CAPA Practice Questions Form 1 | Certified Ambulatory Perianesthesia Nurse Questions with Verified Answers
A. Cardiac dysrhythmias A patient with a history of drug abuse and nasal ulcers is received in the PACU. The
perianesthesia nurse monitors this patient closely for:
A. Cardiac dysrhythmias
B. Apnea
C. Postural hypotension
D. Somnolence
D. Delay instructions until a certified interpreter can be A Spanish-speaking patient arrives for a pre-operative admission interview
located accompanied by a bilingual companion. The patient understands English but
speaks only Spanish. What action should the perianesthesia nurse take regarding
the preoperative NPO instructions?
A. Request that the friend interpret the written instructions
B. Provide written instructions in spanish
C. Determine the friend's ability to understand instructions
D. Delay instructions until a certified interpreter can be located
A. Keeping the operative arm elevated for several days The perianesthesia nurse is aware that discharge instructions for a patient with an
arteriovenous shunt include:
A. Keeping the operative arm elevated for several days
B. Checking blood pressure in the operative arm
C. Keeping the operative arm dependent for several days
D. Maintaining a pressure dressing over the site
B. 35.9C (95.9) The perianesthesia nurse is aware that which of the following is the highest body
temperature indicative of hypothermia?
A. 34.5C (94.1F)
B. 35.9C (95.9)
C. 37.6 (99.6)
D. 38.5 (101.3)
C. Urinary catheter removal on postoperative day 1 Which of the following measures has been shown to decrease surgical
complications?
A. Shaving the surgical site 24 hours before surgery
B. Prophylactic antibiotics continued for 48 hours
C. Urinary catheter removal on postoperative day 1
D. Preoperative antiseptic showers with chlorhexidine
A. Racemic epinephrine administration A patient extubated 10 minutes post PACU admission is exhibiting croup cough and
hoarseness. After 5 minutes of continued observation and administration of O2 with
40% mist, the patient's respiratory status has not changed. Which treatment can the
nurse initially expect to implement?
A. Racemic epinephrine administration
B. Chest physiotherapy
C. Suctioning
D. Administration of corticosteroid
C. Pink urine The perianesthesia nurse is aware that discharge instructions for a patient post-
ureteral-stent insertion should include preparing the patient to expect:
A. Mucuos plugs
B. Bladder distention
C. Pink urine
D. Groin pain
D. The patient actively participates The perianesthesia nurse is aware that the use of mental images for stress and pain
reduction is most effective when:
A. A family member is present
B. The nurse describes scenarios
C. The patient has a history of chronic pain
D. The patient actively participates
Stuvia 2026-2027
, CAPA Practice Questions Form 1 | Certified Ambulatory Perianesthesia Nurse Questions with Verified Answers
C. A 30 year old undergoing an emergency surgery for a Which of the following patients is most likely to experience awareness under
compound fracture anesthesia?
A. A 5 year old undergoing a tonsillectomy
B. A 15 year old undergoing a scheduled arthroscopic knee procedure
C. A 30 year old undergoing an emergency surgery for a compound fracture
D. A 70 year old undergoing a colectomy for colon cancer
A. Amiodarone During administration of bupivicaine locally, some of the medication is accidentally
administered IV. When the patient develops ventricular arrhythmias, the
perianesthesia nurse anticipates the administration of:
A. Amiodarone
B. Diphenhydramine
C. Adenosine
D. Lidocaine
A. The emergence excitement phase after anesthesia Anxious parents are at the bedside of a toddler who is crying, kicking, and thrashing
following bilateral myringotomy with insertion of tympanostomy. The perianesthesia
nurse informs the parents that this behavior is:
A. The emergence excitement phase after anesthesia
B. A temper tantrum often seen in toddlers
C. Associated with the surgical procedure
D. Uncommon in children of this age
D. Plasma cholinesterase deficiency A patient with a history of alcoholism and tuberculosis is on ventilator support after 2
hours. The patient received incubating doses of succinylcholine, fentanyl, and
midazolam, and proposal infusion intraoperatively. The perianesthesia nurse
suspects:
A. Noncardiogenic pulmonary edema
B. Hypokalemia
C. Hypoglycemia
D. Plasma cholinesterase deficiency
A. Audiovisual material that explains what to expect The perianesthesia nurse is aware that for a 9 year old patient, the most appropriate
preoperative teaching approach focuses on:
A. Audiovisual material that explains what to expect
B. Avoiding unnecessary separation from the parent
C. Verbal explanations of what will happen
D. Instructions relayed to the parents
D. Adenosine A post-appendectomy patient suddenly goes into supraventricular tachycardia. Vital
signs are BP= 125/75, HR 168, and RR= 16. The nurse anticipates administering:
A. Lidocaine
B. Propanolol
C. Esmolol
D. Adenosine
A. Cocaine A patient arrives in the PACU following an ethmoidectomy with a BP of 180/110. The
nurse suspects that the hypertension is due to intraoperative administration of:
Helps minimize post-op pain and intraop bleeding for sinus
surgeries A. Cocaine
B. Droperidol
C. Ondansetron
D. Desflurane
B. During the preoperative assessment The perianesthesia nurse recognizes that the effective pain management of any
patient with pain should begin:
A. Initially in the PACU
B. During the preoperative assessment
C. With pain intensity scales for verbal patients only
D. 30minutes prior to discharge from the hospital
Stuvia 2026-2027
A. Cardiac dysrhythmias A patient with a history of drug abuse and nasal ulcers is received in the PACU. The
perianesthesia nurse monitors this patient closely for:
A. Cardiac dysrhythmias
B. Apnea
C. Postural hypotension
D. Somnolence
D. Delay instructions until a certified interpreter can be A Spanish-speaking patient arrives for a pre-operative admission interview
located accompanied by a bilingual companion. The patient understands English but
speaks only Spanish. What action should the perianesthesia nurse take regarding
the preoperative NPO instructions?
A. Request that the friend interpret the written instructions
B. Provide written instructions in spanish
C. Determine the friend's ability to understand instructions
D. Delay instructions until a certified interpreter can be located
A. Keeping the operative arm elevated for several days The perianesthesia nurse is aware that discharge instructions for a patient with an
arteriovenous shunt include:
A. Keeping the operative arm elevated for several days
B. Checking blood pressure in the operative arm
C. Keeping the operative arm dependent for several days
D. Maintaining a pressure dressing over the site
B. 35.9C (95.9) The perianesthesia nurse is aware that which of the following is the highest body
temperature indicative of hypothermia?
A. 34.5C (94.1F)
B. 35.9C (95.9)
C. 37.6 (99.6)
D. 38.5 (101.3)
C. Urinary catheter removal on postoperative day 1 Which of the following measures has been shown to decrease surgical
complications?
A. Shaving the surgical site 24 hours before surgery
B. Prophylactic antibiotics continued for 48 hours
C. Urinary catheter removal on postoperative day 1
D. Preoperative antiseptic showers with chlorhexidine
A. Racemic epinephrine administration A patient extubated 10 minutes post PACU admission is exhibiting croup cough and
hoarseness. After 5 minutes of continued observation and administration of O2 with
40% mist, the patient's respiratory status has not changed. Which treatment can the
nurse initially expect to implement?
A. Racemic epinephrine administration
B. Chest physiotherapy
C. Suctioning
D. Administration of corticosteroid
C. Pink urine The perianesthesia nurse is aware that discharge instructions for a patient post-
ureteral-stent insertion should include preparing the patient to expect:
A. Mucuos plugs
B. Bladder distention
C. Pink urine
D. Groin pain
D. The patient actively participates The perianesthesia nurse is aware that the use of mental images for stress and pain
reduction is most effective when:
A. A family member is present
B. The nurse describes scenarios
C. The patient has a history of chronic pain
D. The patient actively participates
Stuvia 2026-2027
, CAPA Practice Questions Form 1 | Certified Ambulatory Perianesthesia Nurse Questions with Verified Answers
C. A 30 year old undergoing an emergency surgery for a Which of the following patients is most likely to experience awareness under
compound fracture anesthesia?
A. A 5 year old undergoing a tonsillectomy
B. A 15 year old undergoing a scheduled arthroscopic knee procedure
C. A 30 year old undergoing an emergency surgery for a compound fracture
D. A 70 year old undergoing a colectomy for colon cancer
A. Amiodarone During administration of bupivicaine locally, some of the medication is accidentally
administered IV. When the patient develops ventricular arrhythmias, the
perianesthesia nurse anticipates the administration of:
A. Amiodarone
B. Diphenhydramine
C. Adenosine
D. Lidocaine
A. The emergence excitement phase after anesthesia Anxious parents are at the bedside of a toddler who is crying, kicking, and thrashing
following bilateral myringotomy with insertion of tympanostomy. The perianesthesia
nurse informs the parents that this behavior is:
A. The emergence excitement phase after anesthesia
B. A temper tantrum often seen in toddlers
C. Associated with the surgical procedure
D. Uncommon in children of this age
D. Plasma cholinesterase deficiency A patient with a history of alcoholism and tuberculosis is on ventilator support after 2
hours. The patient received incubating doses of succinylcholine, fentanyl, and
midazolam, and proposal infusion intraoperatively. The perianesthesia nurse
suspects:
A. Noncardiogenic pulmonary edema
B. Hypokalemia
C. Hypoglycemia
D. Plasma cholinesterase deficiency
A. Audiovisual material that explains what to expect The perianesthesia nurse is aware that for a 9 year old patient, the most appropriate
preoperative teaching approach focuses on:
A. Audiovisual material that explains what to expect
B. Avoiding unnecessary separation from the parent
C. Verbal explanations of what will happen
D. Instructions relayed to the parents
D. Adenosine A post-appendectomy patient suddenly goes into supraventricular tachycardia. Vital
signs are BP= 125/75, HR 168, and RR= 16. The nurse anticipates administering:
A. Lidocaine
B. Propanolol
C. Esmolol
D. Adenosine
A. Cocaine A patient arrives in the PACU following an ethmoidectomy with a BP of 180/110. The
nurse suspects that the hypertension is due to intraoperative administration of:
Helps minimize post-op pain and intraop bleeding for sinus
surgeries A. Cocaine
B. Droperidol
C. Ondansetron
D. Desflurane
B. During the preoperative assessment The perianesthesia nurse recognizes that the effective pain management of any
patient with pain should begin:
A. Initially in the PACU
B. During the preoperative assessment
C. With pain intensity scales for verbal patients only
D. 30minutes prior to discharge from the hospital
Stuvia 2026-2027
