ONC General Practice Exam Prep – Orthopaedic
Nurses Certification Study Questions, Tips, and
Complete Review 2025
Prepare for the Orthopaedic Nurses Certification (ONC) General Practice Exam with
this complete 2025 study guide featuring up-to-date practice questions, exam tips, test
content review, and essential orthopaedic nursing concepts. Ideal for nurses seeking to
pass the ONC exam on the first attempt.
• ONC General Practice Exam
• Orthopaedic Nurses Certification exam
• ONC certification practice test
• Orthopaedic nursing exam prep
Two days before scheduled total hip arthroplasty, a patient comes to the surgeon's office
for the final preoperative assessment. Which of the following statements by the patient
should require further investigation by the nurse?
"It's hard for me to get moving in the morning because I'm so stiff."
"Every evening I drink a glass of wine."
,"I had a nasty tooth pulled last week."
"The arthritis in my feet has been giving me trouble this week." - answer>>>c. "I had a
nasty tooth pulled last week."
Rationale: Acute infection may be a contraindication for THA due to increased risk of
bacteria infecting the replaced hip.
Reference: Core Curriculum for Orthopaedic Nursing (7th ed.), 2013, p. 553
The patient undergoes right total hip arthroplasty with a posterolateral approach.
Following a short stay in the post-anesthesia unit, the patient is transferred to the
orthopaedic surgical unit. Which of these observations made by the nurse should indicate
the positioning of the patient's right extremity is correct?
Leg is in adducted position.
Hip is flexed 90 degrees.
Leg is in neutral position.
Hip is internally rotated. - answer>>>c. Leg is in neutral position.
Rationale: Following THA with a posterolateral approach, the patient should not flex the
hip beyond 90 degrees, cross the operative leg past the body's midline (adduction), or
internally rotate the surgical hip. The leg should be maintained in neutral position.
Reference: Core Curriculum for Orthopaedic Nursing (7th ed.), 2013, p. 556
The nurse is providing pre-operative teaching to a patient scheduled for an open
reduction-internal fixation (ORIF) of the femur. Which of the following biologic implants
should the nurse recognize is used to fill in bony defects?
Cannulated screw
Cortical strut
, Polypropylene cup
Compression plate - answer>>>b. Cortical strut
Rationale: Biologic implants include bone and allograft tissue such as a cortical strut. The
other options are not biologic implants.
Reference: Core Curriculum for Orthopaedic Nursing (7th ed.), 2013, p. 134; Orthopaedic
Surgery Manual (3rd ed.), 2017, p. 92
While caring for a patient undergoing a shoulder arthroscopy, the nurse assists with
positioning the patient in a lateral decubitus position. Which of the following nerves
should the nurse recognize may sustain injury when the patient is placed in the lateral
position and there is inadequate padding under the fibular head?
Saphenous
Tibial
Sural
Peroneal - answer>>>d. Peroneal
Rationale: Peroneal nerve damage is caused by compression over the lateral aspect of the
fibular head or from prolonged plantar flexion of the foot. The saphenous nerve runs
superficially at the medial thigh and may be impaired by direct compression from a
tourniquet or arthroscopic leg holder. The tibial nerve diverges at the popliteal fossa and
travels down the leg to the medial aspect of the ankle. The sural nerve is found laterally at
the ankle and foot.
Reference: Core Curriculum for Orthopaedic Nursing (7th ed.), 2013, p. 129; Orthopaedic
Surgery Manual (3rd ed.), 2017, p. 50
Nurses Certification Study Questions, Tips, and
Complete Review 2025
Prepare for the Orthopaedic Nurses Certification (ONC) General Practice Exam with
this complete 2025 study guide featuring up-to-date practice questions, exam tips, test
content review, and essential orthopaedic nursing concepts. Ideal for nurses seeking to
pass the ONC exam on the first attempt.
• ONC General Practice Exam
• Orthopaedic Nurses Certification exam
• ONC certification practice test
• Orthopaedic nursing exam prep
Two days before scheduled total hip arthroplasty, a patient comes to the surgeon's office
for the final preoperative assessment. Which of the following statements by the patient
should require further investigation by the nurse?
"It's hard for me to get moving in the morning because I'm so stiff."
"Every evening I drink a glass of wine."
,"I had a nasty tooth pulled last week."
"The arthritis in my feet has been giving me trouble this week." - answer>>>c. "I had a
nasty tooth pulled last week."
Rationale: Acute infection may be a contraindication for THA due to increased risk of
bacteria infecting the replaced hip.
Reference: Core Curriculum for Orthopaedic Nursing (7th ed.), 2013, p. 553
The patient undergoes right total hip arthroplasty with a posterolateral approach.
Following a short stay in the post-anesthesia unit, the patient is transferred to the
orthopaedic surgical unit. Which of these observations made by the nurse should indicate
the positioning of the patient's right extremity is correct?
Leg is in adducted position.
Hip is flexed 90 degrees.
Leg is in neutral position.
Hip is internally rotated. - answer>>>c. Leg is in neutral position.
Rationale: Following THA with a posterolateral approach, the patient should not flex the
hip beyond 90 degrees, cross the operative leg past the body's midline (adduction), or
internally rotate the surgical hip. The leg should be maintained in neutral position.
Reference: Core Curriculum for Orthopaedic Nursing (7th ed.), 2013, p. 556
The nurse is providing pre-operative teaching to a patient scheduled for an open
reduction-internal fixation (ORIF) of the femur. Which of the following biologic implants
should the nurse recognize is used to fill in bony defects?
Cannulated screw
Cortical strut
, Polypropylene cup
Compression plate - answer>>>b. Cortical strut
Rationale: Biologic implants include bone and allograft tissue such as a cortical strut. The
other options are not biologic implants.
Reference: Core Curriculum for Orthopaedic Nursing (7th ed.), 2013, p. 134; Orthopaedic
Surgery Manual (3rd ed.), 2017, p. 92
While caring for a patient undergoing a shoulder arthroscopy, the nurse assists with
positioning the patient in a lateral decubitus position. Which of the following nerves
should the nurse recognize may sustain injury when the patient is placed in the lateral
position and there is inadequate padding under the fibular head?
Saphenous
Tibial
Sural
Peroneal - answer>>>d. Peroneal
Rationale: Peroneal nerve damage is caused by compression over the lateral aspect of the
fibular head or from prolonged plantar flexion of the foot. The saphenous nerve runs
superficially at the medial thigh and may be impaired by direct compression from a
tourniquet or arthroscopic leg holder. The tibial nerve diverges at the popliteal fossa and
travels down the leg to the medial aspect of the ankle. The sural nerve is found laterally at
the ankle and foot.
Reference: Core Curriculum for Orthopaedic Nursing (7th ed.), 2013, p. 129; Orthopaedic
Surgery Manual (3rd ed.), 2017, p. 50
