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NCLEX-RN Safety & Infection Control
Questions And Well Graded Solutions With
Rationales Updated 2026-2027
1. A client with tuberculosis is placed in airborne precautions. Which action by the
nurse is correct?
A) Wear a surgical mask when entering the room
B) Wear an N95 respirator when entering the room
C) Place the client in a positive pressure room
D) Keep the door to the client's room open
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Tuberculosis requires airborne precautions, which require an N95
respirator (B). Surgical masks (A) are for droplet precautions. The client should
be in a negative pressure room (C), not positive. The door should be closed (D).
2. A client with Clostridium difficile infection is placed on contact precautions. Which
action by the nurse is correct?
A) Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer after leaving the room
B) Wash hands with soap and water after leaving the room
C) Wear a surgical mask when entering the room
D) Place the client in a negative pressure room
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: C. difficile spores are not killed by alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Hand washing with soap and water (B) is required. Surgical masks (C) are not
required for contact precautions. Negative pressure (D) is for airborne
precautions.
3. A client with influenza is placed on droplet precautions. Which action by the nurse is
correct?
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A) Wear an N95 respirator when entering the room
B) Wear a surgical mask when entering the room
C) Place the client in a negative pressure room
D) Use soap and water for hand hygiene
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Droplet precautions require a surgical mask (B) when entering the
room. N95 respirators (A) are for airborne precautions. Negative pressure (C) is
for airborne precautions. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer is acceptable for droplet
precautions (D).
4. A client with measles is placed on airborne precautions. Which action by the nurse is
correct?
A) Wear a surgical mask when entering the room
B) Wear an N95 respirator when entering the room
C) Place the client in a positive pressure room
D) Keep the door to the client's room open
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Measles requires airborne precautions, which require an N95
respirator (B). Surgical masks (A) are for droplet precautions. The client should
be in a negative pressure room (C), not positive. The door should be closed (D).
5. A client with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is placed on contact
precautions. Which action by the nurse is correct?
A) Wear a gown and gloves when entering the room
B) Wear a surgical mask when entering the room
C) Place the client in a negative pressure room
D) Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer only
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Contact precautions require a gown and gloves (A) when entering the
room. Surgical masks (B) are not required for contact precautions. Negative
pressure (C) is for airborne precautions. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer is
acceptable for MRSA (D) as it is not spore-forming.
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6. A client with varicella (chickenpox) is placed on which type of precautions?
A) Standard precautions
B) Contact precautions
C) Droplet precautions
D) Airborne precautions
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Varicella (chickenpox) is transmitted via airborne droplets and
requires airborne precautions (D). Standard (A), contact (B), and droplet (C)
precautions are not sufficient.
7. A client with pertussis is placed on which type of precautions?
A) Standard precautions
B) Contact precautions
C) Droplet precautions
D) Airborne precautions
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Pertussis (whooping cough) is transmitted via respiratory droplets
and requires droplet precautions (C). Standard (A), contact (B), and airborne (D)
precautions are not sufficient.
8. A client with scabies is placed on which type of precautions?
A) Standard precautions
B) Contact precautions
C) Droplet precautions
D) Airborne precautions
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Scabies is transmitted via direct skin-to-skin contact and requires
contact precautions (B). Standard (A), droplet (C), and airborne (D) precautions
are not sufficient.
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9. A client with meningococcal meningitis is placed on which type of precautions?
A) Standard precautions
B) Contact precautions
C) Droplet precautions
D) Airborne precautions
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Meningococcal meningitis is transmitted via respiratory droplets and
requires droplet precautions (C). Standard (A), contact (B), and airborne (D)
precautions are not sufficient.
10. A client with pulmonary tuberculosis has a negative pressure room. Which action
should the nurse take?
A) Keep the door to the room open
B) Keep the door to the room closed
C) Use a surgical mask when entering
D) Allow visitors without masks
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The door to a negative pressure room should be kept closed (B) to
maintain negative pressure. The door should not be open (A). An N95 respirator
(C), not a surgical mask, is required. Visitors should wear N95 respirators (D).
11. A client with C. difficile infection has diarrhea. Which type of precautions should the
nurse implement?
A) Standard precautions
B) Contact precautions
C) Droplet precautions
D) Airborne precautions
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: C. difficile requires contact precautions (B) due to transmission via
spores on contaminated surfaces. Standard (A), droplet (C), and airborne (D)
precautions are not sufficient.
NCLEX-RN Safety & Infection Control
Questions And Well Graded Solutions With
Rationales Updated 2026-2027
1. A client with tuberculosis is placed in airborne precautions. Which action by the
nurse is correct?
A) Wear a surgical mask when entering the room
B) Wear an N95 respirator when entering the room
C) Place the client in a positive pressure room
D) Keep the door to the client's room open
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Tuberculosis requires airborne precautions, which require an N95
respirator (B). Surgical masks (A) are for droplet precautions. The client should
be in a negative pressure room (C), not positive. The door should be closed (D).
2. A client with Clostridium difficile infection is placed on contact precautions. Which
action by the nurse is correct?
A) Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer after leaving the room
B) Wash hands with soap and water after leaving the room
C) Wear a surgical mask when entering the room
D) Place the client in a negative pressure room
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: C. difficile spores are not killed by alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Hand washing with soap and water (B) is required. Surgical masks (C) are not
required for contact precautions. Negative pressure (D) is for airborne
precautions.
3. A client with influenza is placed on droplet precautions. Which action by the nurse is
correct?
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A) Wear an N95 respirator when entering the room
B) Wear a surgical mask when entering the room
C) Place the client in a negative pressure room
D) Use soap and water for hand hygiene
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Droplet precautions require a surgical mask (B) when entering the
room. N95 respirators (A) are for airborne precautions. Negative pressure (C) is
for airborne precautions. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer is acceptable for droplet
precautions (D).
4. A client with measles is placed on airborne precautions. Which action by the nurse is
correct?
A) Wear a surgical mask when entering the room
B) Wear an N95 respirator when entering the room
C) Place the client in a positive pressure room
D) Keep the door to the client's room open
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Measles requires airborne precautions, which require an N95
respirator (B). Surgical masks (A) are for droplet precautions. The client should
be in a negative pressure room (C), not positive. The door should be closed (D).
5. A client with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is placed on contact
precautions. Which action by the nurse is correct?
A) Wear a gown and gloves when entering the room
B) Wear a surgical mask when entering the room
C) Place the client in a negative pressure room
D) Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer only
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Contact precautions require a gown and gloves (A) when entering the
room. Surgical masks (B) are not required for contact precautions. Negative
pressure (C) is for airborne precautions. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer is
acceptable for MRSA (D) as it is not spore-forming.
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6. A client with varicella (chickenpox) is placed on which type of precautions?
A) Standard precautions
B) Contact precautions
C) Droplet precautions
D) Airborne precautions
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Varicella (chickenpox) is transmitted via airborne droplets and
requires airborne precautions (D). Standard (A), contact (B), and droplet (C)
precautions are not sufficient.
7. A client with pertussis is placed on which type of precautions?
A) Standard precautions
B) Contact precautions
C) Droplet precautions
D) Airborne precautions
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Pertussis (whooping cough) is transmitted via respiratory droplets
and requires droplet precautions (C). Standard (A), contact (B), and airborne (D)
precautions are not sufficient.
8. A client with scabies is placed on which type of precautions?
A) Standard precautions
B) Contact precautions
C) Droplet precautions
D) Airborne precautions
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Scabies is transmitted via direct skin-to-skin contact and requires
contact precautions (B). Standard (A), droplet (C), and airborne (D) precautions
are not sufficient.
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9. A client with meningococcal meningitis is placed on which type of precautions?
A) Standard precautions
B) Contact precautions
C) Droplet precautions
D) Airborne precautions
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Meningococcal meningitis is transmitted via respiratory droplets and
requires droplet precautions (C). Standard (A), contact (B), and airborne (D)
precautions are not sufficient.
10. A client with pulmonary tuberculosis has a negative pressure room. Which action
should the nurse take?
A) Keep the door to the room open
B) Keep the door to the room closed
C) Use a surgical mask when entering
D) Allow visitors without masks
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The door to a negative pressure room should be kept closed (B) to
maintain negative pressure. The door should not be open (A). An N95 respirator
(C), not a surgical mask, is required. Visitors should wear N95 respirators (D).
11. A client with C. difficile infection has diarrhea. Which type of precautions should the
nurse implement?
A) Standard precautions
B) Contact precautions
C) Droplet precautions
D) Airborne precautions
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: C. difficile requires contact precautions (B) due to transmission via
spores on contaminated surfaces. Standard (A), droplet (C), and airborne (D)
precautions are not sufficient.
