client feels a burning sensation under
the lamp. What is the most likely cause?
A) The lamp is too old
B) Applying the gel too thickly
C) Using a non-UV gel
D) The client is allergic to LED light
Correct answer: B) Applying the gel too thickly
Rationale: Thick layers of UV gel generate excessive heat during polymerization
(exothermic reaction), causing a burning sensation; apply thin layers.
13. A client has onycholysis on two fingernails. What should you do?
A) Apply a nail tip to hide the separation
B) Sculpt an extension over the area
C) Refer to a physician and do not apply enhancements
D) Clean under the nail with a curette and proceed
Correct answer: C) Refer to a physician and do not apply enhancements
Rationale: Onycholysis (separation of nail plate from bed) can indicate infection, psoriasis,
or thyroid disease; enhancements can worsen it.
14. How often must you change the disinfectant solution in your immersion jar?
A) Every morning
B) Every 7 days or when visibly cloudy, whichever comes first
C) Only when it smells bad
D) Once per month
Correct answer: B) Every 7 days or when visibly cloudy, whichever comes first
Rationale: Disinfectants lose efficacy over time and with contamination; follow
manufacturer instructions, typically 7 days or sooner if dirty.
important adjustment you should make?
A) Use hotter water to improve circulation
B) Skip the foot massage and use gentle pressure
C) Perform a deep cuticle removal
D) Use a metal foot file aggressively
Correct answer: B) Skip the foot massage and use gentle pressure
Rationale: Neuropathy reduces sensation, so clients cannot feel pain or excessive pressure;
massage and hot water can cause injury without the client realizing it.
2. When you notice a small, fresh cut on a client’s finger during a service, you should
immediately:
A) Continue the service but avoid the area
B) Apply antiseptic and a bandage, then discontinue the service on that finger
C) Apply nail glue to seal the cut
D) Ignore it if the client doesn’t mention it
Correct answer: B) Apply antiseptic and a bandage, then discontinue the service on that
finger
Rationale: Open wounds are entry points for infection; you must stop service on that digit,
clean, and cover the cut per state board rules.
3. Which of the following is the correct way to disinfect metal nail files after a client
with a fungal infection?
A) Wipe with alcohol and reuse
B) Immerse in EPA-registered disinfectant for full contact time
C) Spray with disinfectant and air dry
D) Boil for 5 minutes
Correct answer: B) Immerse in EPA-registered disinfectant for full contact time
Rationale: Metal implements must be fully submerged in an EPA-registered hospital-grade
disinfectant for the manufacturer’s recommended contact time to kill pathogens.
,4. A client’s toenail is thick, yellow, and crumbly. What should you do?
A) Proceed with the pedicure but avoid that nail
B) File down the thickness and continue
C) Refer the client to a podiatrist and do not perform the service
D) Soak the foot in vinegar first
Correct answer: C) Refer the client to a podiatrist and do not perform the service
Rationale: These are signs of onychomycosis (fungal infection), which is contagious and
requires medical diagnosis; you cannot treat it as a nail tech.
5. What is the primary difference between a disinfectant and a sterilant?
A) Disinfectants kill all microorganisms including spores; sterilants do not
B) Sterilants destroy all microbial life including spores; disinfectants do not
C) Disinfectants are only for skin; sterilants are for tools
D) There is no difference
Correct answer: B) Sterilants destroy all microbial life including spores; disinfectants do
not
Rationale: Sterilization kills all organisms including bacterial spores; disinfection
eliminates most but not all, especially spores.
6. During a monomer liquid and polymer powder application, you notice the bead is
very wet and runs into the sidewall. What went wrong?
A) Too much polymer powder in the bead
B) Too much monomer liquid in the bead
C) The brush was too dry
D) The room temperature was too low
Correct answer: B) Too much monomer liquid in the bead
Rationale: A wet bead with excess monomer liquid flows too easily; correct ratio is 2 parts
monomer to 1 part powder for a medium consistency bead.
7. Which of the following is a bloodborne pathogen that nail technicians should be most
concerned about?
A) Tinea pedis
B) Staphylococcus aureus
C) Hepatitis B virus
D) Pseudomonas aeruginosa
,Correct answer: C) Hepatitis B virus
Rationale: Hepatitis B is a bloodborne pathogen that can survive outside the body for days
and is highly infectious via contaminated tools or cuts.
8. A client requests nail tips but has very short, bitten nails with no free edge. Which
type of tip is most appropriate?
A) Full well tip
B) Partial well tip
C) Sculpted nail form
D) Well-less tip
Correct answer: D) Well-less tip
Rationale: Well-less tips have no well and are designed for nails with little to no free edge,
allowing better adhesion on short nail beds.
9. What should you do if you accidentally mix bleach with a quaternary ammonium
disinfectant?
A) Continue using it, it becomes stronger
B) Evacuate the area and call poison control
C) Add water to dilute
D) Pour it down the drain immediately
Correct answer: B) Evacuate the area and call poison control
Rationale: Mixing bleach with quats or ammonia creates toxic chloramine gas, which can
cause severe respiratory damage or death.
10. A pregnant client in her third trimester asks for a gel polish removal. What is your
best course of action?
A) Decline all services due to pregnancy
B) Soak-off with acetone in a well-ventilated area
C) Use a drill to mechanically remove the gel
D) Apply acetone and cover with plastic wrap
Correct answer: B) Soak-off with acetone in a well-ventilated area
Rationale: Acetone is safe in moderation with proper ventilation; avoid prolonged
exposure. No evidence shows harm, but ensure good air flow.
11. Which implement is used to remove debris from under the free edge without
damaging the hyponychium?
, A) Metal cuticle pusher
B) Curette
C) Nail file
D) Nail brush
Correct answer: B) Curette
Rationale: A curette has a small scoop-shaped end designed to gently clean under the free
edge without causing trauma or bleeding.
12. You are performing a UV gel service, and the client feels a burning sensation under
the lamp. What is the most likely cause?
A) The lamp is too old
B) Applying the gel too thickly
C) Using a non-UV gel
D) The client is allergic to LED light
Correct answer: B) Applying the gel too thickly
Rationale: Thick layers of UV gel generate excessive heat during polymerization
(exothermic reaction), causing a burning sensation; apply thin layers.
13. A client has onycholysis on two fingernails. What should you do?
A) Apply a nail tip to hide the separation
B) Sculpt an extension over the area
C) Refer to a physician and do not apply enhancements
D) Clean under the nail with a curette and proceed
Correct answer: C) Refer to a physician and do not apply enhancements
Rationale: Onycholysis (separation of nail plate from bed) can indicate infection, psoriasis,
or thyroid disease; enhancements can worsen it.
14. How often must you change the disinfectant solution in your immersion jar?
A) Every morning
B) Every 7 days or when visibly cloudy, whichever comes first
C) Only when it smells bad
D) Once per month
Correct answer: B) Every 7 days or when visibly cloudy, whichever comes first
Rationale: Disinfectants lose efficacy over time and with contamination; follow
manufacturer instructions, typically 7 days or sooner if dirty.
