NCLEX Test Strategy · Topic 6 of 9
Safety & Infection Control Questions
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Safety & Infection Control Questions
Safety and Infection Prevention and Control is 10–16% of NCLEX-RN items (2026 test plan). The answer matches the precaution to the route and tries the least restrictive safe step first.
Match the precaution to the route
Always on top of standard precautions
Standard precautions are used for every patient and need no order: gloves, plus gown or eye protection for expected splash. CDC also combines precautions for some diseases (disseminated zoster, varicella: airborne + contact) and starts precautions by symptoms before diagnosis.
After a fall or error
The patient comes before the paperwork
Restraints
The last resort
Fire: RACE
Triage and identification
Mass-casualty triage does the greatest good for the greatest number. Two identifiers prevent wrong-patient errors.
Real examples
When the usual answer changes
Standard or transmission-based?
Transmission-based precautions are added to standard
| Standard | Transmission-based | |
|---|---|---|
| Who | Every patient — no order needed | A named transmissible infection, or its symptoms |
| PPE | Gloves; gown or eye protection for expected splash | Matched to the route: contact, droplet or airborne |
On the exam
Renamed from "Safety and Infection Control" in the 2026 test plan (effective April 1, 2026); the range is unchanged. NCSBN content here: infection prevention and precautions, injury prevention, restraints, emergency response, hazardous materials, security plans, equipment safety, patient identification, and reporting errors and near misses.
Match the precaution to the route, try the least restrictive safe step first, and assess the patient before anything else after a fall or error.
Sources · 2026 NCLEX-RN Test Plan (NCSBN) · Transmission-Based Precautions (CDC) · Isolation Guideline Appendix A (CDC) · Standard Precautions for All Patient Care (CDC) · 2007 Isolation Precautions Guideline (CDC) · 42 CFR 482.13 Restraint or seclusion (Cornell LII) · Nursing Fundamentals 2e, 5.7 Restraints (Open RN) · Nursing Fundamentals 2e, 5.9 Environmental Safety (Open RN) · Nursing Fundamentals 2e, 2.5 Documentation (Open RN) · Nursing Fundamentals 2e, 13.2 Mobility Basic Concepts (Open RN) · Nursing Skills 2e, 15.2 Administering Medications (Open RN) · Medical-Surgical Nursing 34.5 Hospital Preparedness for Disasters (OpenStax) · EMS Mass Casualty Triage (StatPearls) · National Patient Safety Goals (The Joint Commission) · Follow your facility's protocol for isolation and restraints.
Go further
- GuideHow to Answer NCLEX Questions When Two Answers Look RightBoth options are true — the question is which comes first. The tie-breaker ladder (stem keywords, ABCs, acute-vs-expected, assess-before-act with its honest caveat, Maslow, scope), why word tricks don’t work, and a SATA to practice on.
- GuideNCLEX Bow-Tie Questions: Strategy and Playable ExampleLearn how NCLEX bow-tie questions connect a condition, priority actions, and monitoring parameters; see the live NurseSavvy count and try a playable example.
- GuideHow to Study for Med-Surg: Stop Memorizing, Start ConnectingMed-surg is the first course where memorizing stops working. Start every topic at the mechanism, climb from know-it to spot-it to act-on-it, and practice questions early at the right difficulty — with a real NGN bowtie to try in-page.
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