FINAL EXAM

An OR nurse will be participating in the intraoperative phase of a patients kidney transplant. What action will the nurse prioritize in this aspect of nursing care? A) Monitoring the patients physiologic status B) Providing emotional support to family C) Maintaining the patients cognitive status D) Maintaining a clean environment

A

The admitting nurse in a short-stay surgical unit is responsible for numerous aspects of care. What must the nurse verify before the patient is taken to the preoperative holding area? A) That preoperative teaching was performed B) That the family is aware of the length of the surgery C) That follow-up home care is not necessary D) That the family understands the patient will be discharged immediately after surgery

A

A circulating nurse provides care in a surgical department that has multiple surgeries scheduled for the day. The nurse should know to monitor which patient most closely during the intraoperative period because of the increased risk for hypothermia? A) A 74-year-old woman with a low body mass index B) A 17-year-old boy with traumatic injuries C) A 45-year-old woman having an abdominal hysterectomy D) A 13-year-old girl undergoing craniofacial surgery

A Elderly patients are at greatest risk during surgical procedures because they have an impaired ability to increase their metabolic rate and impaired thermoregulatory mechanisms, which increase susceptibility to hypothermia.

A clinic nurse is conducting a preoperative interview with an adult patient who will soon be scheduled to undergo cardiac surgery. What interview question most directly addresses the patients safety? A) What prescription and nonprescription medications do you currently take? B) Have you previously been admitted to the hospital, either for surgery or for medical treatment? C) How long do you expect to be at home recovering after your surgery? D) Would you say that you tend to eat a fairly healthy diet?

A It is imperative to know a preoperative patients current medication regimen, including OTC medications and supplements

The OR nurse acts in the circulating role during a patients scheduled cesarean section. For what task is this nurse solely responsible? A) Performing documentation B) Estimating the patients blood loss C) Setting up the sterile tables D) Keeping track of drains and sponges

A Main responsibilities of the circulating nurse include verifying consent; coordinating the team; and ensuring cleanliness, proper temperature and humidity, lighting, safe function of equipment, and the availability of supplies and materials. The circulating nurse monitors aseptic practices to avoid breaks in technique while coordinating the movement of related personnel as well as implementing fire safety precautions. The circulating nurse also monitors the patient and documents specific activities throughout the operation to ensure the patients safety and well-being

The nurse is performing a preadmission assessment of a patient scheduled for a bilateral mastectomy. Of what purpose of the preadmission assessment should the nurse be aware? A) Verifies completion of preoperative diagnostic testing B) Discusses and reviews patients health insurance coverage C) Determines the patients suitability as a surgical candidate D) Informs the patient of need for postoperative transportation

A Purposes of preadmission testing (PAT) include verifying completion of preoperative diagnostic testing

The circulating nurse in an outpatient surgery center is assessing a patient who is scheduled to receive moderate sedation. What principle should guide the care of a patient receiving this form of anesthesia? A) The patient must never be left unattended by the nurse. B) The patient should begin a course of antiemetics the day before surgery. C) The patient should be informed that he or she will remember most of the procedure. D) The patient must be able to maintain his or her own airway.

A The patient receiving moderate sedation should never be left unattended. The patients ability to maintain his or her airway depends on the level of sedation. The administration of moderate sedation is not a counter indication for giving an antiemetic. The patient receiving moderate sedation does not remember most of the procedure.

A nurse in the preoperative holding area is admitting a woman prior to reduction mammoplasty. What should the nurse include in the care given to this patient? Select all that apply. A) Establishing an IV line B) Verifying the surgical site with the patient C) Taking measures to ensure the patients comfort D) Applying a grounding device to the patient E) Preparing the medications to be administered in the OR

A,B,C In the holding area, the nurse reviews charts, identifies patients, verifies surgical site and marks site per institutional policy, establishes IV lines, administers medications, if prescribed, and takes measures to ensure each patients comfort

The nurse is preparing to send a patient to the OR for a scheduled surgery. What should the nurse ensure is on the chart when it accompanies the patient to surgery? Select all that apply. A) Laboratory reports B) Nurses notes C) Verification form D) Social work assessment E) Dieticians assessment

A,B,C The completed chart (with the preoperative checklist and verification form) accompanies the patient to the OR with the surgical consent form attached, along with all laboratory reports and nurses records. Any unusual last-minute observations that may have a bearing on anesthesia or surgery are noted prominently at the front of the chart

The nurse on an inpatient rheumatology unit receives a hand-off report on a client with an acute exacerbation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Which reported laboratory value requires the nurse to assess the client further? a. Creatinine: 3.9 mg/dL b. Platelet count: 210,000/mm3 c. Red blood cell count: 5.2/mm3 d. White blood cell count: 4400/mm3

ANS: A Lupus nephritis is the leading cause of death in clients with SLE. The creatinine level is very high and the nurse needs to perform further assessments related to this finding. The other laboratory values are normal.

A client who has had systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) for many years is in the clinic reporting hip pain with ambulation. Which action by the nurse is best? a. Assess medication records for steroid use. b. Facilitate a consultation with physical therapy. c. Measure the range of motion in both hips. d. Notify the health care provider immediately.

ANS: A Chronic steroid use is seen in clients with SLE and can lead to osteonecrosis (bone necrosis). The nurse should determine if the client has been taking a steroid. Physical therapy may be beneficial, but there is not enough information about the client yet. Measuring range of motion is best done by the physical therapist. Notifying the provider immediately is not warranted.

A client recently diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is in the clinic for a follow-up visit. The nurse evaluates that the client practices good self-care when the client makes which statement? a. "I always wear long sleeves, pants, and a hat when outdoors." b. "I try not to use cosmetics that contain any type of sunblock." c. "Since I tend to sweat a lot, I use a lot of baby powder." d. "Since I can't be exposed to the sun, I have been using a tanning bed."

ANS: A Good self-management of the skin in SLE includes protecting the skin from sun exposure, using sunblock, avoiding drying agents such as powder, and avoiding tanning beds.

A client with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was recently discharged from the hospital after an acute exacerbation. The client is in the clinic for a follow-up visit and is distraught about the possibility of another hospitalization disrupting the family. What action by the nurse is best? a. Explain to the client that SLE is an unpredictable disease. b. Help the client create backup plans to minimize disruption. c. Offer to talk to the family and educate them about SLE. d. Tell the client to remain compliant with treatment plans

ANS: B SLE is an unpredictable disease and acute exacerbations can occur without warning, creating chaos in the family. Helping the client make backup plans for this event not only will decrease the disruption but will give the client a sense of having more control. Explaining facts about the disease is helpful as well but does not engage the client in problem solving. The family may need education, but again this does not help the client to problem-solve. Remaining compliant may help decrease exacerbations, but is not as powerful an intervention as helping the client plan for such events.

The OR nurse is taking the patient into the OR when the patient informs the operating nurse that his grandmother spiked a 104F temperature in the OR and nearly died 15 years ago. What relevance does this information have regarding the patient? A) The patient may be experiencing presurgical anxiety. B) The patient may be at risk for malignant hyperthermia. C) The grandmothers surgery has minimal relevance to the patients surgery. D) The patient may be at risk for a sudden onset of postsurgical infection

B

The intraoperative nurse is implementing a care plan that addresses the surgical patients risk for vomiting. Interventions that address the potential for vomiting reduce the risk of what subsequent surgical complication? A) Impaired skin integrity B) Hypoxia C) Malignant hyperthermia D) Hypothermia

B

Verification that all required documentation is completed is an important function of the intraoperative nurse. The intraoperative nurse should confirm that the patients accompanying documentation includes which of the following? A) Discharge planning B) Informed consent C) Analgesia prescription D) Educational resources

B

You are the nurse caring for an unconscious trauma victim who needs emergency surgery. The patient is a 55-year-old man with an adult son. He is legally divorced and is planning to be remarried in a few weeks. His parents are at the hospital with the other family members. The physician has explained the need for surgery, the procedure to be done, and the risks to the children, the parents, and the fiancé. Who should be asked to sign the surgery consent form? A) The fianc B) The son C) The physician, acting as a surrogate D) The patients father

B the child would be the appropriate person to ask to sign the consent form as he is the closest relative at the hospital. The fiancé is not legally related to him as the marriage has not yet taken place. The father would only be asked to sign the consent if no children were present to sign. The physician would not sign if family members were available.

A client has newly diagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). What instruction by the nurse is most important? a. "Be sure you get enough sleep at night." b. "Eat plenty of high-protein, high-iron foods." c. "Notify your provider at once if you get a fever." d. "Weigh yourself every day on the same scale."

C

The nurse is caring for a patient on the medicalsurgical unit postoperative day 5. During each patient assessment, the nurse evaluates the patient for infection. Which of the following would be most indicative of infection? A) Presence of an indwelling urinary catheter B) Rectal temperature of 99.5F (37.5C) C) Red, warm, tender incision D) White blood cell (WBC) count of 8,000/mL

C

The perioperative nurse is constantly assessing the surgical patient for signs and symptoms of complications of surgery. Which symptom should first signal to the nurse the possibility that the patient is developing malignant hyperthermia? A) Increased temperature B) Oliguria C) Tachycardia D) Hypotension

C The initial symptoms of malignant hyperthermia are related to cardiovascular and musculoskeletal activity. Tachycardia (heart rate greater than 150 beats per minute) is often the earliest sign.

The nurse is preparing a patient for surgery prior to her hysterectomy without oophorectomy. The nurse is witnessing the patients signature on a consent form. Which comment by the patient would best indicate informed consent? A) I know Ill be fine because the physician said he has done this procedure hundreds of times. B) I know Ill have pain after the surgery but they'll do their best to keep it to a minimum. C) The physician is going to remove my uterus and told me about the risk of bleeding. D) Because the physician isnt taking my ovaries, Ill still be able to have children.

C The surgeon must inform the patient of the benefits, alternatives, possible risks, complications, disfigurement, disability, and removal of body parts as well as what to expect in the early and late postoperative periods. The nurse clarifies the information provided, and, if the patient requests additional information, the nurse notifies the physician.

The nurse is caring for a patient who is admitted to the ER with the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. The nurse notes during the assessment that the patients ribs and xiphoid process are prominent. The patient states she exercises two to three times daily and her mother indicates that she is being treated for anorexia nervosa. How should the nurse best follow up these assessment data? A) Inform the postoperative team about the patients risk for wound dehiscence. B) Evaluate the patients ability to manage her pain level. C) Facilitate a detailed analysis of the patients electrolyte levels. D) Instruct the patient on the need for a high-sodium diet to promote healing.

C The surgical team should be informed about the patients medical history regarding anorexia nervosa. Any nutritional deficiency, such as malnutrition, should be corrected before surgery to provide adequate protein for tissue repair. The electrolyte levels should be evaluated and corrected to prevent metabolic abnormalities in the operative and postoperative phase. The risk of wound dehiscence is more likely associated with obesity.

As an intraoperative nurse, you are the advocate for each of the patients who receives care in the surgical setting. How can you best exemplify the principles of patient advocacy? A) By encouraging the patient to perform deep breathing preoperatively B) By limiting the patients contact with family members preoperatively C) By maintaining each of your patients privacy D) By eliciting informed consent from patients

C Patient advocacy in the OR entails maintaining the patients physical and emotional comfort, privacy, rights, and dignity.

The nurse is caring for a hospice patient who is scheduled for a surgical procedure to reduce the size of his spinal tumor in an effort to relieve his pain. The nurse should plan this patient care with the knowledge that his surgical procedure is classified as which of the following? A) Diagnostic B) Laparoscopic C) Curative D) Palliative

D A patient on hospice will undergo a surgical procedure only for palliative care to reduce pain, but it is not curative. The reduction of tumor size to relieve pain is considered a palliative procedure.

The recovery room nurse is admitting a patient from the OR following the patients successful splenectomy. What is the first assessment that the nurse should perform on this newly admitted patient? A) Heart rate and rhythm B) Skin integrity C) Core body temperature D) Airway patency

D The primary objective in the immediate postoperative period is to maintain ventilation and, thus, prevent hypoxemia and hypercapnia