NURSING FUNDAMENTALS
PATIENT SAFETY & CLINICAL PRACTICE
EXAM QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
These four agencies form the foundation of healthcare safety standards in the United States. Know each
one's role, focus, and how they protect nurses and patients.
Acronyms & Definitions
The four safety regulatory OSHA · CDC · NIOSH · QSEN
agencies
OSHA stands for Occupational Safety and Health Administration
CDC stands for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
NIOSH stands for National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
QSEN stands for Quality and Safety Education for Nurses
Roles & Functions of Each Agency
Purpose of OSHA To protect healthcare WORKERS from occupational
hazards
OSHA regulates things such as: Hazardous chemicals
Bloodborne pathogens
Needlestick injuries
PPE standards
The CDC focuses on Disease prevention and control
The CDC creates ___ to regulate Infection control guidelines
disease Isolation precautions
Vaccine schedules
NIOSH focuses on PREVENTING workplace injury
, NIOSH is based in the role of A research agency — it studies and identifies risks
before they become regulations
An example of NIOSH would be Studying long-term effects of nurse back injuries
QSEN's 6 core competencies are 1. Patient-centered care
2. Teamwork & collaboration
3. Evidence-based practice
4. Quality improvement
5. Safety
6. Informatics
Memory Hook — Agency Mnemonics
🔒 OSHA — Protects the NURSE so the nurse can protect the PATIENT
Workplace hazards, chemicals, PPE, bloodborne pathogens
🦠 CDC — Prevents spread BEFORE treatment is needed
Infection control, isolation precautions, vaccine schedules
🔬 NIOSH — Identifies risks BEFORE they become standards
Research agency — studies occupational hazards long-term
🎓 QSEN — Builds safety thinking INTO nursing behavior
Education framework — 6 core nursing competencies
, SECTION 2 — Restraints — Legal, Ethical & Clinical Standards
Restraints are a LAST resort. The exam tests whether you know alternatives, risks, legal requirements, and
the ethical framework around restraint use.
Core Facts About Restraints
What do restraints NOT prevent? Falls — restraints do NOT prevent falls
Restraints INCREASE the risk of: Strangulation
Pressure injuries
Agitation
Death
What is a chemical restraint? Medication used to control behavior — NOT to treat a
condition
Why Restraints Don't Prevent Falls — and Cause More Harm
4 Reasons Restraints Make Things WORSE:
1. Patients try to escape the restraint
2. Become more agitated, increasing confusion and panic
3. Climb over rails → sustain worse injuries than they would have unrestrained
4. Falls happen when mobility is RESTRICTED, not improved
Legal Requirements for Restraint Use
Legal requirements of restraints: Provider ORDER required
Time-limited (must expire and be renewed)
Frequent reassessment of patient
Documentation is critical
What nurses must PROVE before That the patient was UNSAFE without them
restraints are placed: That ALL other alternatives were tried and failed
What do restraints violate? Autonomy AND safety — a dual ethical conflict
PATIENT SAFETY & CLINICAL PRACTICE
EXAM QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
These four agencies form the foundation of healthcare safety standards in the United States. Know each
one's role, focus, and how they protect nurses and patients.
Acronyms & Definitions
The four safety regulatory OSHA · CDC · NIOSH · QSEN
agencies
OSHA stands for Occupational Safety and Health Administration
CDC stands for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
NIOSH stands for National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
QSEN stands for Quality and Safety Education for Nurses
Roles & Functions of Each Agency
Purpose of OSHA To protect healthcare WORKERS from occupational
hazards
OSHA regulates things such as: Hazardous chemicals
Bloodborne pathogens
Needlestick injuries
PPE standards
The CDC focuses on Disease prevention and control
The CDC creates ___ to regulate Infection control guidelines
disease Isolation precautions
Vaccine schedules
NIOSH focuses on PREVENTING workplace injury
, NIOSH is based in the role of A research agency — it studies and identifies risks
before they become regulations
An example of NIOSH would be Studying long-term effects of nurse back injuries
QSEN's 6 core competencies are 1. Patient-centered care
2. Teamwork & collaboration
3. Evidence-based practice
4. Quality improvement
5. Safety
6. Informatics
Memory Hook — Agency Mnemonics
🔒 OSHA — Protects the NURSE so the nurse can protect the PATIENT
Workplace hazards, chemicals, PPE, bloodborne pathogens
🦠 CDC — Prevents spread BEFORE treatment is needed
Infection control, isolation precautions, vaccine schedules
🔬 NIOSH — Identifies risks BEFORE they become standards
Research agency — studies occupational hazards long-term
🎓 QSEN — Builds safety thinking INTO nursing behavior
Education framework — 6 core nursing competencies
, SECTION 2 — Restraints — Legal, Ethical & Clinical Standards
Restraints are a LAST resort. The exam tests whether you know alternatives, risks, legal requirements, and
the ethical framework around restraint use.
Core Facts About Restraints
What do restraints NOT prevent? Falls — restraints do NOT prevent falls
Restraints INCREASE the risk of: Strangulation
Pressure injuries
Agitation
Death
What is a chemical restraint? Medication used to control behavior — NOT to treat a
condition
Why Restraints Don't Prevent Falls — and Cause More Harm
4 Reasons Restraints Make Things WORSE:
1. Patients try to escape the restraint
2. Become more agitated, increasing confusion and panic
3. Climb over rails → sustain worse injuries than they would have unrestrained
4. Falls happen when mobility is RESTRICTED, not improved
Legal Requirements for Restraint Use
Legal requirements of restraints: Provider ORDER required
Time-limited (must expire and be renewed)
Frequent reassessment of patient
Documentation is critical
What nurses must PROVE before That the patient was UNSAFE without them
restraints are placed: That ALL other alternatives were tried and failed
What do restraints violate? Autonomy AND safety — a dual ethical conflict
