Free CNA Practice Test
Infection Control
25 NNAAP-style questions, one at a time — just like exam day. Score and full explanations at the end.
Free CNA infection-control practice test covering the chain of infection, hand hygiene, standard and transmission-based precautions, PPE donning and doffing, and disposal of biohazardous waste. Drawn from the NNAAP content outline so the questions match what you will see on the written exam.
Need a refresher first? Read our free Infection Control study guide before taking the test.
Exam-simulator mode: picking an answer saves it and automatically moves you to the next question. You will not see right/wrong until you finish — just like the real NNAAP.
Question 1 of 25.Which of the following is the single most effective method for preventing the spread of infection in a long-term care facility?
Prefer to read? All 25 questions with answers
Which of the following is the single most effective method for preventing the spread of infection in a long-term care facility?
- Wearing gloves at all times
- Hand hygiene before and after every resident contact (correct answer)
- Wearing a surgical mask in hallways
- Using alcohol wipes on bedside tables
Hand hygiene is the number-one infection-control measure recognized by the CDC and is the most tested concept on the NNAAP written exam. Gloves do not replace hand hygiene; you must wash your hands after removing them.
How long should a CNA scrub the hands with soap and water during routine hand washing?
- At least 5 seconds
- At least 10 seconds
- At least 20 seconds (correct answer)
- At least 60 seconds
The CDC recommends at least 20 seconds of friction with soap and warm water — roughly the time it takes to sing 'Happy Birthday' twice. This is also a graded step on the NNAAP hand-hygiene skill.
A resident is on contact precautions for MRSA. Which personal protective equipment must the CNA wear before entering the room?
- N95 respirator only
- Gown and gloves (correct answer)
- Surgical mask only
- Gown, gloves, mask, and eye protection
Contact precautions require a gown and gloves for any patient contact or contact with the patient's environment. N95 respirators are reserved for airborne precautions.
Which sequence is correct when REMOVING personal protective equipment after care?
- Gown, gloves, eye protection, mask
- Mask, eye protection, gown, gloves
- Gloves, eye protection, gown, mask (correct answer)
- Gloves, gown, mask, eye protection
PPE is removed in the order most-contaminated to least-contaminated: gloves first (they are dirtiest), then eye protection, then gown, and finally the mask. The mask is removed last because the front is considered contaminated and is the last barrier protecting your airway.
Which of the following is NOT one of the six links in the chain of infection?
- Pathogen
- Reservoir
- Susceptible host
- Vaccination (correct answer)
The six links are pathogen, reservoir, portal of exit, mode of transmission, portal of entry, and susceptible host. Vaccination is one method of breaking the chain, not a link in it.
A resident has a known diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. Which type of precautions must the CNA follow?
- Standard precautions only
- Contact precautions
- Droplet precautions
- Airborne precautions (correct answer)
Tuberculosis is spread by tiny airborne droplet nuclei and requires airborne precautions — a fit-tested N95 respirator and a negative-pressure room with the door kept closed.
Which body fluid is NOT considered potentially infectious under standard precautions?
- Blood
- Saliva visibly contaminated with blood
- Sweat (correct answer)
- Wound drainage
Sweat is the only body fluid that is not considered infectious under standard precautions. All other body fluids — blood, saliva, urine, stool, vomit, wound drainage, and respiratory secretions — must be treated as potentially infectious.
Where should a used disposable syringe with an attached needle be placed after giving care?
- The regular trash
- A red biohazard bag
- A puncture-resistant sharps container (correct answer)
- The recycling bin
Sharps must always go into a puncture-resistant sharps container, and the needle is never recapped. Recapping is the leading cause of needlestick injuries among healthcare workers.
A resident has C. difficile (C. diff) diarrhea. Which hand-hygiene method is required after care?
- Alcohol-based hand sanitizer
- Soap and water for at least 20 seconds (correct answer)
- Antibacterial wipes
- Hand sanitizer followed by lotion
C. difficile spores are not killed by alcohol-based sanitizer. Soap and water must be used so the friction can physically remove the spores from the hands.
When applying personal protective equipment for isolation, which item is donned LAST?
- Gown
- Mask
- Gloves (correct answer)
- Eye protection
PPE is donned in the order gown, mask, eye protection, and finally gloves. Gloves go on last so the cuff of the gown can be tucked under them and the hands stay clean until they reach the patient.
Which action best demonstrates 'medical asepsis'?
- Sterilizing surgical instruments
- Washing hands before and after resident contact (correct answer)
- Placing a sterile field for a procedure
- Wearing sterile gloves for catheter insertion
Medical asepsis (clean technique) is about reducing the number of pathogens — hand washing is its central practice. Surgical asepsis (sterile technique) is used for invasive procedures.
A CNA accidentally sticks themselves with a used needle while changing linens. What is the FIRST action they should take?
- Continue working and report at the end of the shift
- Wash the area with soap and water and report immediately (correct answer)
- Apply a bandage and return to work
- Squeeze the wound to release blood
After a needlestick the CNA should immediately wash the area thoroughly with soap and water and report the exposure right away so post-exposure prophylaxis can be considered within the recommended window.
Which precaution is correct when handling soiled linens?
- Shake them out to check for personal items
- Carry them away from your body and place in a designated bag (correct answer)
- Place them on the floor while you clean the bed
- Rinse them in the resident's bathroom sink
Soiled linens should be rolled with the dirty side inward, held away from your uniform, and placed directly into the designated laundry bag. Never shake linens — this aerosolizes pathogens.
Which residents require droplet precautions?
- A resident with influenza (correct answer)
- A resident with measles
- A resident with MRSA in a wound
- A resident with HIV
Influenza, pertussis, mumps, and bacterial meningitis are spread by large respiratory droplets and require droplet precautions: a surgical mask within 6 feet of the resident.
When cleaning a resident's room, the CNA should always work:
- From dirty to clean areas
- From clean to dirty areas (correct answer)
- Top to bottom only
- In whatever order is fastest
Cleaning always proceeds from cleanest to dirtiest area to avoid spreading pathogens to surfaces that were already disinfected. Bathrooms and bedpans are cleaned last.
Which is a correct example of breaking the chain of infection at the 'portal of exit' link?
- Covering a cough with the elbow (correct answer)
- Vaccinating staff against influenza
- Disinfecting the bedside table
- Hand washing before eating
Covering a cough or sneeze blocks pathogens from leaving the reservoir — the respiratory tract is the portal of exit. Disinfection breaks the chain at the reservoir, hand washing at transmission, and vaccination at the susceptible host.
A resident with a productive cough has a positive TB skin test. The CNA must wear what type of mask?
- Standard surgical mask
- Cloth mask
- Fit-tested N95 respirator (correct answer)
- No mask is needed
Airborne precautions for TB require a fit-tested N95 respirator. Surgical masks do not filter the small particles that carry Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Which statement about gloves is TRUE?
- Gloves replace hand washing
- Gloves should be worn from one resident's room to the next
- Gloves should be changed between tasks on the same resident if hands become contaminated (correct answer)
- Gloves only need to be changed once per shift
Gloves must be changed between contaminated and clean tasks even on the same resident (for example, after perineal care before touching the eyes). Gloves do NOT replace hand hygiene — hands are always washed after gloves are removed.
Which of the following is the BEST example of a 'reservoir' in the chain of infection?
- A door handle
- A resident infected with hepatitis B (correct answer)
- A bedpan
- An open wound on the CNA
A reservoir is where the pathogen lives and multiplies — most commonly an infected human. Contaminated objects are 'fomites' that act as the mode of transmission, not the reservoir.
When should hand hygiene be performed?
- Only when hands look dirty
- Only before patient contact
- Only after patient contact
- Before and after every patient contact, after removing gloves, and after touching contaminated surfaces (correct answer)
The WHO 'Five Moments for Hand Hygiene' include before patient contact, before aseptic procedures, after body fluid exposure, after patient contact, and after touching patient surroundings — even when hands look clean.
Which is the BEST way to prevent a urinary catheter–associated infection (CAUTI)?
- Disconnect the catheter tubing for transfers
- Keep the drainage bag below the level of the bladder (correct answer)
- Empty the bag only at the end of the shift
- Clamp the tubing during meals
Keeping the drainage bag below the level of the bladder prevents backflow of urine into the bladder, which is a major cause of CAUTIs. The closed system should never be disconnected unnecessarily.
What is the correct response if a CNA accidentally splashes blood into the eyes?
- Wipe the eyes with a tissue and continue working
- Flush the eyes at an eyewash station for at least 15 minutes and report immediately (correct answer)
- Apply eye drops
- Rinse with hand sanitizer
A mucous-membrane splash requires immediate flushing at an eyewash station for at least 15 minutes followed by an exposure report so the source patient can be tested and post-exposure prophylaxis offered.
Which of the following is considered a 'fomite'?
- A CNA's hands
- A coughing resident
- A contaminated stethoscope (correct answer)
- A susceptible older adult
A fomite is any non-living object that can carry pathogens between hosts — stethoscopes, doorknobs, bedrails, and call lights are common fomites in healthcare.
A resident in isolation needs to be transported to radiology. What should the CNA do?
- Skip PPE because transport is brief
- Notify the receiving department, place a mask on the resident if appropriate, and use clean linens (correct answer)
- Have the resident walk to radiology without PPE
- Refuse to transport the resident
Transport of an isolation resident requires notifying the receiving department in advance, applying a surgical mask to the resident for droplet/airborne precautions when tolerated, and using clean linens to cover the gurney.
The single most important reason CNAs use standard precautions with EVERY resident is:
- Only some residents look sick
- Many infections are present before symptoms appear or testing is done (correct answer)
- It is cheaper than transmission-based precautions
- Standard precautions are only used in the operating room
Standard precautions assume that the blood and body fluids of every patient may contain pathogens, including those carrying infections that have not yet been diagnosed (such as HIV or hepatitis). This is why they are applied to ALL residents.
FAQ: Infection Control on the CNA Exam
How many infection control questions are on the actual NNAAP exam?
The NNAAP written exam has 60 scored questions distributed across eight content areas. Infection Control is one of the most heavily tested categories, with several questions appearing on every form of the exam. Drilling these questions repeatedly until you can explain why each correct answer is correct is the best way to lock in the material.
What should I do if I miss several questions on this infection control practice test?
Re-read the corresponding free study guide (linked above and below) before retaking the test. Take notes on the exact concept you missed — for example, 'I confused contact and droplet precautions' — and review the explanations until the pattern is clear. Most students need 2 to 3 cycles of test, review, and retake before consistently scoring above 80%.
Are these questions identical to the real CNA exam?
No. The actual NNAAP, Prometric, Headmaster, and PSI exams are confidential and only the official testing vendors have access to live items. Our questions are written by us to mirror NNAAP style, difficulty, and content distribution based on the publicly available NNAAP content outline. Performing well here is a strong predictor of passing the real test.
Do I have to pay or sign up to take this practice test?
No. Every practice test, study guide, and resource on freecnatraining.org is 100% free, with no signup or paywall. Most other CNA practice test sites charge $30 to $100 per month for access; we are funded by our nursing-school directory and keep the study material free for students.