20 Safety & Infection Control Practice Questions & Answers
Every Safety & Infection Control practice question from the CNA Practice Test, with the correct answer and a short explanation.
Start practice test →1. A nurse aide is caring for a resident who has Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) diarrhea. After removing gloves, what should the aide use to clean the hands?
- A.Alcohol-based hand sanitizer only
- B.Soap and running water✓ Answer
- C.A dry paper towel
- D.An antiseptic wipe on the palms
C. diff forms spores that alcohol-based sanitizers do not kill. Washing with soap and running water physically removes the spores from the hands, so soap and water is required rather than alcohol gel.
Source: CDC Infection Control: hand hygiene for C. difficile (soap and water for spore-forming organisms)Report a problem with this question
2. When washing the hands with soap and water, what is the MINIMUM amount of time a nurse aide should rub all surfaces of the hands together?
- A.5 seconds
- B.10 seconds
- C.20 seconds✓ Answer
- D.2 minutes
Friction for at least 20 seconds is needed to loosen and remove microbes from all surfaces of the hands; shorter times do not remove enough organisms to reliably break the chain of infection.
Source: CDC Clean Hands: scrub hands at least 20 secondsReport a problem with this question
3. To whom do Standard Precautions apply in a long-term care facility?
- A.Only residents in isolation rooms
- B.Only residents who are visibly bleeding
- C.Every resident, regardless of diagnosis✓ Answer
- D.Only residents with a known infection
Standard Precautions treat every person's blood and body fluids as potentially infectious, because an infection may be present before it is diagnosed; therefore they are used with every resident regardless of diagnosis.
Source: CDC Standard Precautions (apply to all patients/residents)Report a problem with this question
4. A resident is on Contact Precautions for MRSA. Which personal protective equipment (PPE) should the nurse aide put on before entering the room to give personal care?
- A.No PPE is needed
- B.N95 respirator only
- C.Surgical mask only
- D.Gown and gloves✓ Answer
MRSA spreads by direct and indirect contact, so Contact Precautions require a gown and gloves to keep the organism off the skin and clothing and prevent carrying it to other residents.
Source: CDC Transmission-Based Precautions: Contact Precautions (gown + gloves)Report a problem with this question
5. A resident is diagnosed with active tuberculosis (TB). Which type of transmission-based precautions and respiratory protection are required?
- A.Airborne Precautions with a fit-tested N95 respirator✓ Answer
- B.Contact Precautions with a gown
- C.Droplet Precautions with a surgical mask
- D.Standard Precautions only
TB spreads through tiny airborne particles that stay suspended in the air, so it requires Airborne Precautions and a fit-tested N95 respirator; an ordinary surgical mask does not filter these small particles.
Source: CDC Transmission-Based Precautions: Airborne Precautions (N95 for TB)Report a problem with this question
6. A resident has influenza (the flu). Which precaution and PPE best match how influenza spreads?
- A.Droplet Precautions with a surgical mask✓ Answer
- B.Contact Precautions with only gloves
- C.Airborne Precautions with an N95 respirator
- D.No precautions beyond hand washing
Influenza spreads through large respiratory droplets that travel only a few feet, so Droplet Precautions with a surgical mask are appropriate; an N95 is reserved for airborne diseases.
Source: CDC Transmission-Based Precautions: Droplet Precautions (surgical mask for influenza)Report a problem with this question
7. When putting ON (donning) a gown, mask, goggles, and gloves before entering an isolation room, which item is put on LAST?
- A.Goggles
- B.Gown
- C.Gloves✓ Answer
- D.Mask
The correct donning order is gown, then mask/respirator, then goggles or face shield, and gloves last so they can be pulled over the gown cuffs to seal the wrists.
Source: CDC Sequence for Donning PPE (gloves last)Report a problem with this question
8. When taking OFF (doffing) PPE after leaving a resident's bedside, which item should the nurse aide remove FIRST?
- A.Goggles
- B.Mask
- C.Gloves✓ Answer
- D.Gown
Gloves are the most contaminated item, so they are removed first to avoid spreading germs to the face and clothing; the mask, which protects the airway, is removed last after leaving the room.
Source: CDC Sequence for Doffing PPE (gloves first)Report a problem with this question
9. A nurse aide finishes giving perineal care to one resident and is about to help a second resident. What should the aide do with the gloves?
- A.Wipe the gloves with sanitizer and reuse them
- B.Keep the gloves on until lunch break
- C.Wash the gloved hands and keep the same gloves
- D.Remove the gloves, perform hand hygiene, and put on new gloves✓ Answer
Gloves are single-use; they are removed after each resident or task and never washed or reused. Hand hygiene is performed after removal because germs can reach the hands through tiny glove defects.
Source: CDC Standard Precautions: gloves single-use; hand hygiene after glove removalReport a problem with this question
10. During hand washing, how should the nurse aide hold the hands, and how should the faucet be turned off?
- A.Hands held above the elbows; turn off the faucet with a bare elbow
- B.Fingertips pointed down; turn off the faucet with a clean paper towel✓ Answer
- C.Fingertips pointed up; leave the faucet running
- D.Fingertips pointed up; turn off the faucet with bare hands
Keeping the fingertips pointed down lets dirty water drain off the fingers instead of running back up to the clean forearms, and a paper towel is used on the faucet so the just-cleaned hands are not recontaminated.
Source: CDC Clean Hands / NNAAP hand-washing skill (fingertips down; paper towel to close faucet)Report a problem with this question
11. A nurse aide is removing soiled bed linens from a resident's bed. Which action is correct?
- A.Carry the linens pressed against the chest
- B.Hold the linens away from the uniform and roll them dirty-side in✓ Answer
- C.Place the linens on the floor while making the bed
- D.Shake the linens to loosen crumbs before folding
Soiled linen is held away from the uniform and rolled with the dirty side inward so microbes are not spread to the aide or the air; it is never shaken or placed on the floor, which would spread contamination.
Source: CDC/medical asepsis: handling of contaminated linen (never shake; hold away from body)Report a problem with this question
12. Breaking the chain of infection stops the spread of disease. Which action is the single most effective way to break that chain?
- A.Wearing a wristwatch during care
- B.Keeping the room warm
- C.Performing hand hygiene✓ Answer
- D.Serving meals on time
Hands are the most common way microbes move from a reservoir to a susceptible host, so hand hygiene breaks the mode-of-transmission link and is the single most effective way to interrupt the chain of infection.
Source: CDC: hand hygiene as primary measure to interrupt the chain of infectionReport a problem with this question
13. A fire breaks out in a resident's room. Using the RACE steps, what should the nurse aide do FIRST?
- A.Close all the doors and windows
- B.Pull the fire alarm
- C.Extinguish the fire with an extinguisher
- D.Rescue residents who are in immediate danger✓ Answer
RACE stands for Rescue, Alarm, Contain, Extinguish. Rescuing anyone in immediate danger comes first, before pulling the alarm, because protecting life takes priority over every other step.
Source: Fire safety RACE protocol (Rescue first)Report a problem with this question
14. When using a fire extinguisher with the PASS method, where should the nurse aide aim the extinguisher?
- A.At the smoke above the fire
- B.At the top of the flames
- C.At the ceiling over the fire
- D.At the base of the fire✓ Answer
PASS stands for Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep. Aiming at the base of the fire removes the burning fuel source; spraying the flames themselves wastes the extinguisher and does not put the fire out.
Source: Fire extinguisher PASS method (aim at base of fire)Report a problem with this question
15. A resident uses oxygen by nasal cannula. Which action helps keep the resident safe?
- A.Apply petroleum jelly to the resident's lips
- B.Cover the oxygen tubing with a wool blanket
- C.Remove open flames and post a No Smoking sign✓ Answer
- D.Allow smoking if the resident stays in bed
Oxygen supports combustion, so any spark or flame can cause a fire. Removing open flames and prohibiting smoking near the oxygen is essential; petroleum-based products like petroleum jelly are also avoided because they are flammable.
Source: Oxygen safety standards (no open flame/smoking; avoid petroleum products)Report a problem with this question
16. A resident begins to fall while the nurse aide is walking with them. What is the safest action?
- A.Ease the resident down to the floor, protecting the head✓ Answer
- B.Grab the resident's arm and pull them back up quickly
- C.Step away so the resident does not pull the aide down
- D.Try to hold the resident upright at all costs
Trying to catch or hold up a falling resident can injure both people. The aide should ease the resident down to the floor while supporting and protecting the head, then get help and assess before moving them.
Source: Nurse aide safety standard: assist (ease) a falling resident to the floor; do not catchReport a problem with this question
17. A physician has ordered a restraint for a resident. Which practice is correct when applying it?
- A.Tie the restraint to the side rail with a double knot
- B.Tie the restraint to the movable bed frame with a quick-release knot✓ Answer
- C.Raise all four side rails instead of using the restraint order
- D.Leave the resident restrained for 4 hours before checking
A restraint is tied to the movable bed frame with a quick-release knot so it moves with the bed and can be freed instantly in an emergency; tying to a side rail can injure the resident when the rail is moved.
Source: Restraint safety standard (quick-release knot to movable bed frame; not side rails)Report a problem with this question
18. A resident wearing a restraint must be released and repositioned at LEAST how often?
- A.Every 8 hours
- B.Only at bedtime
- C.Every 2 hours✓ Answer
- D.Once per shift
A restrained resident must be released at least every 2 hours to reposition, provide range of motion, and check circulation and skin, which prevents pressure injuries and blood-flow problems from prolonged immobility.
Source: Restraint standard: release and reposition at least every 2 hours (check ~every 30 minutes)Report a problem with this question
19. A nurse aide is using a gait/transfer belt to move a resident who is weak on the right side from the bed to a wheelchair. Which step is correct?
- A.Leave the wheelchair unlocked so it can roll freely
- B.Grasp the belt from the top with the fingers pointing up
- C.Apply the belt over bare skin at the hips
- D.Stand on the resident's weak side and transfer toward the strong side✓ Answer
The aide stands on the weak (affected) side to support it and transfers the resident toward the strong side so the stronger leg bears the weight; the belt goes over clothing and wheels are locked for safety.
Source: NNAAP transfer skill: gait belt over clothing, lock wheels, transfer toward strong sideReport a problem with this question
20. A nurse aide needs to move a heavy object at a resident's bedside. Which use of body mechanics is correct?
- A.Bend at the knees and hips and keep the load close to the body✓ Answer
- B.Twist at the waist to turn while lifting
- C.Hold the load far away from the body
- D.Bend at the waist and keep the knees straight
Bending at the knees and hips uses the strong leg muscles and keeps the back straight, and holding the load close to the body reduces strain on the spine; bending at the waist or twisting can cause back injury.
Source: Body mechanics principles (bend at knees/hips, keep load close, no twisting)Report a problem with this question
Practice questions based on the NNAAP written content outline. Not affiliated with Credentia/Pearson VUE or any state nurse-aide registry, and not medical advice. Requirements vary by state. About CNA testing →