CAPA WRITTEN EXAM PRACTICE
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026/2027
3 - ANSWER-When educating the patient on what to expect during the administration of
spinal anesthesia, the perianesthesia nurse understands that the progression of
blockage occurs in the following order:
1. sensory, motor, autonomic
2. motor, sensory, autonomic
3. autonomic, sensory, motor
4. motor, autonomic, sensory
3 - ANSWER-After extubation of a patient, which of the following would be considered
most serious?
1. Sore throat
2. Impaired swallowing ability
3. Inspiratory stridor
4. Hoarseness
1 - ANSWER-Which of the following interventions would be used first to maintain
adequate perfusion and oxygen supply to cardiac muscles following hepatic surgery in a
patient with a history of coronary artery disease:
1. Ensure a hemoglobin concentration ≥ 10 g.
2. Treat tachydysrhythmias and hypotension.
3. Monitor oxygen saturation via pulse oximetry.
4. Administer appropriate medications.
4 - ANSWER-The use of the pulse oximeter has become a routine part of PACU care.
The post anesthesia nurse may decide that oximetry monitoring is indicated when the
patient:
1. has had minor surgery.
2. has normal vital signs.
3. has had regional anesthesia.
4. is severely hypothermic.
3 - ANSWER-The perianesthesia nurse is aware that a dramatic decrease in the
calcium may be cause by removal of the:
1. pituitary gland.
2. thyroid gland.
3. parathyroid gland.
4. adrenal glands.
,2 - ANSWER-Tidal volume is most precisely defined as the amount of:
1. air exchange in one minute.
2. gas passing into or out of the lungs in each respiratory cycle.
3. gas remaining within the chest after maximal expiration.
4. air exchange with full inspiration and expiration.
4 - ANSWER-In caring for a preschool-aged child, the perianesthesia nurse is aware
that the child's primary cause of anxiety prior to surgery is:
1. fear of the medical equipment.
2. striving for approval.
3. loss of privacy.
4. separation from parents.
1 - ANSWER-One of the most frequent side effects of ketamine anesthesia is:
1. hallucination.
2. respiratory depression.
3. hypotension.
4. bradycardia.
1 - ANSWER-In providing preoperative teaching to a patient requesting spinal
anesthesia, the perianesthesia nurse is aware that an absolute contraindication for
spinal anesthesia is:
1. patient refusal.
2. chronic back pain.
3. multiple sclerosis.
4. sickle cell anemia.
1 - ANSWER-In administering flumazenil, the perianesthesia nurse is aware that it
inhibits the central effects of benzodiazepines by:
1. competing for the receptor sites.
2. stimulating the cerebral cortex.
3. occupying the mu receptor sites.
4. metabolizing the medications.
3 - ANSWER-A pathological process that can interfere with accurate measurements of
SpO2 when using a pulse oximeter is:
1. Cushing's disease.
2. hypoparathyroidism.
3. Raynaud's disease.
,4. hyperthyroidism.
2 - ANSWER-In the event that a pharmacologically paralyzed patient is inadvertently
extubated, the first priority of the PACU nurse is to:
1. administer a muscarinic anticholinergic drug immediately.
2. establish and maintain the airway and ventilation.
3. administer an anticholinesterase drug immediately.
4. assess for muscle recovery before reintubating.
2 - ANSWER-A PACU nurse identifies an increased number of postoperative infections
and utilizes a quality improvement tool to collect more data. When deficiencies are
noted in the Phase I area, the nurse next considers:
1. developing a poster board on commonly used antibiotics.
2. presenting staff with an in-service on infection control.
3. apprising the infectious disease service of the occurrences.
4. notifying the OR clinical specialist.
2 - ANSWER-A staff nurse denied a merit increase expresses vigorous support for
management and its policies instead of showing anger. The nurse's behavior is
characterized as:
1. identification.
2. reaction formation.
3. sublimation.
4. rationalization.
2 - ANSWER-A standard of practice for post anesthesia nursing is established by which
acceptable levels of nursing action?
1. Promoting independent nursing judgment
2. Specifying the nursing goal while defining appropriate nursing measures
3. Identifying the nursing actions that meet JCAHO criteria
4. Prescribing the nursing intervention relative to standing orders
3 - ANSWER-A PACU education/research committee should have three commitments,
which must include all of the following except:
1. development of innovative thinking.
2. freedom of inquiry.
3. individual progress of each nurse.
4. excellence in practice.
2 - ANSWER-The dissociative state attributed to ketamine anesthesia can be modified
by the administration of a/an:
, 1. antiarrhythmic.
2. benzodiazepine.
3. narcotic.
4. anticonvulsant.
4 - ANSWER-Following a hernia repair, a 3-month-old is admitted to the PACU
positioned on his side with a pacifier in his mouth. The airway becomes obstructed by
the tongue. The obstruction can be alleviated by:
1. removing the pacifier.
2. pinching the cheeks.
3. turning him on his back.
4. jaw thrust or chin lift
2 - ANSWER-A post-op patient awaiting transport to a surgical floor is awake and
responds appropriately to commands. The perioperative nurse instructs the patient to
flex and extend his/ her lower extremities; the purpose of this is to:
1. ensure that the patient follows commands.
2. prevent the complication of venous stasis.
3. accelerate emergence from anesthesia.
4. assess if patient is ready for discharge.
2 - ANSWER-A geriatric patient's advanced age puts them at an increased risk for post-
operative:
1. anorexia.
2. hypothermia.
3. nausea.
4. pain.
3 - ANSWER-During emergence from general anesthesia, a patient exhibits rapidly
increasing symptoms of asthma. Vital signs are: BP = 190/100, HR = 144, R = 36, and
SaO2 = 86%. The perianesthesia nurse anticipates giving which of the following
medications initially?
1. Dexamethasone
2. Nebulized epinephrine
3. Nebulized albuterol
4. Isoproterenol
3 - ANSWER-A patient with streptococcal group A pharyngitis arrives in Phase I PACU.
The perianesthesia nurse plans that the nurse to patient ratio should be:
1. two nurses to one patient.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026/2027
3 - ANSWER-When educating the patient on what to expect during the administration of
spinal anesthesia, the perianesthesia nurse understands that the progression of
blockage occurs in the following order:
1. sensory, motor, autonomic
2. motor, sensory, autonomic
3. autonomic, sensory, motor
4. motor, autonomic, sensory
3 - ANSWER-After extubation of a patient, which of the following would be considered
most serious?
1. Sore throat
2. Impaired swallowing ability
3. Inspiratory stridor
4. Hoarseness
1 - ANSWER-Which of the following interventions would be used first to maintain
adequate perfusion and oxygen supply to cardiac muscles following hepatic surgery in a
patient with a history of coronary artery disease:
1. Ensure a hemoglobin concentration ≥ 10 g.
2. Treat tachydysrhythmias and hypotension.
3. Monitor oxygen saturation via pulse oximetry.
4. Administer appropriate medications.
4 - ANSWER-The use of the pulse oximeter has become a routine part of PACU care.
The post anesthesia nurse may decide that oximetry monitoring is indicated when the
patient:
1. has had minor surgery.
2. has normal vital signs.
3. has had regional anesthesia.
4. is severely hypothermic.
3 - ANSWER-The perianesthesia nurse is aware that a dramatic decrease in the
calcium may be cause by removal of the:
1. pituitary gland.
2. thyroid gland.
3. parathyroid gland.
4. adrenal glands.
,2 - ANSWER-Tidal volume is most precisely defined as the amount of:
1. air exchange in one minute.
2. gas passing into or out of the lungs in each respiratory cycle.
3. gas remaining within the chest after maximal expiration.
4. air exchange with full inspiration and expiration.
4 - ANSWER-In caring for a preschool-aged child, the perianesthesia nurse is aware
that the child's primary cause of anxiety prior to surgery is:
1. fear of the medical equipment.
2. striving for approval.
3. loss of privacy.
4. separation from parents.
1 - ANSWER-One of the most frequent side effects of ketamine anesthesia is:
1. hallucination.
2. respiratory depression.
3. hypotension.
4. bradycardia.
1 - ANSWER-In providing preoperative teaching to a patient requesting spinal
anesthesia, the perianesthesia nurse is aware that an absolute contraindication for
spinal anesthesia is:
1. patient refusal.
2. chronic back pain.
3. multiple sclerosis.
4. sickle cell anemia.
1 - ANSWER-In administering flumazenil, the perianesthesia nurse is aware that it
inhibits the central effects of benzodiazepines by:
1. competing for the receptor sites.
2. stimulating the cerebral cortex.
3. occupying the mu receptor sites.
4. metabolizing the medications.
3 - ANSWER-A pathological process that can interfere with accurate measurements of
SpO2 when using a pulse oximeter is:
1. Cushing's disease.
2. hypoparathyroidism.
3. Raynaud's disease.
,4. hyperthyroidism.
2 - ANSWER-In the event that a pharmacologically paralyzed patient is inadvertently
extubated, the first priority of the PACU nurse is to:
1. administer a muscarinic anticholinergic drug immediately.
2. establish and maintain the airway and ventilation.
3. administer an anticholinesterase drug immediately.
4. assess for muscle recovery before reintubating.
2 - ANSWER-A PACU nurse identifies an increased number of postoperative infections
and utilizes a quality improvement tool to collect more data. When deficiencies are
noted in the Phase I area, the nurse next considers:
1. developing a poster board on commonly used antibiotics.
2. presenting staff with an in-service on infection control.
3. apprising the infectious disease service of the occurrences.
4. notifying the OR clinical specialist.
2 - ANSWER-A staff nurse denied a merit increase expresses vigorous support for
management and its policies instead of showing anger. The nurse's behavior is
characterized as:
1. identification.
2. reaction formation.
3. sublimation.
4. rationalization.
2 - ANSWER-A standard of practice for post anesthesia nursing is established by which
acceptable levels of nursing action?
1. Promoting independent nursing judgment
2. Specifying the nursing goal while defining appropriate nursing measures
3. Identifying the nursing actions that meet JCAHO criteria
4. Prescribing the nursing intervention relative to standing orders
3 - ANSWER-A PACU education/research committee should have three commitments,
which must include all of the following except:
1. development of innovative thinking.
2. freedom of inquiry.
3. individual progress of each nurse.
4. excellence in practice.
2 - ANSWER-The dissociative state attributed to ketamine anesthesia can be modified
by the administration of a/an:
, 1. antiarrhythmic.
2. benzodiazepine.
3. narcotic.
4. anticonvulsant.
4 - ANSWER-Following a hernia repair, a 3-month-old is admitted to the PACU
positioned on his side with a pacifier in his mouth. The airway becomes obstructed by
the tongue. The obstruction can be alleviated by:
1. removing the pacifier.
2. pinching the cheeks.
3. turning him on his back.
4. jaw thrust or chin lift
2 - ANSWER-A post-op patient awaiting transport to a surgical floor is awake and
responds appropriately to commands. The perioperative nurse instructs the patient to
flex and extend his/ her lower extremities; the purpose of this is to:
1. ensure that the patient follows commands.
2. prevent the complication of venous stasis.
3. accelerate emergence from anesthesia.
4. assess if patient is ready for discharge.
2 - ANSWER-A geriatric patient's advanced age puts them at an increased risk for post-
operative:
1. anorexia.
2. hypothermia.
3. nausea.
4. pain.
3 - ANSWER-During emergence from general anesthesia, a patient exhibits rapidly
increasing symptoms of asthma. Vital signs are: BP = 190/100, HR = 144, R = 36, and
SaO2 = 86%. The perianesthesia nurse anticipates giving which of the following
medications initially?
1. Dexamethasone
2. Nebulized epinephrine
3. Nebulized albuterol
4. Isoproterenol
3 - ANSWER-A patient with streptococcal group A pharyngitis arrives in Phase I PACU.
The perianesthesia nurse plans that the nurse to patient ratio should be:
1. two nurses to one patient.
