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21 multiple-choice questions and 7 flashcards on Safety and Infection Control, about 13% of the NCLEX-PN bank. Every one carries a written rationale.
Safety and Infection Control is one of 8 chapters in CoStudy's NCLEX-PN bank, and it holds 21 of the bank's 162 multiple-choice questions — roughly 13% of the total. That proportion is not arbitrary: chapters follow the certifying body's published exam outline, and the number of questions in each is set by that domain's published weight, so the share of your practice time this chapter takes matches the share of the real exam it accounts for.
Studying by chapter is worth doing once you have a diagnostic score. A single overall percentage tells you whether you are close; it does not tell you which domain is dragging. Working a weak chapter in isolation, and re-testing it in isolation, is the fastest way to move a score that has stalled — and it is why the mock exams in CoStudy report by domain rather than as one number.
10 questions drawn from this chapter, with the full rationale shown — the controlling principle behind the right answer, and why each wrong option tempts and fails.
Which precaution is required for a patient with active pulmonary tuberculosis?
Answer: C — Airborne precautions in a negative-pressure room with an N95 respirator
A) Insufficient. B) TB is not droplet. C) Correct — airborne precautions: AIIR (negative-pressure room), N95 fit-tested respirator. D) Not contact transmission.
During a fire (RACE), the LPN's FIRST action is to:
Answer: B — Rescue patients in immediate danger
A) A is second. B) Correct — R: Rescue anyone in danger first. C) Confine after rescue and alarm. D) Extinguish only if safe.
A patient is receiving oxygen at 4 L/min via nasal cannula. Which intervention is appropriate?
Answer: C — Pad the cannula behind the ears and humidify oxygen above 4 L/min as ordered
A) Removal interrupts therapy unnecessarily. C) Correct — padding prevents pressure injury; humidification eases mucosal drying. B) Titration requires order or protocol. D) Cannot change device without order/protocol.
A confused patient is on a bed alarm. To prevent falls, the LPN should:
Answer: B — Place the bed in the lowest position and keep the call light within reach
A) Four side rails up may be considered restraint. B) Correct — low bed, call light, frequent rounding, non-skid socks. C) Restraint without indication is unsafe. D) Confused patient cannot reliably follow instruction.
Standard precautions should be used:
Answer: A — With ALL patients regardless of infection status
B) Misses asymptomatic carriers. A) Correct — standard precautions apply universally because infection status may be unknown. C) Cannot reliably predict risk. D) All patient contact.
Which finding indicates a needlestick injury response was performed correctly?
Answer: A — The LPN squeezed the puncture site, washed with soap and water, and reported per policy
A) Correct — encourage bleeding, wash thoroughly, report immediately, evaluate source/recipient for blood-borne pathogens. B) Inadequate and delays evaluation. C) Delay is unsafe. D) Exposure follow-up required.
When caring for a patient with Clostridioides difficile, the LPN should perform hand hygiene by:
Answer: D — Washing hands with soap and water
A) Alcohol gel does NOT kill C. diff spores. D) Correct — soap and water mechanically remove spores. C) Hygiene is required after glove removal. B) Insufficient for spores.
Select all PPE that should be donned before entering the room of a patient with MRSA in a wound. Select all that apply.
Answer: ABD
A,B) Contact precautions require gown and gloves. C) N95 not required (not airborne). D) Eye protection added for splash risk. E) Routine surgical mask not required unless droplet indication.
A patient on contact precautions is being moved to radiology. The LPN should:
Answer: D — Have the patient wear a gown and ensure radiology staff are notified
A) Precautions persist outside the room. D) Correct — patient should be gowned, transport limited, receiving department notified to maintain barrier. C) Care delivery shouldn't stop. B) N95 is for airborne, not contact.
Which patient is at HIGHEST risk for a fall?
Answer: B — An 82-year-old on furosemide and oxycodone who needs help to the bathroom
A) Low risk. B) Correct — age, polypharmacy (diuretic + opioid), and toileting urgency stack risk. C,D) Lower combined risk.
4 cards from the 7 in this chapter.
Restraint use: nursing responsibilities?
Document need, try alternatives first, monitor circulation/skin/airway, release periodically, MD order within 24 hrs.
Contact precautions: examples?
MRSA, C. diff, RSV. Gown + gloves; dedicated equipment when possible.
Patient identifiers required before medication administration?
TWO identifiers — typically full name AND date of birth (or medical record number).
Standard precautions: when to use?
ALL patient contact regardless of suspected infection. Treat every patient as potentially infectious.
These are a sample. The full Safety and Infection Control chapter runs 28 items with per-chapter progress tracking, on the web and in the iOS app.