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DHA Infection Prevention & Control Practice Questions
Infection control is tested in every Gulf nursing exam because it applies to every ward. Expect questions on hand hygiene, choosing the right precautions and PPE, and preventing device-related infections. Below are 5 free sample questions for the DHA Registered Nurse exam, each with the answer and a rationale.
What this topic covers
- WHO 5 moments of hand hygiene
- Standard, contact, droplet and airborne precautions
- PPE donning and doffing order
- Sharps and needlestick injury response
- CAUTI, CLABSI and VAP prevention
- Sepsis recognition
The full bank has 100 infection prevention & control questions, part of 1,500 questions across 16 nursing topics.
Free DHA infection prevention & control questions
1. For a mechanically ventilated patient without contraindications, what head-of-bed elevation is recommended to help prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP)?
- A. 30–45 degrees
- B. 80–90 degrees at all times
- C. 10–15 degrees
- D. 0–10 degrees (flat)
Show answer and rationale
Elevating the head of the bed to 30–45 degrees reduces aspiration of gastric contents and oropharyngeal secretions, which is a key VAP-prevention measure.
Reference: IHI Ventilator Bundle
2. Where should healthcare waste be segregated into the correct category?
- A. Anywhere, as long as it is done within 24 hours
- B. At the final disposal or treatment facility
- C. At the point where the waste is generated
- D. In the central hospital waste store
Show answer and rationale
WHO guidance states that healthcare waste should be segregated at the point of generation by the person producing it, which keeps hazardous waste separate and protects staff further along the chain.
Reference: WHO Safe management of wastes from health-care activities
3. Which disease requires droplet precautions?
- A. Influenza
- B. Chickenpox (varicella)
- C. Pulmonary tuberculosis
- D. Clostridioides difficile infection
Show answer and rationale
Influenza spreads mainly by large respiratory droplets, so droplet precautions are used. TB and varicella require airborne precautions, and C. difficile requires contact precautions.
Reference: CDC Guideline for Isolation Precautions – droplet precautions
4. A nurse cleans a patient's bedside table and shared equipment between uses. Which link in the chain of infection is this action mainly breaking?
- A. Reservoir
- B. Portal of exit
- C. Susceptible host
- D. Portal of entry
Show answer and rationale
Contaminated surfaces and equipment act as reservoirs where microorganisms survive, so cleaning and disinfecting them removes the reservoir. Covering wounds addresses portals of entry, and vaccination protects the susceptible host.
Reference: Potter & Perry Fundamentals of Nursing – chain of infection
5. A patient is to have abdominal surgery tomorrow and has abundant hair at the incision site. What is the recommended approach to hair removal?
- A. Shave the area with a razor in the operating room
- B. Shave the area with a razor the evening before surgery
- C. Remove hair only if necessary, using electric clippers close to the time of surgery
- D. Use a razor and then apply antiseptic to any nicks
Show answer and rationale
Razors cause microscopic cuts that become colonised and increase surgical site infection risk. Hair should not be removed routinely; if necessary, clippers are used close to the time of surgery.
Reference: WHO Global Guidelines for the Prevention of Surgical Site Infection
Study tip
Learn which diseases need which precautions (for example TB, measles and varicella are airborne). Questions often hinge on that single fact.
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