NUR 521L Foundational Skills for the
Professional Nurse Practice Exam 2026/2027:
Verified Q&A with Rationales | Instant PDF
Download
### Section 1: Infection Control & Asepsis (Qs 1-20)
**1.** A nurse is preparing to insert a urinary catheter. Which
technique is required for this sterile procedure?
A) Medical asepsis
B) **Surgical asepsis**
C) Droplet precautions
D) Reverse isolation
**CORRECT ANSWER: B**
*EXPLANATION: Urinary catheter insertion requires surgical asepsis
(sterile technique) to prevent introducing pathogens into the sterile
bladder. Medical asepsis (clean technique) is insufficient because it
reduces but does not eliminate all organisms.*
**2.** What is the minimum amount of time a nurse should rub their
hands together when using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer?
A) 5 seconds
B) **20 seconds**
C) 45 seconds
,D) 2 minutes
**CORRECT ANSWER: B**
*EXPLANATION: Hand sanitizer requires approximately 20 seconds of
contact time to kill most transient flora. The hands must be rubbed
until dry. Five seconds is insufficient for effective killing, while 45
seconds or longer is unnecessary and may dry the skin.*
**3.** Which piece of personal protective equipment (PPE) should be
donned first?
A) Gloves
B) Mask
C) **Gown**
D) Goggles
**CORRECT ANSWER: C**
*EXPLANATION: The sequence for donning PPE is: Gown first, then
Mask or Respirator, followed by Goggles/Face Shield, and finally
Gloves. Putting the gown on first ensures that the other items are
placed over the gown, maintaining a sterile or clean barrier.*
**4.** A patient has active pulmonary tuberculosis. Which type of
isolation is required?
A) Contact Precautions
B) **Airborne Precautions**
C) Droplet Precautions
,D) Protective Environment
**CORRECT ANSWER: B**
*EXPLANATION: TB spreads through small droplet nuclei that can
remain suspended in the air for long periods. Airborne Precautions
require an N95 respirator and a negative pressure room. Droplet
precautions are for larger particles like flu or pertussis.*
**5.** A nurse is removing PPE after caring for a patient on Contact
Precautions. What is the correct doffing order to prevent
contamination?
A) Gloves, Mask, Gown
B) **Gloves, Gown, Mask**
C) Gown, Gloves, Mask
D) Mask, Gown, Gloves
**CORRECT ANSWER: B**
*EXPLANATION: Gloves are the most contaminated and come off
first. The gown is then removed carefully, rolling it inside out. The
mask is removed last, handling only the straps. This sequence
minimizes the risk of contaminating clothing or mucous membranes.*
**6.** The single most important intervention for preventing the
spread of infection in healthcare is:
A) Wearing gloves for all patient contact
B) **Performing hand hygiene**
, C) Wearing a mask in hallways
D) Isolating all post-operative patients
**CORRECT ANSWER: B**
*EXPLANATION: Hand hygiene is universally recognized as the
primary measure to reduce healthcare-associated infections. Gloves
are adjunctive but do not replace hand hygiene because hands can
become contaminated during glove removal.*
**7.** A nurse is preparing a sterile field. Which action constitutes
contamination?
A) Placing sterile items in the center of the field
B) **Reaching across the sterile field**
C) Opening a sterile package away from the body
D) Holding a gloved hand above waist level
**CORRECT ANSWER: B**
*EXPLANATION: Reaching across a sterile field contaminates it
because airborne particles and loose clothing from the nurse’s arm
can fall onto the sterile surface. Sterile fields must be approached
from the side, never the front.*
**8.** A patient with *Clostridium difficile* requires which type of
hand hygiene?
A) Alcohol-based hand sanitizer only
B) **Soap and water**
Professional Nurse Practice Exam 2026/2027:
Verified Q&A with Rationales | Instant PDF
Download
### Section 1: Infection Control & Asepsis (Qs 1-20)
**1.** A nurse is preparing to insert a urinary catheter. Which
technique is required for this sterile procedure?
A) Medical asepsis
B) **Surgical asepsis**
C) Droplet precautions
D) Reverse isolation
**CORRECT ANSWER: B**
*EXPLANATION: Urinary catheter insertion requires surgical asepsis
(sterile technique) to prevent introducing pathogens into the sterile
bladder. Medical asepsis (clean technique) is insufficient because it
reduces but does not eliminate all organisms.*
**2.** What is the minimum amount of time a nurse should rub their
hands together when using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer?
A) 5 seconds
B) **20 seconds**
C) 45 seconds
,D) 2 minutes
**CORRECT ANSWER: B**
*EXPLANATION: Hand sanitizer requires approximately 20 seconds of
contact time to kill most transient flora. The hands must be rubbed
until dry. Five seconds is insufficient for effective killing, while 45
seconds or longer is unnecessary and may dry the skin.*
**3.** Which piece of personal protective equipment (PPE) should be
donned first?
A) Gloves
B) Mask
C) **Gown**
D) Goggles
**CORRECT ANSWER: C**
*EXPLANATION: The sequence for donning PPE is: Gown first, then
Mask or Respirator, followed by Goggles/Face Shield, and finally
Gloves. Putting the gown on first ensures that the other items are
placed over the gown, maintaining a sterile or clean barrier.*
**4.** A patient has active pulmonary tuberculosis. Which type of
isolation is required?
A) Contact Precautions
B) **Airborne Precautions**
C) Droplet Precautions
,D) Protective Environment
**CORRECT ANSWER: B**
*EXPLANATION: TB spreads through small droplet nuclei that can
remain suspended in the air for long periods. Airborne Precautions
require an N95 respirator and a negative pressure room. Droplet
precautions are for larger particles like flu or pertussis.*
**5.** A nurse is removing PPE after caring for a patient on Contact
Precautions. What is the correct doffing order to prevent
contamination?
A) Gloves, Mask, Gown
B) **Gloves, Gown, Mask**
C) Gown, Gloves, Mask
D) Mask, Gown, Gloves
**CORRECT ANSWER: B**
*EXPLANATION: Gloves are the most contaminated and come off
first. The gown is then removed carefully, rolling it inside out. The
mask is removed last, handling only the straps. This sequence
minimizes the risk of contaminating clothing or mucous membranes.*
**6.** The single most important intervention for preventing the
spread of infection in healthcare is:
A) Wearing gloves for all patient contact
B) **Performing hand hygiene**
, C) Wearing a mask in hallways
D) Isolating all post-operative patients
**CORRECT ANSWER: B**
*EXPLANATION: Hand hygiene is universally recognized as the
primary measure to reduce healthcare-associated infections. Gloves
are adjunctive but do not replace hand hygiene because hands can
become contaminated during glove removal.*
**7.** A nurse is preparing a sterile field. Which action constitutes
contamination?
A) Placing sterile items in the center of the field
B) **Reaching across the sterile field**
C) Opening a sterile package away from the body
D) Holding a gloved hand above waist level
**CORRECT ANSWER: B**
*EXPLANATION: Reaching across a sterile field contaminates it
because airborne particles and loose clothing from the nurse’s arm
can fall onto the sterile surface. Sterile fields must be approached
from the side, never the front.*
**8.** A patient with *Clostridium difficile* requires which type of
hand hygiene?
A) Alcohol-based hand sanitizer only
B) **Soap and water**
