NCLEX-PN Safety and Infection Prevention Practice Test
Isolation precautions, falls, restraints, incident reports and error prevention. Here are 7 NCLEX-PN safety and infection prevention questions, each with the answer and the reason.
Updated by the Tigertest team. Based on the NCSBN 2026 NCLEX-PN Test Plan Client Needs categories. Original questions, not affiliated with NCSBN.
- 1.
The PN finds a resident smoking in bed while wearing a nasal cannula. What should the PN do first?
- A.
Put out the cigarette at once
- B.
Open the window to clear the room
- C.
Call the fire department
- D.
Fill out an incident report
Answer: A.The flame is the immediate danger in an oxygen-rich area, so it is extinguished first, then the oxygen is turned off and the resident is moved from the hazard. The incident report and reinforcement of the no-smoking rule come afterward.
- A.
- 2.
The PN sees a visitor slip and fall in the hallway. The visitor reports knee pain. What should the PN do?
- A.
Help the visitor stand and walk to a chair
- B.
Keep the visitor still and call for help
- C.
Tell the visitor to see a provider at home
- D.
Take the visitor to the emergency department by wheelchair
Answer: B.An injured person is not moved until checked, so the PN keeps the visitor still, gets help and later completes an incident report per facility policy. Standing on an injured knee or sending the visitor home can make the injury worse.
- A.
- 3.
The PN is preparing to give medications to a resident who has dementia and cannot state her name. How should the PN identify the resident?
- A.
Check the wristband against the medication record
- B.
Ask the roommate to confirm the resident's full name
- C.
Use the photo on the door as the only check
- D.
Ask the resident to nod when her name is said
Answer: A.Two identifiers from the wristband, such as name and date of birth, are checked against the medication record every time. A roommate, a door photo alone or a nod from a confused resident are not reliable identifiers.
- A.
- 4.
A provider prescribes a soft wrist restraint for a confused client who keeps pulling at a nasogastric tube. Which action by the PN is correct?
- A.
Tie it to the movable side rail with a square knot
- B.
Tie it to the bed frame with a quick-release knot
- C.
Remove it only when the family is visiting
- D.
Keep it on for 48 hours before the order is renewed
Answer: B.A restraint is tied to a part of the bed frame that moves with the client, using a knot that staff can release in one pull. A side rail can trap the limb when it is lowered, the restraint is released and the skin checked at regular intervals per policy, and the order is renewed as facility policy and regulations require.
- A.
- 5.
The PN is caring for a client with Clostridioides difficile diarrhea. Which action is most important for preventing transmission?
- A.
Use alcohol-based hand rub after care
- B.
Wear an N95 respirator in the room
- C.
Wash hands with soap and water after care
- D.
Place the client in a negative-pressure room
Answer: C.C. difficile spores are not killed by alcohol, so hands are washed with soap and water to remove them, along with contact precautions and bleach cleaning. The infection spreads by contact, not through the air, so respirators and negative pressure are not needed.
- A.
- 6.
The PN discovers a small fire in a trash can in an empty client room. The PN moves nearby clients away and pulls the alarm. Which action is next?
- A.
Turn off the oxygen to the whole unit
- B.
Call the fire department from the room
- C.
Use the extinguisher on the fire
- D.
Close the doors to confine the fire
Answer: D.RACE is Rescue, Alarm, Confine, Extinguish, so after rescue and the alarm the PN closes doors to contain the smoke and fire, then extinguishes a small fire if it is safe. Oxygen shutoff is done by the person designated in the facility plan, usually the charge nurse.
- A.
- 7.
The PN is giving a subcutaneous injection. Which action prevents a needlestick injury?
- A.
Activate the safety shield right after the injection
- B.
Recap the needle with two hands before disposal
- C.
Set the used syringe on the tray to discard later
- D.
Bend the needle before placing it in the sharps box
Answer: A.The safety device is activated immediately and the syringe goes straight into a sharps container at the point of use. Two-handed recapping, carrying an uncovered needle and bending needles are the actions that cause needlesticks.
- A.
Drill every safety and infection prevention question in the NCLEX-PN Safety and Infection Prevention drill: questions you miss come back until you have mastered them. Then take a timed practice test with the NCLEX-PN section in it.
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