CNOR EXAM Questions with Correct Answers (Grade A+)
Question 1: What are the three elements of the fire triangle? What are the most common surgical sites
of pt fires? What is the most common source that contributes to 90% of OR fires?
Answer: -oxidizer, ignition source, fuel -chest, neck, face, head -Electrosurgical units
Question 2: FIRE TRIANGLE: Name IGNITION sources in the OR Name FUEL sources in the OR
Name OXIDIZERS in the OR what is the most common fuel source in the OR?
Answer: -Electrosurgical units, drills, heated probes, lasers, electrocautery devices, fiberoptic cords
-alcohol-based prep, Collodion, drapes, ET tubes, gowns -Oxygen, Nitrous Oxide -drapes
Question 3: AIRWAY FIRE: what should you remove from the patient? (2) stop the flow of? what do
you pour down the airway? What is the 1st line of defense to put out an OR fire?
Answer: -ET tube, drapes/flammable supplies -all medical gases -saline -noncombustible/nonflammable
solutions from back table or smothering technique
Question 4: MINIMIZING SURGICAL FIRES: What should you place in the pt's throat for
procedures involving the mouth/face/airway and why? What should you inflate the ET tube cuff with
and why?
Answer: -saline moistened lap, to assist with decreasing/preventing O2 leaks from tube -tinted saline
solution, the liquid helps increase the temp required to rupture the cuff, the color helps visualize a rupture
Question 5: SURGERY IN THE AIRWAY/CHEST AREA: To prevent fire, what should you coat the
pt's head/facial hair with? What should you use between the surgical site and O2 source? What should
anes suction be used to evacuate?
Answer: -water soluble gel -Ioban incise drape -accumulated anes gas
Question 6: SURGICAL FIRES: What type of fire extinguishers are recommended for OR use?(2)
Should you use fire blankets in the OR?-why?(4) When using open source O2, how should the drapes
be placed over the head?
Answer: -Water mist and Carbon dioxide -no, they can trap the fire next to/under the pt, they can dislodge
instruments, they can cause wound contamination, they can spread the fire -in a way that allows for O2 to
flow freely/prevent accumulation under the drape
Page 1
,Question 7: SURGICAL FIRES: What gases are present in the bowel? How should you create an
incision in the bowel or trachea? What prevention technique should you use for surgeries near the
rectum? What should you use to administer supplemental O2 in pt's that need O2 greater than 30%?
When is an environment considered oxygen rich?
Answer: -methane, hydrogen -with a scalpel rather than monopolar cautery -cover or pack the rectum with a
wet lap -laryngeal mask airway or ET tube -if the O2 concentration is greater than 21% by volume
Question 8: MEDICAL GASES: where/how should you store med gases in a facility? store separately
from? what identifiers are present on med gas cylinders to determine their contents?(3)
Answer: -indoors in a secured access-controlled area with chain like devices to lock and in a holder/on a
rack -industrial gases -the color of the cylinder, written labels on the cylinders, the pin index safety system
specific to each type of med gas
Question 9: MEDICAL GASES: The emergency supply of O2 for a facility should be enough to support
for how long? what kind of drugs are medical gases considered to be/they should be given by ? only The
room medical gas is stored in should be fire resistant for how long at a minimum?
Answer: -uninterrupted use for 1 day -prescription -1 hour
Question 10: how would you describe a medical gas cylinder that is considered for immediate use? vs
storage use? What components make batteries considered hazardous waste if contained in them? (3) if
a product contain what chemical element?, it must be disposed of as hazardous waste.
Answer: -immediate: attached to a transport vehicle that has a pt on it or directly associated with a current
present pt storage use: on a transport vehicle that is not directly associated w/ a pt and has been unoccupied
for 30 mins or more -cadmium, lead, silver -mercury
Question 11: Flammable liquids such as?(6) are ? wastes and must be contained/placed for disposal
where? A flammable solution has a flash point of less than? A combustible solution will ? but requires ?
for ignition. What is the temp point?
Answer: -alcohol benzoin collodion formalin MMA monomer and silver nitrate, characteristic, in hazardous
waste receptacle -37.8 c or 100f -burn, higher temperatures, greater than 37.8c/100f
Question 12: Give examples of critical points in a case where noise/distractions should be
decreased/removed. (7) What do ALERT ALARMS alert the team to?-examples of these what do
CLINICAL ALARMS alert the team to?-examples of these
Answer: -surgical time out, briefings about case, implant sizing, anes induction/emergence, surgical counts,
specimen management, crucial portions of procedure such as aneurysm clipping or anastomosis -system
failures that would effect multiple pts, code blue alarms medical gas systems blood fridges fire alarms
ethylene oxide level alarms warmer alarms -pt specific alarms that alert to poss emergency situations,
cardiac monitors ventilators anes machine
Page 2
, Question 13: What are Glutaraldehyde based agents used for? how should these agents be disposed of?
What kind of waste do red hazard bags indicate? yellow bags?
Answer: -high level disinfection of medical items sensitive to heat that can't be steam sterilized -using a
pump system transfer device to transfer used solution -red: regulated medical waste, yellow: hazardous
waste such as waste contaminated by chemo agents
Question 14: METHYL METHACRYLATE BONE CEMENT: How many pairs of gloves should you
wear when handling? What should you do after handling the cement? what kind of mixing systems are
recommended for mixing/dispensing the cement? What absorbent should be used to cover the MMA
polymer(liquid portion) if spilled? what can happen if you allow the formed cement to come in contact
with skin?
Answer: -2 -change your top gloves -vacuum systems or closed systems -activated charcoal -pt burns can
occur
Question 15: LATEX RESPONSE CATE- GORIES(3): what kind of reaction is IRRITANT
CONTACT DERMATITIS? it is not an? what are the signs of it? how long does it take for signs to
appear? what kind of activities in healthcare cause irritant contact dermatitis? what can it be a
warning sign of?
Answer: -common reaction to latex exposure, allergy -red itchy rash that breaks out where latex contacted
skin, 12-24hr after contact -washing hands frequently and incompletely drying hands, using hand sanitizers,
wearing powdered latex gloves -development of a latex allergy
Question 16: LATEX RESPONSE CATE- GORIES(3): is CELL MEDIATED CONTACT DER-
MATITIS life threatening? what causes this category of latex response? when does dermatitis typically
appear for this type of response? where can it spread to? symptoms often resolve ?
Answer: -no -sensitivity to chemicals added to latex in the production process -24 to 48 hours after contact
-any area touched by the affected area -spontaneously
Question 17: LATEX RESPONSE CATE- GORIES(3): What is an IGE MEDIATED LATEX
ALLERGY? This response is ? and ? How is it triggered? (3) What are risk factors for latex
sensitivity?(5)
Answer: -allergic reaction to natural rubber latex proteins -severe, life threatening -contact with latex to
skin, contact with latex to mucous membranes, inhalation of latex proteins into lungs -history of multiple
surgeries, history of spina bifida, food allergies to kiwi banana raw potato avocado chestnuts, history of
long term bladder care, symptoms of dermatitis urticaria hay fever
Page 3
Question 1: What are the three elements of the fire triangle? What are the most common surgical sites
of pt fires? What is the most common source that contributes to 90% of OR fires?
Answer: -oxidizer, ignition source, fuel -chest, neck, face, head -Electrosurgical units
Question 2: FIRE TRIANGLE: Name IGNITION sources in the OR Name FUEL sources in the OR
Name OXIDIZERS in the OR what is the most common fuel source in the OR?
Answer: -Electrosurgical units, drills, heated probes, lasers, electrocautery devices, fiberoptic cords
-alcohol-based prep, Collodion, drapes, ET tubes, gowns -Oxygen, Nitrous Oxide -drapes
Question 3: AIRWAY FIRE: what should you remove from the patient? (2) stop the flow of? what do
you pour down the airway? What is the 1st line of defense to put out an OR fire?
Answer: -ET tube, drapes/flammable supplies -all medical gases -saline -noncombustible/nonflammable
solutions from back table or smothering technique
Question 4: MINIMIZING SURGICAL FIRES: What should you place in the pt's throat for
procedures involving the mouth/face/airway and why? What should you inflate the ET tube cuff with
and why?
Answer: -saline moistened lap, to assist with decreasing/preventing O2 leaks from tube -tinted saline
solution, the liquid helps increase the temp required to rupture the cuff, the color helps visualize a rupture
Question 5: SURGERY IN THE AIRWAY/CHEST AREA: To prevent fire, what should you coat the
pt's head/facial hair with? What should you use between the surgical site and O2 source? What should
anes suction be used to evacuate?
Answer: -water soluble gel -Ioban incise drape -accumulated anes gas
Question 6: SURGICAL FIRES: What type of fire extinguishers are recommended for OR use?(2)
Should you use fire blankets in the OR?-why?(4) When using open source O2, how should the drapes
be placed over the head?
Answer: -Water mist and Carbon dioxide -no, they can trap the fire next to/under the pt, they can dislodge
instruments, they can cause wound contamination, they can spread the fire -in a way that allows for O2 to
flow freely/prevent accumulation under the drape
Page 1
,Question 7: SURGICAL FIRES: What gases are present in the bowel? How should you create an
incision in the bowel or trachea? What prevention technique should you use for surgeries near the
rectum? What should you use to administer supplemental O2 in pt's that need O2 greater than 30%?
When is an environment considered oxygen rich?
Answer: -methane, hydrogen -with a scalpel rather than monopolar cautery -cover or pack the rectum with a
wet lap -laryngeal mask airway or ET tube -if the O2 concentration is greater than 21% by volume
Question 8: MEDICAL GASES: where/how should you store med gases in a facility? store separately
from? what identifiers are present on med gas cylinders to determine their contents?(3)
Answer: -indoors in a secured access-controlled area with chain like devices to lock and in a holder/on a
rack -industrial gases -the color of the cylinder, written labels on the cylinders, the pin index safety system
specific to each type of med gas
Question 9: MEDICAL GASES: The emergency supply of O2 for a facility should be enough to support
for how long? what kind of drugs are medical gases considered to be/they should be given by ? only The
room medical gas is stored in should be fire resistant for how long at a minimum?
Answer: -uninterrupted use for 1 day -prescription -1 hour
Question 10: how would you describe a medical gas cylinder that is considered for immediate use? vs
storage use? What components make batteries considered hazardous waste if contained in them? (3) if
a product contain what chemical element?, it must be disposed of as hazardous waste.
Answer: -immediate: attached to a transport vehicle that has a pt on it or directly associated with a current
present pt storage use: on a transport vehicle that is not directly associated w/ a pt and has been unoccupied
for 30 mins or more -cadmium, lead, silver -mercury
Question 11: Flammable liquids such as?(6) are ? wastes and must be contained/placed for disposal
where? A flammable solution has a flash point of less than? A combustible solution will ? but requires ?
for ignition. What is the temp point?
Answer: -alcohol benzoin collodion formalin MMA monomer and silver nitrate, characteristic, in hazardous
waste receptacle -37.8 c or 100f -burn, higher temperatures, greater than 37.8c/100f
Question 12: Give examples of critical points in a case where noise/distractions should be
decreased/removed. (7) What do ALERT ALARMS alert the team to?-examples of these what do
CLINICAL ALARMS alert the team to?-examples of these
Answer: -surgical time out, briefings about case, implant sizing, anes induction/emergence, surgical counts,
specimen management, crucial portions of procedure such as aneurysm clipping or anastomosis -system
failures that would effect multiple pts, code blue alarms medical gas systems blood fridges fire alarms
ethylene oxide level alarms warmer alarms -pt specific alarms that alert to poss emergency situations,
cardiac monitors ventilators anes machine
Page 2
, Question 13: What are Glutaraldehyde based agents used for? how should these agents be disposed of?
What kind of waste do red hazard bags indicate? yellow bags?
Answer: -high level disinfection of medical items sensitive to heat that can't be steam sterilized -using a
pump system transfer device to transfer used solution -red: regulated medical waste, yellow: hazardous
waste such as waste contaminated by chemo agents
Question 14: METHYL METHACRYLATE BONE CEMENT: How many pairs of gloves should you
wear when handling? What should you do after handling the cement? what kind of mixing systems are
recommended for mixing/dispensing the cement? What absorbent should be used to cover the MMA
polymer(liquid portion) if spilled? what can happen if you allow the formed cement to come in contact
with skin?
Answer: -2 -change your top gloves -vacuum systems or closed systems -activated charcoal -pt burns can
occur
Question 15: LATEX RESPONSE CATE- GORIES(3): what kind of reaction is IRRITANT
CONTACT DERMATITIS? it is not an? what are the signs of it? how long does it take for signs to
appear? what kind of activities in healthcare cause irritant contact dermatitis? what can it be a
warning sign of?
Answer: -common reaction to latex exposure, allergy -red itchy rash that breaks out where latex contacted
skin, 12-24hr after contact -washing hands frequently and incompletely drying hands, using hand sanitizers,
wearing powdered latex gloves -development of a latex allergy
Question 16: LATEX RESPONSE CATE- GORIES(3): is CELL MEDIATED CONTACT DER-
MATITIS life threatening? what causes this category of latex response? when does dermatitis typically
appear for this type of response? where can it spread to? symptoms often resolve ?
Answer: -no -sensitivity to chemicals added to latex in the production process -24 to 48 hours after contact
-any area touched by the affected area -spontaneously
Question 17: LATEX RESPONSE CATE- GORIES(3): What is an IGE MEDIATED LATEX
ALLERGY? This response is ? and ? How is it triggered? (3) What are risk factors for latex
sensitivity?(5)
Answer: -allergic reaction to natural rubber latex proteins -severe, life threatening -contact with latex to
skin, contact with latex to mucous membranes, inhalation of latex proteins into lungs -history of multiple
surgeries, history of spina bifida, food allergies to kiwi banana raw potato avocado chestnuts, history of
long term bladder care, symptoms of dermatitis urticaria hay fever
Page 3
