RN Infection Prevention & Control
Competency Exam — Code: RN-IPC-
COMP | 100-Question Advanced
Practice Exam 2026 | Questions &
Answers with Detailed Rationales |
Complete Exam Prep & Study Guide
1. A nurse is caring for a patient with suspected Clostridioides difficile
infection. Which intervention is most appropriate when entering and
leaving the patient's room?
A. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer before and after patient contact
B. Wear an N95 respirator and use alcohol-based hand sanitizer
C. Wear gloves and a gown and perform hand hygiene with soap and water after
care
D. Wear a surgical mask and perform hand hygiene with alcohol-based sanitizer
Answer: Wear gloves and a gown and perform hand hygiene with soap and
water after care.
,Rationale: C. difficile spores are resistant to alcohol-based hand sanitizers.
Contact precautions include gloves and a gown, and soap-and-water
handwashing is preferred after caring for the patient because mechanical
removal helps eliminate spores.
2. A patient with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis requires transportation to
the radiology department. Which action should the nurse take?
A. Place a surgical mask on the patient during transport
B. Place an N95 respirator on the patient
C. Place the patient in a gown and gloves only
D. Delay all transportation until tuberculosis is ruled out
Answer: Place a surgical mask on the patient during transport.
Rationale: Patients with suspected or confirmed airborne infections should wear
a surgical mask during transport to reduce dissemination of respiratory
particles. Healthcare personnel use an appropriate fit-tested respirator when
entering the patient's room.
3. A nurse enters a patient's room to suction a patient with a known
multidrug-resistant organism requiring contact precautions. Which PPE is
most appropriate?
A. N95 respirator only
B. Gloves and gown
C. Surgical mask only
D. Sterile gloves and face shield only
Answer: Gloves and gown.
Rationale: Contact precautions require gloves and gown when contact with the
patient or contaminated environmental surfaces is anticipated. Additional PPE
may be required based on the procedure and risk of splashing or aerosol
generation.
, 4. A nurse notices that a coworker routinely wears the same pair of gloves
while moving from one patient to another. What is the nurse's best
response?
A. Report the coworker immediately to hospital administration
B. Ignore the behavior unless an infection occurs
C. Ask the coworker to change gloves and perform hand hygiene between
patients
D. Wear an additional pair of gloves over the contaminated gloves
Answer: Ask the coworker to change gloves and perform hand hygiene between
patients.
Rationale: Gloves do not replace hand hygiene and must be changed between
patients. Wearing contaminated gloves between patients can facilitate
transmission of pathogens.
5. During insertion of a central venous catheter, which infection-prevention
intervention is most important?
A. Using sterile gloves only
B. Applying topical antibiotic ointment routinely
C. Using maximal sterile barrier precautions and appropriate skin antisepsis
D. Changing the catheter dressing every 24 hours regardless of condition
Answer: Using maximal sterile barrier precautions and appropriate skin
antisepsis.
Rationale: Central-line insertion requires maximal sterile barrier precautions,
including sterile gown, sterile gloves, cap, mask, and a large sterile drape, along
with appropriate skin antisepsis to reduce bloodstream infection risk.
6. A nurse is preparing to administer an injection. Which practice is safest?
A. Use a new needle but reuse the syringe if the medication is unchanged
B. Use a new sterile needle and syringe for every injection
, C. Change the needle only when visibly contaminated
D. Use the same syringe for several patients if the needle is changed
Answer: Use a new sterile needle and syringe for every injection.
Rationale: A needle and syringe are single-use items. Changing only the needle
does not make a syringe safe for another patient because contamination can
occur through the syringe and medication pathway.
7. A nurse is caring for a patient with suspected meningococcal meningitis.
Which transmission-based precaution is initially indicated?
A. Contact
B. Airborne
C. Droplet
D. Protective environment
Answer: Droplet.
Rationale: Meningococcal disease is transmitted primarily through respiratory
droplets. Droplet precautions should be implemented promptly when suspected.
8. Which action represents the most effective method for preventing
healthcare-associated infections?
A. Routine use of prophylactic antibiotics
B. Consistent hand hygiene
C. Wearing gloves for every patient interaction
D. Daily environmental fogging
Answer: Consistent hand hygiene.
Rationale: Hand hygiene is one of the most important measures for preventing
transmission of microorganisms in healthcare settings. Gloves do not replace
hand hygiene.
9. A nurse removes a pair of gloves after caring for a patient with an infectious
disease. What should the nurse do next?
Competency Exam — Code: RN-IPC-
COMP | 100-Question Advanced
Practice Exam 2026 | Questions &
Answers with Detailed Rationales |
Complete Exam Prep & Study Guide
1. A nurse is caring for a patient with suspected Clostridioides difficile
infection. Which intervention is most appropriate when entering and
leaving the patient's room?
A. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer before and after patient contact
B. Wear an N95 respirator and use alcohol-based hand sanitizer
C. Wear gloves and a gown and perform hand hygiene with soap and water after
care
D. Wear a surgical mask and perform hand hygiene with alcohol-based sanitizer
Answer: Wear gloves and a gown and perform hand hygiene with soap and
water after care.
,Rationale: C. difficile spores are resistant to alcohol-based hand sanitizers.
Contact precautions include gloves and a gown, and soap-and-water
handwashing is preferred after caring for the patient because mechanical
removal helps eliminate spores.
2. A patient with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis requires transportation to
the radiology department. Which action should the nurse take?
A. Place a surgical mask on the patient during transport
B. Place an N95 respirator on the patient
C. Place the patient in a gown and gloves only
D. Delay all transportation until tuberculosis is ruled out
Answer: Place a surgical mask on the patient during transport.
Rationale: Patients with suspected or confirmed airborne infections should wear
a surgical mask during transport to reduce dissemination of respiratory
particles. Healthcare personnel use an appropriate fit-tested respirator when
entering the patient's room.
3. A nurse enters a patient's room to suction a patient with a known
multidrug-resistant organism requiring contact precautions. Which PPE is
most appropriate?
A. N95 respirator only
B. Gloves and gown
C. Surgical mask only
D. Sterile gloves and face shield only
Answer: Gloves and gown.
Rationale: Contact precautions require gloves and gown when contact with the
patient or contaminated environmental surfaces is anticipated. Additional PPE
may be required based on the procedure and risk of splashing or aerosol
generation.
, 4. A nurse notices that a coworker routinely wears the same pair of gloves
while moving from one patient to another. What is the nurse's best
response?
A. Report the coworker immediately to hospital administration
B. Ignore the behavior unless an infection occurs
C. Ask the coworker to change gloves and perform hand hygiene between
patients
D. Wear an additional pair of gloves over the contaminated gloves
Answer: Ask the coworker to change gloves and perform hand hygiene between
patients.
Rationale: Gloves do not replace hand hygiene and must be changed between
patients. Wearing contaminated gloves between patients can facilitate
transmission of pathogens.
5. During insertion of a central venous catheter, which infection-prevention
intervention is most important?
A. Using sterile gloves only
B. Applying topical antibiotic ointment routinely
C. Using maximal sterile barrier precautions and appropriate skin antisepsis
D. Changing the catheter dressing every 24 hours regardless of condition
Answer: Using maximal sterile barrier precautions and appropriate skin
antisepsis.
Rationale: Central-line insertion requires maximal sterile barrier precautions,
including sterile gown, sterile gloves, cap, mask, and a large sterile drape, along
with appropriate skin antisepsis to reduce bloodstream infection risk.
6. A nurse is preparing to administer an injection. Which practice is safest?
A. Use a new needle but reuse the syringe if the medication is unchanged
B. Use a new sterile needle and syringe for every injection
, C. Change the needle only when visibly contaminated
D. Use the same syringe for several patients if the needle is changed
Answer: Use a new sterile needle and syringe for every injection.
Rationale: A needle and syringe are single-use items. Changing only the needle
does not make a syringe safe for another patient because contamination can
occur through the syringe and medication pathway.
7. A nurse is caring for a patient with suspected meningococcal meningitis.
Which transmission-based precaution is initially indicated?
A. Contact
B. Airborne
C. Droplet
D. Protective environment
Answer: Droplet.
Rationale: Meningococcal disease is transmitted primarily through respiratory
droplets. Droplet precautions should be implemented promptly when suspected.
8. Which action represents the most effective method for preventing
healthcare-associated infections?
A. Routine use of prophylactic antibiotics
B. Consistent hand hygiene
C. Wearing gloves for every patient interaction
D. Daily environmental fogging
Answer: Consistent hand hygiene.
Rationale: Hand hygiene is one of the most important measures for preventing
transmission of microorganisms in healthcare settings. Gloves do not replace
hand hygiene.
9. A nurse removes a pair of gloves after caring for a patient with an infectious
disease. What should the nurse do next?
