RELIAS PACU RN A V1
What set of findings indicates a patient is likely to be ready for phase 1 discharge? -
answer- ***C) Drowsy, oxygen saturation of 96%, able to cough, and move all
extremities
Meperidine (Demerol) 12.5mg every 15 minutes, IV prn is ordered for shivering in the
PACU. Meperidine is available in 50mg/1ml. How many mililiters should be given? -
answer- 0.25 mililiters
Upon inspecting a patient's epidural insertion site, you notice swelling around the
catheter. What should you do? - answer- ***D) Contact the anesthesia provider
What do you consider to be a safe dose of intravenous fentanyl for an adult who does
not have tolerance to opioids? - answer- ***B) 25 micrograms
Your patient in the PACU has a blood pressure of 171/92 mmHg, a heart rate of 120,
respiratory rate of 24, is grimacing, restless, and moaning in bed. What medication
should you prepare to give FIRST? - answer- ***B) 50 mcg fentanyl IV push
You are about to discharge a day surgery patient with aphasia and you discover the
family members are not available for the discharge instructions and are not responding
to your phone calls. Business hours are over and the PACU is about to close. How will
you handle the situation? - answer- ***A) Wait until the family returns
You received a patient from OR post hip replacement surgery. The anesthesiologist is
planning a nerve block in PACU, but the patient did not sign the consent for the nerve
block. How will you proceed? - answer- ***C) Obtain the consent from medical POA
What is a physical manifestation of neuromuscular blockade (Roc, succinylcholine)? -
answer- C) Decreased respiratory effort
What position would help alleviate headaches after spinal anesthesia? - answer- ***D)
Flat to supine
The surgeon has ordered ampicillin (Ancef) for a patient. When you check their chart,
you see an allergy to penicillin. What is the BEST action? - answer- ***D) Contact the
provider to question the order
You are receiving report for a patient who had a percutaneous transluminal angioplasty
for right lower extremity peripheral vascular disease and is now recovering in the PACU.
What type of surgical dressing do you expect to find for this patient? - answer- ***C)
Clear dressing applied to the right groin
You are receiving a report on a post op patients from the OR nurse and during the
report when you asked for clarifications, the OR nurse became angry, belligerent, and
, rude. She ended up not answering your question. How will you proceed? - answer-
***A) Report the incident to your charge nurse
You are reviewing your orders for you 8 year-old patient that recently arrive in PACU.
Which PRN pain order would you question? - answer- C) PO ketorolac
What is a physiologic effect related to unrelieved pain? - answer- ***D) Decreased
healing
You are caring for a patient after placement of a percutaneous J tube. A student nurse
asks you, " Where does this tube go in the patient?" How should you answer? - answer-
***A) The tube is placed into the Jejunum
A patient had malignant hyperthermia during surgery. What kind of monitoring should
they receive? - answer- Intensive care unit monitoring for 24 hours
Threshold for hypothermia in PACU? - answer- Less than 36 degrees Celsius
You receive a patient who has just arrived from surgery and is in Phase 1 PACU. The
patient is unresponsive to name, has a respiratory rate of 12, is receiving 6 L with a face
mask, and is making a gurgling sound with each exhalation. What action is MOST
appropriate? - answer- C) Insert oral airway
After day surgery, a patient is drowsy, nauseated, reporting 7 out of 10 pain, and
requiring 4 liters oxygen to maintain sat greater than 92%. What level of care should this
patient receive? - answer- Phase 1
What condition increases a patient's risk of respiratory depression when using a PCA
pump? - answer- Sleep apnea
What assessment finding indicates that a patient is ready to tolerate ice chips? -
answer- Patient is able to cough
After day surgery, the patient is awake, reports 2 out of 10 pain, denies nausea, has
voided, has stable vital signs, but has yet to receive discharge instructions. What level
of care should this patient receive? - answer- Phase 2
Reversal of Midazolam - answer- Flumazenil
A sedated patient has just arrived to the PACU from the operating room with the
anesthesia provider and a member of the surgical team. What should you do next? -
answer- Assess their airway and oxygenation
What drug is MOST effective in upper airway emergencies? - answer- D) Racemic
epinephrine
What set of findings indicates a patient is likely to be ready for phase 1 discharge? -
answer- ***C) Drowsy, oxygen saturation of 96%, able to cough, and move all
extremities
Meperidine (Demerol) 12.5mg every 15 minutes, IV prn is ordered for shivering in the
PACU. Meperidine is available in 50mg/1ml. How many mililiters should be given? -
answer- 0.25 mililiters
Upon inspecting a patient's epidural insertion site, you notice swelling around the
catheter. What should you do? - answer- ***D) Contact the anesthesia provider
What do you consider to be a safe dose of intravenous fentanyl for an adult who does
not have tolerance to opioids? - answer- ***B) 25 micrograms
Your patient in the PACU has a blood pressure of 171/92 mmHg, a heart rate of 120,
respiratory rate of 24, is grimacing, restless, and moaning in bed. What medication
should you prepare to give FIRST? - answer- ***B) 50 mcg fentanyl IV push
You are about to discharge a day surgery patient with aphasia and you discover the
family members are not available for the discharge instructions and are not responding
to your phone calls. Business hours are over and the PACU is about to close. How will
you handle the situation? - answer- ***A) Wait until the family returns
You received a patient from OR post hip replacement surgery. The anesthesiologist is
planning a nerve block in PACU, but the patient did not sign the consent for the nerve
block. How will you proceed? - answer- ***C) Obtain the consent from medical POA
What is a physical manifestation of neuromuscular blockade (Roc, succinylcholine)? -
answer- C) Decreased respiratory effort
What position would help alleviate headaches after spinal anesthesia? - answer- ***D)
Flat to supine
The surgeon has ordered ampicillin (Ancef) for a patient. When you check their chart,
you see an allergy to penicillin. What is the BEST action? - answer- ***D) Contact the
provider to question the order
You are receiving report for a patient who had a percutaneous transluminal angioplasty
for right lower extremity peripheral vascular disease and is now recovering in the PACU.
What type of surgical dressing do you expect to find for this patient? - answer- ***C)
Clear dressing applied to the right groin
You are receiving a report on a post op patients from the OR nurse and during the
report when you asked for clarifications, the OR nurse became angry, belligerent, and
, rude. She ended up not answering your question. How will you proceed? - answer-
***A) Report the incident to your charge nurse
You are reviewing your orders for you 8 year-old patient that recently arrive in PACU.
Which PRN pain order would you question? - answer- C) PO ketorolac
What is a physiologic effect related to unrelieved pain? - answer- ***D) Decreased
healing
You are caring for a patient after placement of a percutaneous J tube. A student nurse
asks you, " Where does this tube go in the patient?" How should you answer? - answer-
***A) The tube is placed into the Jejunum
A patient had malignant hyperthermia during surgery. What kind of monitoring should
they receive? - answer- Intensive care unit monitoring for 24 hours
Threshold for hypothermia in PACU? - answer- Less than 36 degrees Celsius
You receive a patient who has just arrived from surgery and is in Phase 1 PACU. The
patient is unresponsive to name, has a respiratory rate of 12, is receiving 6 L with a face
mask, and is making a gurgling sound with each exhalation. What action is MOST
appropriate? - answer- C) Insert oral airway
After day surgery, a patient is drowsy, nauseated, reporting 7 out of 10 pain, and
requiring 4 liters oxygen to maintain sat greater than 92%. What level of care should this
patient receive? - answer- Phase 1
What condition increases a patient's risk of respiratory depression when using a PCA
pump? - answer- Sleep apnea
What assessment finding indicates that a patient is ready to tolerate ice chips? -
answer- Patient is able to cough
After day surgery, the patient is awake, reports 2 out of 10 pain, denies nausea, has
voided, has stable vital signs, but has yet to receive discharge instructions. What level
of care should this patient receive? - answer- Phase 2
Reversal of Midazolam - answer- Flumazenil
A sedated patient has just arrived to the PACU from the operating room with the
anesthesia provider and a member of the surgical team. What should you do next? -
answer- Assess their airway and oxygenation
What drug is MOST effective in upper airway emergencies? - answer- D) Racemic
epinephrine
