Page 1 of 26
PERIOPERATIVE NURSING EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES [A+ GUIDE]
Terms in this set (46)
>> 1. The nurse is caring for a surgical patient, when the family member asks what
perioperative nursing means. How should the nurse respond?
a. Perioperative nursing occurs in preadmission testing.
b. Perioperative nursing occurs primarily in the post-anesthesia care unit.
c. Perioperative nursing includes activities before, during, and after surgery.
d. Perioperative nursing includes activities only during the surgical procedure.
- correct answer- ANS: C
Perioperative nursing care occurs before, during, and after surgery. Preadmission testing occurs
before surgery and is considered preoperative. Nursing care provided during the surgical
procedure is considered intraoperative, and in the postanesthesia care unit, it is considered
postoperative. All of these are parts of the perioperative phase, but each individual phase does
not explain the term completely.
>> 2. The nurse is caring for a patient who is scheduled to undergo a surgical procedure. The `
nurse is completing an assessment and reviews the patient's laboratory tests and allergies and
prepares the patient for surgery. In which perioperative nursing phase is the nurse working?
a. Perioperative
b. Preoperative
c. Intraoperative
d. Postoperative
- correct answer- ANS: B
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Reviewing the patient's laboratory tests and allergies is done before surgery in the preoperative
phase. Perioperative means before, during, and after surgery. Intraoperative means during the
surgical procedure in the operating suite; postoperative means after the surgery and could
occur in the postanesthesia care unit, in the ambulatory surgical area, or on the hospital unit.
>> 3. The nurse is caring for a patient in the postanesthesia care unit. The patient has
developed profuse bleeding from the surgical site, and the surgeon has determined the need to
return to the operative area. How will the nurse classify this procedure?
a. Major
b. Urgent
c. Elective
d. Emergency
- correct answer- ANS: D
An emergency procedure must be done immediately to save a life or preserve the function of a
body part. An example would be repair of a perforated appendix, repair of a traumatic
amputation, or control of internal hemorrhaging. An urgent procedure is necessary for a
patient's health and often prevents additional problems from developing. An example would be
excision of a cancerous tumor, removal of a gallbladder for stones, or vascular repair for an
obstructed artery. An elective procedure is performed on the basis of the patient's choice; it is
not essential and is not always necessary for health. An example would be a bunionectomy,
plastic surgery, or hernia reconstruction. A major procedure involves extensive reconstruction or
alteration in body parts; it poses great risks to well-being. An example would be a coronary
artery bypass or colon resection.
>> 4. The nurse is caring for a patient in preadmission testing. The patient has been assigned a
physical status classification by the American Society of Anesthesiologists of ASA III. Which
assessment will support this classification?
a. Normal, healthy patient
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b. Denial of any major illnesses or conditions
c. Poorly controlled hypertension with implanted pacemaker
d. Moribund patient not expected to survive without the operation
- correct answer- ANS: C
An ASA III rating is a patient with a severe systemic disease, such as poorly controlled
hypertension with an implanted pacemaker. ASA I is a normal healthy patient with no major
illnesses or conditions. ASA II is a patient with mild systemic disease. ASA V is a moribund
patient who is not expected to survive without the operation and includes patients with
ruptured abdominal/thoracic aneurysm or massive trauma.
>> 5. The patient has presented to the ambulatory surgery center to have a colonoscopy. The
patient is scheduled to receive moderate sedation (conscious sedation) during the procedure.
How will the nurse interpret this information?
a. The procedure results in loss of sensation in an area of the body.
b. The procedure requires a depressed level of consciousness.
c. The procedure will be performed on an outpatient basis.
d. The procedure necessitates the patient to be immobile.
- correct answer- ANS: B
Moderate sedation (conscious sedation) is used routinely for procedures that do not require
complete anesthesia but rather a depressed level of consciousness. Not all patients who are
treated on an outpatient basis receive moderate sedation. Regional anesthesia such as local
anesthesia provides loss of sensation in an area of the body. General anesthesia is used for
patients who need to be immobile and to not remember the surgical procedure.
>> 6. The nurse is caring for a patient in the post-anesthesia care unit who has undergone a
left total knee arthroplasty. The anesthesia provider has indicated that the patient received a
left femoral peripheral nerve block. Which assessment will be an expected finding for this
patient?
PERIOPERATIVE NURSING EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES [A+ GUIDE]
Terms in this set (46)
>> 1. The nurse is caring for a surgical patient, when the family member asks what
perioperative nursing means. How should the nurse respond?
a. Perioperative nursing occurs in preadmission testing.
b. Perioperative nursing occurs primarily in the post-anesthesia care unit.
c. Perioperative nursing includes activities before, during, and after surgery.
d. Perioperative nursing includes activities only during the surgical procedure.
- correct answer- ANS: C
Perioperative nursing care occurs before, during, and after surgery. Preadmission testing occurs
before surgery and is considered preoperative. Nursing care provided during the surgical
procedure is considered intraoperative, and in the postanesthesia care unit, it is considered
postoperative. All of these are parts of the perioperative phase, but each individual phase does
not explain the term completely.
>> 2. The nurse is caring for a patient who is scheduled to undergo a surgical procedure. The `
nurse is completing an assessment and reviews the patient's laboratory tests and allergies and
prepares the patient for surgery. In which perioperative nursing phase is the nurse working?
a. Perioperative
b. Preoperative
c. Intraoperative
d. Postoperative
- correct answer- ANS: B
, Page 2 of 26
Reviewing the patient's laboratory tests and allergies is done before surgery in the preoperative
phase. Perioperative means before, during, and after surgery. Intraoperative means during the
surgical procedure in the operating suite; postoperative means after the surgery and could
occur in the postanesthesia care unit, in the ambulatory surgical area, or on the hospital unit.
>> 3. The nurse is caring for a patient in the postanesthesia care unit. The patient has
developed profuse bleeding from the surgical site, and the surgeon has determined the need to
return to the operative area. How will the nurse classify this procedure?
a. Major
b. Urgent
c. Elective
d. Emergency
- correct answer- ANS: D
An emergency procedure must be done immediately to save a life or preserve the function of a
body part. An example would be repair of a perforated appendix, repair of a traumatic
amputation, or control of internal hemorrhaging. An urgent procedure is necessary for a
patient's health and often prevents additional problems from developing. An example would be
excision of a cancerous tumor, removal of a gallbladder for stones, or vascular repair for an
obstructed artery. An elective procedure is performed on the basis of the patient's choice; it is
not essential and is not always necessary for health. An example would be a bunionectomy,
plastic surgery, or hernia reconstruction. A major procedure involves extensive reconstruction or
alteration in body parts; it poses great risks to well-being. An example would be a coronary
artery bypass or colon resection.
>> 4. The nurse is caring for a patient in preadmission testing. The patient has been assigned a
physical status classification by the American Society of Anesthesiologists of ASA III. Which
assessment will support this classification?
a. Normal, healthy patient
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b. Denial of any major illnesses or conditions
c. Poorly controlled hypertension with implanted pacemaker
d. Moribund patient not expected to survive without the operation
- correct answer- ANS: C
An ASA III rating is a patient with a severe systemic disease, such as poorly controlled
hypertension with an implanted pacemaker. ASA I is a normal healthy patient with no major
illnesses or conditions. ASA II is a patient with mild systemic disease. ASA V is a moribund
patient who is not expected to survive without the operation and includes patients with
ruptured abdominal/thoracic aneurysm or massive trauma.
>> 5. The patient has presented to the ambulatory surgery center to have a colonoscopy. The
patient is scheduled to receive moderate sedation (conscious sedation) during the procedure.
How will the nurse interpret this information?
a. The procedure results in loss of sensation in an area of the body.
b. The procedure requires a depressed level of consciousness.
c. The procedure will be performed on an outpatient basis.
d. The procedure necessitates the patient to be immobile.
- correct answer- ANS: B
Moderate sedation (conscious sedation) is used routinely for procedures that do not require
complete anesthesia but rather a depressed level of consciousness. Not all patients who are
treated on an outpatient basis receive moderate sedation. Regional anesthesia such as local
anesthesia provides loss of sensation in an area of the body. General anesthesia is used for
patients who need to be immobile and to not remember the surgical procedure.
>> 6. The nurse is caring for a patient in the post-anesthesia care unit who has undergone a
left total knee arthroplasty. The anesthesia provider has indicated that the patient received a
left femoral peripheral nerve block. Which assessment will be an expected finding for this
patient?
