Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Exam: Infection Control Concepts
Importance ★★★★★ · 18% (estimate)
Overview
This chapter explains how germs spread and how a nurse aide stops them. Questions often ask which hand hygiene to use, which protective equipment to wear, and how to handle dirty items.
Hand hygiene is the most important way to prevent the spread of infection. Alcohol-based hand rub is fine for most routine hand hygiene, but hands that are visibly soiled must be washed with soap and water. Gloves never replace hand hygiene, so clean your hands after removing gloves. Change gloves between residents and when moving from a dirty task to a clean task.
Standard precautions are used for every resident, every time, because you cannot tell who carries germs. Some residents also need transmission-based precautions: contact precautions (gown and gloves) for germs spread by touch, droplet precautions (a mask) for germs such as the flu, and airborne precautions (a special room and a fitted respirator) for germs such as tuberculosis.
Work from clean areas toward dirty areas. Carry soiled linen away from your uniform, never shake it, and never put it on the floor. Put used razors in a sharps container, and never share personal care items between residents.
Key concepts
Hand hygiene
Cleaning the hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub; the most important way to stop the spread of germs.
Memory tipVisibly dirty hands → soap and water.
Source: CDC, Hand Hygiene in Healthcare Settings · as of 2026
Standard precautions
Infection control steps used with all residents, treating blood, body fluids, broken skin, and mucous membranes as possibly infectious.
Memory tipEvery resident, every time.
Contact precautions
Extra precautions for germs spread by touch; staff wear a gown and gloves.
Memory tipContact = gown + gloves.
Droplet precautions
Extra precautions for germs spread in larger droplets from coughs and sneezes, such as the flu; staff wear a mask when close to the resident.
Memory tipDroplet = mask.
Airborne precautions
Extra precautions for germs that stay in the air, such as tuberculosis; a special room with the door closed and a fitted respirator such as an N95.
Memory tipTB = airborne = respirator.
PPE order
A common order for putting on protective equipment is gown, mask, goggles or face shield, and gloves last.
Memory tipGloves go on last.
Often tested
- Clean your hands after removing gloves.
- Change gloves when going from a dirty task to a clean task.
- Never shake soiled linen; hold it away from your uniform.
- Used razors go in a sharps container.
- Report redness, swelling, warmth, or drainage around a wound.
Easy to confuse: Transmission-based precautions
| Type | Spread by | Main protection | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact | Touch | Gown and gloves | Some drug-resistant bacteria |
| Droplet | Large drops from coughs and sneezes | Mask | Influenza |
| Airborne | Tiny particles that stay in the air | Special room and fitted respirator | Tuberculosis |
3 sample questions
Verified practice questions from this unit.
Question 1. What is the single most important way to prevent the spread of infection in a care facility?
- ① Opening the windows
- ② Giving antibiotics
- ③ Hand hygiene
- ④ Wearing a mask all day
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Answer: ③ Hand hygiene
Key point: Hand hygiene is the No. 1 way to stop infection
Hands carry germs from person to person and from surfaces to people. Hand hygiene, either washing with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand rub, is the most important way to stop the spread of infection.
Wrong choices
- Opening the windows: Fresh air does not remove germs from hands and surfaces.
- Giving antibiotics: Nurse aides do not give antibiotics, and antibiotics do not stop the spread of germs between people.
- Wearing a mask all day: Masks help in some situations, but hand hygiene prevents the most spread.
Question 2. Your hands are visibly dirty after helping a resident. What should you do?
- ① Wipe your hands on your uniform
- ② Put on gloves over the dirt
- ③ Wash with soap and water
- ④ Use alcohol-based hand rub
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Answer: ③ Wash with soap and water
Key point: Visibly soiled hands: soap and water
Alcohol-based hand rub works for most routine hand hygiene, but when hands are visibly soiled you must wash with soap and water. Soap and running water remove dirt and body fluids that hand rub cannot.
Wrong choices
- Wipe your hands on your uniform: This spreads germs to your uniform and does not clean your hands.
- Put on gloves over the dirt: Gloves do not clean hands, and germs stay on the skin.
- Use alcohol-based hand rub: Hand rub is not enough when hands are visibly dirty.
Question 3. Standard precautions should be used for which residents?
- ① All residents, whether or not they are known to have an infection
- ② Only when a doctor writes an order
- ③ Only residents in isolation rooms
- ④ Only residents with a known infection
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Answer: ① All residents, whether or not they are known to have an infection
Key point: Standard precautions apply to every resident
Standard precautions treat all blood, body fluids (except sweat), broken skin, and mucous membranes as possibly infectious. They are used with every resident, every time, because you cannot tell who carries germs.
Wrong choices
- Only when a doctor writes an order: Standard precautions are used every time, without an order.
- Only residents in isolation rooms: Isolation residents need extra precautions on top of standard precautions.
- Only residents with a known infection: Many people carry germs without signs, so precautions are needed for everyone.
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