Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Usage Practice Questions
20 free Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Usage practice questions for the NCLEX Exam. Tap an option to answer — you get instant feedback, the correct answer, and a detailed explanation for every question.
The nurse is preparing to enter a room to provide care for a client with disseminated herpes zoster. Which combination of personal protective equipment (PPE) is most appropriate?
- A Gown, gloves, and an N95 respirator
- B Gloves and a surgical mask
- C A surgical mask, goggles, and a face shield
- D Gloves and a gown only
Correct answer: Gown, gloves, and an N95 respirator
Disseminated herpes zoster requires both airborne and contact precautions. The nurse must wear an N95 respirator for airborne protection and a gown and gloves to prevent contact transmission from the viral lesions.
A nurse is preparing to exit the room of a client on droplet precautions. Which is the correct sequence for removing personal protective equipment (PPE)?
- A Mask, goggles, gown, gloves
- B Gloves, gown, goggles, mask
- C Gloves, goggles, gown, mask
- D Gown, gloves, mask, goggles
Correct answer: Gloves, goggles, gown, mask
The most contaminated items should be removed first. The sequence starts with gloves, followed by goggles or a face shield, the gown, and finally the mask (which is removed outside the room for airborne, or at the doorway for droplet).
While suctioning a client with a tracheostomy, the nurse's face shield becomes splashed with secretions. Which action should the nurse take first?
- A Complete the suctioning procedure quickly.
- B Wipe the face shield thoroughly with a disinfectant wipe immediately.
- C Remove the contaminated PPE and wash the face with soap and water.
- D Notify the charge nurse of a potential exposure.
Correct answer: Remove the contaminated PPE and wash the face with soap and water.
Safety and decontamination are the priority following a splash of body fluids. The nurse should immediately stop the procedure, remove the contaminated equipment, and thoroughly wash the affected area to minimize infection risk.
Which action by the nurse demonstrates a correct understanding of gown usage in a contact precaution room?
- A Tying the gown only at the waist to allow for better ventilation.
- B Removing the gown after leaving the client's room.
- C Hanging the same gown by the door inside the room in order to reuse it again for the next client visit.
- D Ensuring the gown covers the torso from the neck to the knees and has long sleeves.
Correct answer: Ensuring the gown covers the torso from the neck to the knees and has long sleeves.
A gown must provide full coverage of the torso and arms to be effective. Gowns are single-use items and must be donned before entering and removed before exiting the client's environment.
A nurse is teaching a student about the use of gloves. Which statement by the student indicates the need for further teaching?
- A 'I should change my gloves right away if they become heavily soiled or torn during a task.'
- B 'I will perform hand hygiene every time I remove my gloves.'
- C 'Gloves do not replace the need for handwashing.'
- D 'I can use the same pair of gloves for two different tasks on the same client.'
Correct answer: 'I can use the same pair of gloves for two different tasks on the same client.'
Gloves should be changed when moving from a contaminated body site to a clean body site, even on the same client. This prevents the transfer of microorganisms from one part of the client's body to another.
The nurse is donning PPE to assist with a sterile procedure. Which item should be applied last?
- A Gown
- B Mask
- C Goggles
- D Gloves
Correct answer: Gloves
When donning PPE, the standard order is gown, then mask, then goggles/face shield, and finally gloves. The gloves are applied last so they can be pulled over the cuffs of the gown.
A nurse is caring for a client with vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE). Which PPE is required for all personnel entering the room?
- A Gloves and gown
- B Cap and mask
- C N95 respirator and goggles
- D No PPE is required unless touching the client
Correct answer: Gloves and gown
VRE requires contact precautions because the organism can survive on environmental surfaces. All personnel must wear a gown and gloves for every entry to prevent colonizing their own clothing or skin.
The nurse is providing care to a client with seasonal influenza. Which mask is most appropriate for the nurse to wear?
- A A standard surgical mask
- B An N95 respirator
- C A face shield without a mask
- D A bandana or cloth mask
Correct answer: A standard surgical mask
Influenza is transmitted via large respiratory droplets. Droplet precautions require a standard surgical mask; an N95 is only required for airborne pathogens or aerosol-generating procedures.
What is the primary reason a nurse wears goggles or a face shield during the irrigation of a wound?
- A To protect the mucous membranes of the eyes from splashes of drainage.
- B To prevent the nurse's hair and facial skin from falling directly into the open wound.
- C To improve the nurse's vision by reducing glare.
- D To prevent the transmission of airborne pathogens.
Correct answer: To protect the mucous membranes of the eyes from splashes of drainage.
Wound irrigation is an activity likely to generate splashes. Goggles or face shields protect the conjunctiva and ocular mucous membranes from contact with potentially infectious blood or body fluids.
A nurse is assigned to a client in a negative pressure room. Which PPE must be removed after leaving the room rather than inside the room?
- A Gloves
- B Gown
- C Protective goggles
- D N95 respirator
Correct answer: N95 respirator
For airborne precautions, the N95 respirator should be removed after exiting the room and closing the door. This ensures the nurse does not inhale any infectious particles remaining in the room's air.
The nurse is preparing to provide oral care for a client with HIV. Which PPE should be used?
- A Gown, gloves, mask, and goggles
- B Gloves and a gown
- C Gloves, mask, and goggles
- D Gloves only
Correct answer: Gloves, mask, and goggles
Standard precautions apply to HIV. Oral care involves contact with mucous membranes and a high risk of splashing saliva or blood, necessitating gloves, a mask, and eye protection.
Which action is correct when a nurse is wearing a mask that becomes damp from respirations?
- A Keep wearing the mask.
- B Replace the mask immediately.
- C Dry the mask with a paper towel.
- D Spray the mask with a disinfectant.
Correct answer: Replace the mask immediately.
A damp mask loses its effectiveness as a barrier because moisture allows for the 'wicking' of microorganisms through the material. It must be replaced as soon as it becomes moist.
When donning a mask with ties, which tie should be secured first?
- A The bottom tie at the neck.
- B The top tie at the back of the head.
- C Both ties should be tied simultaneously.
- D It does not matter which tie is secured first.
Correct answer: The top tie at the back of the head.
The top ties are secured first at the back of the head, followed by the bottom ties at the neck. This ensures the mask is positioned correctly and provides a snug fit over the bridge of the nose.
The nurse is performing a fit check on an N95 respirator. Which finding indicates the mask is fitted correctly?
- A The nurse can feel air escaping noticeably around the nose bridge during exhalation.
- B The respirator collapses slightly during a forceful inhalation.
- C The nurse can smell the perfume of a coworker.
- D The mask feels loose and comfortable around the chin.
Correct answer: The respirator collapses slightly during a forceful inhalation.
A successful fit check involves a slight collapse of the mask during inhalation and no air leakage during exhalation. If air escapes, the nosepiece or straps must be adjusted to ensure a proper seal.
A client is on contact precautions for a large abdominal wound. The nurse needs to take the client's blood pressure. Which action is most appropriate?
- A Bring the facility's shared blood pressure machine into the room and wipe it down afterward.
- B Use the blood pressure cuff dedicated to that client's room.
- C Take the blood pressure in the hallway before the client enters the room.
- D Wear two pairs of gloves when using the shared equipment.
Correct answer: Use the blood pressure cuff dedicated to that client's room.
Clients on transmission-based precautions should have dedicated non-critical equipment (e.g., stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs) to prevent the cross-contamination of other clients via shared devices.
A nurse is wearing a gown and gloves to care for a client. When removing the gown, how should the nurse handle the contaminated side?
- A Fold the gown with the contaminated 'outside' surface facing inward.
- B Roll the gown into a ball with the contaminated side facing outward.
- C Hang the gown on a hook so the outside can air out.
- D Wipe the outside of the gown with alcohol before removing it.
Correct answer: Fold the gown with the contaminated 'outside' surface facing inward.
When removing a gown, it should be folded or rolled so that the contaminated exterior is turned inside. This minimizes the risk of the nurse's hands or uniform touching the soiled surface.
Which PPE should the nurse wear when transporting a client with active pulmonary tuberculosis to a chest X-ray?
- A The nurse wears an N95 respirator; the client wears nothing at all.
- B The nurse wears a surgical mask; the client wears an N95.
- C The nurse wears an N95; the client wears a surgical mask.
- D The nurse wears nothing; the client wears a surgical mask.
Correct answer: The nurse wears nothing; the client wears a surgical mask.
During transport, the client wears a surgical mask to contain respiratory secretions at the source. The nurse does not need an N95 in the hallway or elevator if the client is masked; however, an N95 is used when in the room with the client.
A nurse is caring for a client with lice (pediculosis). Which PPE is recommended?
- A Mask only
- B Goggles only
- C Gown and gloves
- D N95 respirator only
Correct answer: Gown and gloves
Lice are transmitted through direct contact or contact with infested items (fomites). Contact precautions, including gown and gloves, are indicated until the client has been treated.
The nurse is about to change the linens of a client who is incontinent of stool. Which PPE should be prioritized?
- A Mask only
- B Gown and gloves
- C Goggles only
- D N95 respirator only
Correct answer: Gown and gloves
Standard precautions require the use of gloves and a gown when there is an anticipated risk of contact with blood or body fluids, such as stool, during linen changes for an incontinent client.
After providing care for a client on contact precautions, where should the nurse perform hand hygiene?
- A In the hallway, well after removing and disposing of all PPE items.
- B Inside the client's room after removing gloves and gown.
- C At the nurses' station.
- D Only if the gloves were visibly torn.
Correct answer: Inside the client's room after removing gloves and gown.
Hand hygiene must be performed immediately after removing gloves and gown, while still inside the client's room. This prevents the nurse from carrying pathogens on their hands to the door handle or the hallway.