Certified Correctional Health Nurse (CCHN) exam Verified
Questions, Correct Answers, and Detailed Explanations for
Students||Already Graded A+
1. A newly admitted incarcerated patient reports a history of
asthma and brings no medications. The first nursing action is
to:
A. Arrange a scheduled clinic visit in 3 days
B. Bold: Assess airway, breathing, and initiate rescue inhaler if
needed
C. Document history and no action today
D. Refer to mental health for stress-related symptoms
italics: Acute respiratory status must be assessed immediately;
if wheezing or distress present, administer rescue inhaler and
follow emergency protocols.
2. Which isolation precaution is required for suspected active
pulmonary tuberculosis?
A. Contact precautions
B. Droplet precautions
C. Bold: Airborne precautions with N95/respirator and
negative-pressure room
D. Standard precautions only
italics: TB is transmitted via airborne particles; use airborne
precautions and appropriate respiratory protection.
3. A patient with schizophrenia refuses antipsychotic medication
but is stable and capable of decision-making. The nurse should:
A. Administer medication anyway for safety
B. Bold: Respect the refusal and document capacity and
education provided
C. Restrain the patient until they accept meds
D. Isolate the patient for observation
italics: Competent patients have the right to refuse treatment;
, document informed refusal and continue education and
monitoring.
4. Correctional nurse finds signs of opioid withdrawal. Immediate
priority is:
A. Provide counseling only
B. Bold: Assess severity and initiate withdrawal protocol (e.g.,
medication-assisted support)
C. Place inmate in solitary for safety
D. Tell patient to endure withdrawal symptoms
italics: Withdrawal can be life-threatening; follow facility
protocol for assessment and symptomatic or medication-
assisted treatment.
5. When preparing medications for multiple inmates, the best
practice is to:
A. Prepare all at once and deliver together
B. Bold: Prepare one inmate’s meds at a time with two patient
identifiers
C. Let custody staff hand meds to inmates
D. Leave meds at the unit for inmates to pick up
italics: Medication safety requires single-patient preparation
and verification to prevent errors.
6. The nurse notes new onset jaundice in several inmates. Next
step:
A. Tell them to use vitamin supplements
B. Bold: Report to infection control and initiate screening for
hepatitis
C. Ignore unless symptomatic
D. Place them all on antibiotics
italics: Jaundice may indicate a communicable disease (e.g.,
viral hepatitis); initiate control measures and testing per
protocol.
, 7. A diabetic inmate on insulin has a blood glucose of 42 mg/dL
and is conscious. Nurse should:
A. Give subcutaneous glucagon
B. Wait 10 minutes and recheck
C. Bold: Administer oral glucose (juice/glucose gel) and
recheck
D. Withhold treatment because of rules
italics: Conscious hypoglycemic patients should receive fast-
acting oral glucose and reassessed; glucagon is for unconscious
patients.
8. Which statement about confidentiality in correctional settings
is true?
A. Confidentiality is waived entirely in correctional facilities
B. All health information must be shared with custody staff on
demand
C. Bold: Health information is confidential but may be shared
when safety or legal obligations require
D. Nurses can post medical details on unit boards for
transparency
italics: HIPAA and professional ethics protect health
information; exceptions exist for safety, court orders, or public
health reporting.
9. During triage of a mass disturbance with multiple injured
inmates, the nurse’s priority is to:
A. Treat first person seen
B. Bold: Apply triage principles to prioritize life-threatening
injuries
C. Wait for physician before acting
D. Secure scene before any triage
italics: Use triage to allocate care effectively—address airway,
breathing, circulation first.
Questions, Correct Answers, and Detailed Explanations for
Students||Already Graded A+
1. A newly admitted incarcerated patient reports a history of
asthma and brings no medications. The first nursing action is
to:
A. Arrange a scheduled clinic visit in 3 days
B. Bold: Assess airway, breathing, and initiate rescue inhaler if
needed
C. Document history and no action today
D. Refer to mental health for stress-related symptoms
italics: Acute respiratory status must be assessed immediately;
if wheezing or distress present, administer rescue inhaler and
follow emergency protocols.
2. Which isolation precaution is required for suspected active
pulmonary tuberculosis?
A. Contact precautions
B. Droplet precautions
C. Bold: Airborne precautions with N95/respirator and
negative-pressure room
D. Standard precautions only
italics: TB is transmitted via airborne particles; use airborne
precautions and appropriate respiratory protection.
3. A patient with schizophrenia refuses antipsychotic medication
but is stable and capable of decision-making. The nurse should:
A. Administer medication anyway for safety
B. Bold: Respect the refusal and document capacity and
education provided
C. Restrain the patient until they accept meds
D. Isolate the patient for observation
italics: Competent patients have the right to refuse treatment;
, document informed refusal and continue education and
monitoring.
4. Correctional nurse finds signs of opioid withdrawal. Immediate
priority is:
A. Provide counseling only
B. Bold: Assess severity and initiate withdrawal protocol (e.g.,
medication-assisted support)
C. Place inmate in solitary for safety
D. Tell patient to endure withdrawal symptoms
italics: Withdrawal can be life-threatening; follow facility
protocol for assessment and symptomatic or medication-
assisted treatment.
5. When preparing medications for multiple inmates, the best
practice is to:
A. Prepare all at once and deliver together
B. Bold: Prepare one inmate’s meds at a time with two patient
identifiers
C. Let custody staff hand meds to inmates
D. Leave meds at the unit for inmates to pick up
italics: Medication safety requires single-patient preparation
and verification to prevent errors.
6. The nurse notes new onset jaundice in several inmates. Next
step:
A. Tell them to use vitamin supplements
B. Bold: Report to infection control and initiate screening for
hepatitis
C. Ignore unless symptomatic
D. Place them all on antibiotics
italics: Jaundice may indicate a communicable disease (e.g.,
viral hepatitis); initiate control measures and testing per
protocol.
, 7. A diabetic inmate on insulin has a blood glucose of 42 mg/dL
and is conscious. Nurse should:
A. Give subcutaneous glucagon
B. Wait 10 minutes and recheck
C. Bold: Administer oral glucose (juice/glucose gel) and
recheck
D. Withhold treatment because of rules
italics: Conscious hypoglycemic patients should receive fast-
acting oral glucose and reassessed; glucagon is for unconscious
patients.
8. Which statement about confidentiality in correctional settings
is true?
A. Confidentiality is waived entirely in correctional facilities
B. All health information must be shared with custody staff on
demand
C. Bold: Health information is confidential but may be shared
when safety or legal obligations require
D. Nurses can post medical details on unit boards for
transparency
italics: HIPAA and professional ethics protect health
information; exceptions exist for safety, court orders, or public
health reporting.
9. During triage of a mass disturbance with multiple injured
inmates, the nurse’s priority is to:
A. Treat first person seen
B. Bold: Apply triage principles to prioritize life-threatening
injuries
C. Wait for physician before acting
D. Secure scene before any triage
italics: Use triage to allocate care effectively—address airway,
breathing, circulation first.
