PACU Final UPDATED ACTUAL Exam
Questions and CORRECT Answers
During induction, what physiologic responses are most likely to occur during Stage II of general
anesthesia?
A. Loss of voluntary responses
B. Laryngospasm, vomiting, or cardiac arrest
C. Respiratory and circulatory failure - CORRECT ANSWER - B. Laryngospasm,
vomiting, or cardiac arrest
Which statement accurately demonstrates confirmation when communicating with a patient and
family?
A. "The information you tell me today will be shared with other healthcare team members."
B. "Would you like to talk about anything else?"
C. "I understand you're worried about your son's surgery today." - CORRECT ANSWER -
B. "Would you like to talk about anything else?
Which statement accurately characterizes airway differences between pediatric patients and adult
patients?
A. The pediatric patient's tongue is small relative to the size of the oropharynx, compared to the
adult's normal-size tongue.
B. The pediatric patient's larynx is located at a higher level than the adult patient's larynx.
C. The narrowest portion of a pediatric airway is at the vocal cords, and the narrowest part of an
adult airway is the subglottic area at the cricoid cartilage. - CORRECT ANSWER - B. The
pediatric patient's larynx is located at a higher level than the adult patient's larynx.
You are caring for a patient who sustained bilateral tibial fractures following a fall down a flight
of stairs. Despite receiving several doses of pain medication, as ordered, the patient rates his pain
as 8 out of 10 on a numeric pain scale. You note that while both legs are swollen and bruised, the
right is more affected than the left, and you have difficulty palpating pedal pulses in that leg.
Which intervention is LEAST likely to be effective for this patient?
A. Apply a warm compress to the right leg.
,B. Immediately notify the surgeon.
C. Elevate the right leg to heart level. - CORRECT ANSWER - A. Apply a warm compress
to the right leg.
Which radiology study is MOST effective at evaluating pneumothorax in a patient with a chest
tube?
A. Positron emission tomography (PET) scan
B. Computed tomography (CT) scan
C. Chest x-ray - CORRECT ANSWER - C. Chest x-ray
Which of the following statements is FALSE regarding communication with the anesthesia
provider about changes in a patient's condition?
A. Communication about changes in a patient's condition can occur by telephone or in face-to-
face conversation.
B. You do not have to document communication about changes in a patient's condition if the
anesthesia provider writes an order for treatment.
C. Communication about changes in a patient's condition should always be documented in the
patient's record.
Previous - CORRECT ANSWER - B. You do not have to document communication about
changes in a patient's condition if the anesthesia provider writes an order for treatment.
Which statement is most accurate concerning postoperative hyperthermia in a pediatric patient?
A. Fever caused by infection usually occurs later than fever caused by other factors.
B. Anesthetic agents typically cause an elevation in core body temperature.
C. Fever in an infant does not typically indicate infection. - CORRECT ANSWER - A.
Fever caused by infection usually occurs later than fever caused by other factors.
What is the perianesthesia nurse's primary responsibility when administering procedural sedation
during an interventional procedure?
A. Assist the practitioner with the procedure.
B. Monitor and assess the patient.
,C. Document all medications given. - CORRECT ANSWER - B. Monitor and assess the
patient.
Manuela, age 7, has a history of recent upper respiratory infection (URI). She arrives to the
postanesthesia care unit (PACU) with difficulty breathing. You note decreased breath sounds in
all lung fields, decreased oxygen saturation level, and overall cyanosis. After immediately
notifying the anesthesia provider, what is your priority nursing intervention?
A. Provide 100 percent oxygen via positive-pressure mask ventilation.
B. Place Manuela in the left lateral position.
C. Prepare to administer inhaled bronchodilators, as ordered. - CORRECT ANSWER - A.
Provide 100 percent oxygen via positive-pressure mask ventilation.
Which illness-related stressor is MOST likely to affect a middle-age adult patient?
A. Long-term effects of illness
B. Altered body image
C. Loss of control - CORRECT ANSWER - A. Long-term effects of illness
Which statement made by a patient requires further teaching and reinforcement about hair
removal before surgery?
A. "I should shave off all my hair around the surgical site the night before my surgery."
B. "You'll use clippers to remove my hair on the morning of my surgery."
C. "I shouldn't shave off my hair because you'll remove it for me before I have my surgery." -
CORRECT ANSWER - B. "You'll use clippers to remove my hair on the morning of my
surgery."
Which of the following is an example of a nonexperimental (observational) study?
A. A review of core body temperature measurements upon arrival to the postanesthesia care unit
(PACU)
B. A comparison of core body temperatures of patients who received prewarming measures
versus patients who did not
C. A comparison of core body temperatures of patients who received warmed intravenous (IV)
fluids versus those who received IV fluids at room temperature - CORRECT ANSWER -
, A. A review of core body temperature measurements upon arrival to the postanesthesia care unit
(PACU)
You are caring for a patient in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) following an open craniotomy
for brain tumor resection. He arrived in the PACU intubated and on mechanical ventilation but
could follow basic commands. You now note that his arms are in a fixed, flexed position. What is
your primary intervention?
A. Immediately notify the surgeon.
B. Continue to observe the patient and perform neurologic checks, as ordered.
C. Administer an anxiolytic and pain medication. - CORRECT ANSWER - A.
Immediately notify the surgeon.
You are caring for Leo, age 15, who received a neuromuscular blocking agent during surgery and
then received atropine and neostigmine to reverse its effects. Based on your knowledge of the
combined use of atropine and neostigmine, which physiologic parameter should you closely
monitor in Leo?
A. Heart rate
B. Core body temperature
C. Blood pressure - CORRECT ANSWER - A. Heart rate
Which statement is most accurate when evaluating pain in a preterm infant?
A. Pain responses in a preterm infant are typically behaviorally blunted or absent.
B. Preterm infants are not neurologically capable of feeling pain.
C. Preterm infants display pain through facial expressions, such as closed eyes. - CORRECT
ANSWER - A. Pain responses in a preterm infant are typically behaviorally blunted or
absent.
Which assessment are you LEAST likely to observe in a patient, 32 weeks pregnant, who is
recovering from emergency surgery?
A. Bradycardia
B. Nausea and vomiting
C. Tachycardia - CORRECT ANSWER - A. Bradycardia
Questions and CORRECT Answers
During induction, what physiologic responses are most likely to occur during Stage II of general
anesthesia?
A. Loss of voluntary responses
B. Laryngospasm, vomiting, or cardiac arrest
C. Respiratory and circulatory failure - CORRECT ANSWER - B. Laryngospasm,
vomiting, or cardiac arrest
Which statement accurately demonstrates confirmation when communicating with a patient and
family?
A. "The information you tell me today will be shared with other healthcare team members."
B. "Would you like to talk about anything else?"
C. "I understand you're worried about your son's surgery today." - CORRECT ANSWER -
B. "Would you like to talk about anything else?
Which statement accurately characterizes airway differences between pediatric patients and adult
patients?
A. The pediatric patient's tongue is small relative to the size of the oropharynx, compared to the
adult's normal-size tongue.
B. The pediatric patient's larynx is located at a higher level than the adult patient's larynx.
C. The narrowest portion of a pediatric airway is at the vocal cords, and the narrowest part of an
adult airway is the subglottic area at the cricoid cartilage. - CORRECT ANSWER - B. The
pediatric patient's larynx is located at a higher level than the adult patient's larynx.
You are caring for a patient who sustained bilateral tibial fractures following a fall down a flight
of stairs. Despite receiving several doses of pain medication, as ordered, the patient rates his pain
as 8 out of 10 on a numeric pain scale. You note that while both legs are swollen and bruised, the
right is more affected than the left, and you have difficulty palpating pedal pulses in that leg.
Which intervention is LEAST likely to be effective for this patient?
A. Apply a warm compress to the right leg.
,B. Immediately notify the surgeon.
C. Elevate the right leg to heart level. - CORRECT ANSWER - A. Apply a warm compress
to the right leg.
Which radiology study is MOST effective at evaluating pneumothorax in a patient with a chest
tube?
A. Positron emission tomography (PET) scan
B. Computed tomography (CT) scan
C. Chest x-ray - CORRECT ANSWER - C. Chest x-ray
Which of the following statements is FALSE regarding communication with the anesthesia
provider about changes in a patient's condition?
A. Communication about changes in a patient's condition can occur by telephone or in face-to-
face conversation.
B. You do not have to document communication about changes in a patient's condition if the
anesthesia provider writes an order for treatment.
C. Communication about changes in a patient's condition should always be documented in the
patient's record.
Previous - CORRECT ANSWER - B. You do not have to document communication about
changes in a patient's condition if the anesthesia provider writes an order for treatment.
Which statement is most accurate concerning postoperative hyperthermia in a pediatric patient?
A. Fever caused by infection usually occurs later than fever caused by other factors.
B. Anesthetic agents typically cause an elevation in core body temperature.
C. Fever in an infant does not typically indicate infection. - CORRECT ANSWER - A.
Fever caused by infection usually occurs later than fever caused by other factors.
What is the perianesthesia nurse's primary responsibility when administering procedural sedation
during an interventional procedure?
A. Assist the practitioner with the procedure.
B. Monitor and assess the patient.
,C. Document all medications given. - CORRECT ANSWER - B. Monitor and assess the
patient.
Manuela, age 7, has a history of recent upper respiratory infection (URI). She arrives to the
postanesthesia care unit (PACU) with difficulty breathing. You note decreased breath sounds in
all lung fields, decreased oxygen saturation level, and overall cyanosis. After immediately
notifying the anesthesia provider, what is your priority nursing intervention?
A. Provide 100 percent oxygen via positive-pressure mask ventilation.
B. Place Manuela in the left lateral position.
C. Prepare to administer inhaled bronchodilators, as ordered. - CORRECT ANSWER - A.
Provide 100 percent oxygen via positive-pressure mask ventilation.
Which illness-related stressor is MOST likely to affect a middle-age adult patient?
A. Long-term effects of illness
B. Altered body image
C. Loss of control - CORRECT ANSWER - A. Long-term effects of illness
Which statement made by a patient requires further teaching and reinforcement about hair
removal before surgery?
A. "I should shave off all my hair around the surgical site the night before my surgery."
B. "You'll use clippers to remove my hair on the morning of my surgery."
C. "I shouldn't shave off my hair because you'll remove it for me before I have my surgery." -
CORRECT ANSWER - B. "You'll use clippers to remove my hair on the morning of my
surgery."
Which of the following is an example of a nonexperimental (observational) study?
A. A review of core body temperature measurements upon arrival to the postanesthesia care unit
(PACU)
B. A comparison of core body temperatures of patients who received prewarming measures
versus patients who did not
C. A comparison of core body temperatures of patients who received warmed intravenous (IV)
fluids versus those who received IV fluids at room temperature - CORRECT ANSWER -
, A. A review of core body temperature measurements upon arrival to the postanesthesia care unit
(PACU)
You are caring for a patient in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) following an open craniotomy
for brain tumor resection. He arrived in the PACU intubated and on mechanical ventilation but
could follow basic commands. You now note that his arms are in a fixed, flexed position. What is
your primary intervention?
A. Immediately notify the surgeon.
B. Continue to observe the patient and perform neurologic checks, as ordered.
C. Administer an anxiolytic and pain medication. - CORRECT ANSWER - A.
Immediately notify the surgeon.
You are caring for Leo, age 15, who received a neuromuscular blocking agent during surgery and
then received atropine and neostigmine to reverse its effects. Based on your knowledge of the
combined use of atropine and neostigmine, which physiologic parameter should you closely
monitor in Leo?
A. Heart rate
B. Core body temperature
C. Blood pressure - CORRECT ANSWER - A. Heart rate
Which statement is most accurate when evaluating pain in a preterm infant?
A. Pain responses in a preterm infant are typically behaviorally blunted or absent.
B. Preterm infants are not neurologically capable of feeling pain.
C. Preterm infants display pain through facial expressions, such as closed eyes. - CORRECT
ANSWER - A. Pain responses in a preterm infant are typically behaviorally blunted or
absent.
Which assessment are you LEAST likely to observe in a patient, 32 weeks pregnant, who is
recovering from emergency surgery?
A. Bradycardia
B. Nausea and vomiting
C. Tachycardia - CORRECT ANSWER - A. Bradycardia
