Universal Precautions Quiz
Questions: 16 · 10 minutes
1. What is the central principle of universal precautions?
Treat all human blood and specified body fluids as potentially infectious, regardless of known status.
Use protective measures only when a person has a confirmed bloodborne infection.
Apply the same maximum level of protective equipment during every interaction.
Focus primarily on preventing infections spread through coughing and sneezing.
2. You are about to draw blood and reasonably expect your hands could contact blood. What is the appropriate basic barrier?
Use a gown instead of gloves unless splashing occurs.
Wear eye protection but leave your hands uncovered for better control.
Double-glove only if the patient reports a bloodborne infection.
Wear disposable gloves for the procedure.
3. After using a disposable needle, where should it normally go?
On a tray until the procedure is fully documented
Directly into an appropriate closable, puncture-resistant sharps container
Into ordinary waste after the needle has been bent or broken
Into a specimen bag so it remains separate from general waste
4. Which body fluid is specifically covered by classic universal precautions even when no blood is visible?
Sweat
Urine
Semen
Nasal secretions
5. What should primarily determine which personal protective equipment is used for a task?
Whether the person is known to carry a bloodborne pathogen
A rule that the maximum available PPE must be worn for every task
The type and amount of contact or splashing reasonably anticipated
The worker’s preference for speed, comfort, or visibility
6. If recapping a contaminated needle is exceptionally required by a specific procedure and no alternative is feasible, which method reduces hand exposure?
Use a one-handed scoop technique or a suitable mechanical device.
Ask a coworker to hold the cap while you insert the needle.
Hold the cap firmly in one hand while guiding the needle with the other.
Bend the needle slightly before replacing the cap.
7. How do modern standard precautions differ from the original concept of universal precautions?
Standard precautions expand the approach to cover broader potential sources and routes of healthcare-associated infection.
Standard precautions apply only after an infection has been identified, while universal precautions apply beforehand.
Standard precautions concern environmental cleaning, while universal precautions concern only hand hygiene.
Standard precautions replaced protective equipment with vaccination and exposure testing.
8. After handling a blood-stained item, you remove your gloves without obvious skin contamination. What should you do before the next task?
Continue working because intact gloves fully replace hand hygiene.
Perform hand hygiene after removing the gloves.
Wipe your hands on a dry disposable towel.
Put on a new pair of gloves without cleaning your hands.
9. Emergency breathing support is needed, and blood is visible around the person’s mouth. If suitable equipment is available, what best limits direct contact?
Cover only your hands because facial contact is not relevant to blood exposure.
Give direct mouth-to-mouth breaths and perform hand hygiene afterward.
Delay all assistance until the blood has been completely removed.
Use a resuscitation bag, mask, or other appropriate ventilation barrier.
10. A used needle punctures your skin at work. What is the most appropriate immediate response?
Apply bleach or another surface disinfectant directly to the wound.
Wash the area with soap and water, report it promptly, and follow the exposure-response procedure.
Wait for symptoms before reporting the incident.
Squeeze the wound forcefully until it bleeds freely, then finish the shift.
11. A procedure may cause blood to splash toward your face and clothing. Which protection best matches the anticipated exposure?
Gloves alone, because blood exposure is mainly a hand-contact concern
A respirator alone, because all bloodborne pathogens travel through the air
Gloves, protective clothing, and appropriate eye and face protection
Two pairs of gloves and no facial barrier, provided you stand at arm’s length
12. You have a small cut on your hand and must perform a task that may involve blood contact. What should you do?
Rely on the cut’s natural clotting and avoid using that finger.
Clean the cut after the task so the covering does not interfere with grip.
Wear a glove only on the uninjured hand to preserve sensitivity in the injured hand.
Cover the cut with an appropriate protective dressing and wear gloves.
13. A filled specimen tube containing blood must be transported within the facility. Which approach best controls leakage and handling exposure?
Carry the uncapped tube upright so pressure cannot build inside it.
Wrap the tube in paper and place it in an open tray.
Wipe the label and carry the tube by hand without additional containment.
Securely close the tube and use the designated leak-resistant transport packaging according to local procedure.
14. A small blood spill occurs on a work surface. What is the appropriate response?
Cover it with absorbent material and leave it for routine end-of-day cleaning.
Wipe it with a dry cloth first, then return the cloth to general use.
Wear suitable PPE and clean and disinfect the area using the approved spill procedure.
Rinse it with water only, because disinfectants can damage surfaces.
15. Under classic universal precautions, which material is not routinely included unless it contains visible blood?
Urine
Vaginal secretions
Human blood
Cerebrospinal fluid
16. Blood-contaminated broken glass is on a work surface. How should it be picked up?
Pick it up carefully with gloved hands so it can be discarded quickly.
Use forceps, tongs, or a brush and dustpan rather than your hands.
Wrap your bare hand in several paper towels and lift the pieces together.
Push it into a pile by hand after the blood has dried.