The number one patient safety issue identified in a survey of peri-operative nurses is pre-
venting: - ANSWER Wrong site/procedure/patient surgery
Reprocessing (flashing) instruments in the OR is high risk because: - ANSWER OR person-
nel not properly trained to reprocess instruments
To safely transfer and position patients in a manner that prevents shearing, personnel should
use a mechanical lifting device for a supine-to-supine transfer of a patient weighing more
than: - ANSWER 157 lbs
_______________ should be the primary decision makers for what equipment and supplies
are purchased and stocked in the difficult airway management cart. - ANSWER Anesthe-
sia personnel
Proper specimen management techniques prevent errors and include all of the following EX-
CEPT: - ANSWER Receiving specimens from the surgical field then affixing patient label to
each
Preventing surgical fires is a top priority for all OR personnel and members of the surgical
team should perform all of the following duties EXCEPT: - ANSWER Perform a weekly fire
risk assessment
Peri-operative hypothermia is an important issue for all anesthetized patients because of all
of the following EXCEPT: - ANSWER Increases risk of renal failure
Recommendations for preventing retained surgical items include all of the following EXCEPT:
- ANSWER Utilizing a multidisciplinary team to resolve incorrect counts
1
, Select the appropriate order for administering blood and blood products. - ANSWER Ver-
ify informed consent for blood, verify patient identification and blood type and unit numbers
against blood tag and requisition slip with second licensed person, sign slips
Weighing sponges is a valuable tool for meticulous calculation of blood and fluid loss when
conducted correctly and used in appropriate circumstances. Select the response that cor-
rectly reflects the best practice in weighing sponges. - ANSWER Keep a running total
blood loss calculated from available sponges during procedure
Laparoscopic procedures that emergently convert to open procedures place the patient at
risk for unintentional retained foreign objects (RFOs). What new and evolving risk reduction
strategy could prevent RFOs and frustrating, time-consuming miscount adventures at the
end of these procedures? - ANSWER Replacing or tagging sponges and laparotomy instru-
ments with radiofrequency identification (RFID) chips
A female patient with end-stage pancreatic cancer was admitted from hospice for a celiac
plexus block to treat intractable pain. She had a Whipple procedure 18 months earlier and
enjoyed a good quality of life until 3 weeks ago. She wanted to be able to complete "getting
her things in order" and saying good-bye to her friends and family while enjoying her last
days pain-free. The patient insisted that her Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) status NOT be re-
scinded. She was conscious and competent and knew what was best for herself. The patient
was taking full advantage of what provision for her care? - ANSWER PSDA and advance
directives
A patient was presented with the prepared informed consent form during the discussion
with her surgeon concerning her scheduled vaginal-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy. She
demonstrated and verbalized that she understood all of the tenets of the procedure, risks,
expected outcome, complications, and procedural process. Before she signed the consent
form, she informed the surgeon that she did not want any medical students or surgical resi-
dents performing any parts of the procedure other than assisting and did not want any pho-
tographs of her body taken. The surgeon agreed, and she crossed out those portions of the
form and initialed them before she signed. The patient was exercising her: - ANSWER
right to informed consent.
2
venting: - ANSWER Wrong site/procedure/patient surgery
Reprocessing (flashing) instruments in the OR is high risk because: - ANSWER OR person-
nel not properly trained to reprocess instruments
To safely transfer and position patients in a manner that prevents shearing, personnel should
use a mechanical lifting device for a supine-to-supine transfer of a patient weighing more
than: - ANSWER 157 lbs
_______________ should be the primary decision makers for what equipment and supplies
are purchased and stocked in the difficult airway management cart. - ANSWER Anesthe-
sia personnel
Proper specimen management techniques prevent errors and include all of the following EX-
CEPT: - ANSWER Receiving specimens from the surgical field then affixing patient label to
each
Preventing surgical fires is a top priority for all OR personnel and members of the surgical
team should perform all of the following duties EXCEPT: - ANSWER Perform a weekly fire
risk assessment
Peri-operative hypothermia is an important issue for all anesthetized patients because of all
of the following EXCEPT: - ANSWER Increases risk of renal failure
Recommendations for preventing retained surgical items include all of the following EXCEPT:
- ANSWER Utilizing a multidisciplinary team to resolve incorrect counts
1
, Select the appropriate order for administering blood and blood products. - ANSWER Ver-
ify informed consent for blood, verify patient identification and blood type and unit numbers
against blood tag and requisition slip with second licensed person, sign slips
Weighing sponges is a valuable tool for meticulous calculation of blood and fluid loss when
conducted correctly and used in appropriate circumstances. Select the response that cor-
rectly reflects the best practice in weighing sponges. - ANSWER Keep a running total
blood loss calculated from available sponges during procedure
Laparoscopic procedures that emergently convert to open procedures place the patient at
risk for unintentional retained foreign objects (RFOs). What new and evolving risk reduction
strategy could prevent RFOs and frustrating, time-consuming miscount adventures at the
end of these procedures? - ANSWER Replacing or tagging sponges and laparotomy instru-
ments with radiofrequency identification (RFID) chips
A female patient with end-stage pancreatic cancer was admitted from hospice for a celiac
plexus block to treat intractable pain. She had a Whipple procedure 18 months earlier and
enjoyed a good quality of life until 3 weeks ago. She wanted to be able to complete "getting
her things in order" and saying good-bye to her friends and family while enjoying her last
days pain-free. The patient insisted that her Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) status NOT be re-
scinded. She was conscious and competent and knew what was best for herself. The patient
was taking full advantage of what provision for her care? - ANSWER PSDA and advance
directives
A patient was presented with the prepared informed consent form during the discussion
with her surgeon concerning her scheduled vaginal-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy. She
demonstrated and verbalized that she understood all of the tenets of the procedure, risks,
expected outcome, complications, and procedural process. Before she signed the consent
form, she informed the surgeon that she did not want any medical students or surgical resi-
dents performing any parts of the procedure other than assisting and did not want any pho-
tographs of her body taken. The surgeon agreed, and she crossed out those portions of the
form and initialed them before she signed. The patient was exercising her: - ANSWER
right to informed consent.
2
