FLORIDA BOARD OF NURSING
PERIOPERATIVE NURSING CERTIFICATION
EXAM WITH ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND
VERIFIED ANSWERS, PLUS EXPLAINED
RATIONALES/EXPERT VERIFIED FOR
GUARANTEED 100% PASS 2026/LATEST
UPDATE/INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF
1.
A 68-year-old patient is scheduled for an elective abdominal surgery.
During the preoperative assessment, the patient states, “I took my
prescribed anticoagulant this morning because nobody told me to stop
it.” Which action by the perioperative nurse is the priority?
A. Document the medication and proceed because the medication was
prescribed
B. Administer vitamin K immediately
C. Notify the surgeon and anesthesia professional before surgery
proceeds
D. Ask the patient to sign a waiver acknowledging increased bleeding
risk
Answer: C. Notify the surgeon and anesthesia professional before
surgery proceeds
Rationale: Anticoagulant therapy can significantly increase
perioperative bleeding risk. The surgical and anesthesia teams must
determine whether the procedure should proceed, be delayed, or
require medication-specific management. The nurse should not
independently reverse anticoagulation or authorize continuation of
surgery.
1
,2.
A patient scheduled for surgery reports a previous episode of severe
hyperthermia, muscle rigidity, tachycardia, and metabolic acidosis
during general anesthesia. The patient’s sibling experienced a similar
reaction. Which complication should the perioperative nurse suspect?
A. Neuroleptic malignant syndrome
B. Malignant hyperthermia susceptibility
C. Thyroid storm
D. Serotonin syndrome
Answer: B. Malignant hyperthermia susceptibility
Rationale: Malignant hyperthermia is an inherited pharmacogenetic
disorder involving abnormal skeletal-muscle calcium regulation. A
personal or family history of a severe anesthetic reaction characterized
by hypercapnia, tachycardia, rigidity, hyperthermia, and
metabolic/metabolic respiratory abnormalities is highly concerning.
The anesthesia team must be alerted before anesthetic administration.
3.
During the surgical time-out, the surgeon states that the procedure is a
left-sided knee replacement. The consent form says “right knee
replacement.” What should the circulating nurse do?
A. Allow the surgeon to correct the consent after incision
B. Ask the patient which knee is being operated on and proceed
C. Stop the process and resolve the discrepancy before surgery continues
D. Assume the surgeon's verbal statement overrides the consent
Answer: C. Stop the process and resolve the discrepancy before
surgery continues
2
,Rationale: A discrepancy involving the procedure or surgical site is a
major patient-safety concern. The operation should not proceed until
the discrepancy is reconciled through the appropriate verification
process. The time-out is specifically intended to identify errors before
an invasive procedure occurs.
4.
Which responsibility is most characteristic of the circulating nurse rather
than the scrub person?
A. Maintaining the sterile field directly
B. Passing sterile instruments to the surgeon
C. Managing the sterile instrument table
D. Coordinating documentation, positioning, counts, and overall room
safety
Answer: D. Coordinating documentation, positioning, counts, and
overall room safety
Rationale: The circulating nurse functions outside the sterile field and
coordinates patient safety, documentation, positioning, specimen
management, environmental concerns, counts, communication, and
verification activities. The scrub person works within the sterile field
and manages sterile instruments and supplies.
5.
A scrub nurse accidentally touches the sterile gown of another team
member below the level considered sterile. What is the appropriate
response?
A. Continue because the gown is still sterile
B. Cover the area with another sterile drape
3
, C. Consider the contaminated area and take corrective action
D. Spray the gown with an antiseptic solution
Answer: C. Consider the contaminated area and take corrective
action
Rationale: Sterile technique depends on maintaining known sterile
boundaries. Areas below the sterile field or outside recognized sterile
zones are considered contaminated. Covering contamination without
addressing it does not restore sterility.
6.
While opening a sterile package, the circulating nurse notices that the
external wrapper is wet. What should the nurse do?
A. Open it because the internal contents are probably dry
B. Use the package only for noncritical items
C. Consider the package contaminated and obtain a new sterile package
D. Dry the outside and use it
Answer: C. Consider the package contaminated and obtain a new
sterile package
Rationale: Moisture can allow microorganisms to migrate through
packaging by strike-through contamination. A wet sterile package
should not be considered reliably sterile. The correct action is to
remove it from use and obtain another sterile item.
7.
A patient undergoing spinal surgery is positioned prone. Which
assessment is especially important because of the positioning?
4
PERIOPERATIVE NURSING CERTIFICATION
EXAM WITH ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND
VERIFIED ANSWERS, PLUS EXPLAINED
RATIONALES/EXPERT VERIFIED FOR
GUARANTEED 100% PASS 2026/LATEST
UPDATE/INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF
1.
A 68-year-old patient is scheduled for an elective abdominal surgery.
During the preoperative assessment, the patient states, “I took my
prescribed anticoagulant this morning because nobody told me to stop
it.” Which action by the perioperative nurse is the priority?
A. Document the medication and proceed because the medication was
prescribed
B. Administer vitamin K immediately
C. Notify the surgeon and anesthesia professional before surgery
proceeds
D. Ask the patient to sign a waiver acknowledging increased bleeding
risk
Answer: C. Notify the surgeon and anesthesia professional before
surgery proceeds
Rationale: Anticoagulant therapy can significantly increase
perioperative bleeding risk. The surgical and anesthesia teams must
determine whether the procedure should proceed, be delayed, or
require medication-specific management. The nurse should not
independently reverse anticoagulation or authorize continuation of
surgery.
1
,2.
A patient scheduled for surgery reports a previous episode of severe
hyperthermia, muscle rigidity, tachycardia, and metabolic acidosis
during general anesthesia. The patient’s sibling experienced a similar
reaction. Which complication should the perioperative nurse suspect?
A. Neuroleptic malignant syndrome
B. Malignant hyperthermia susceptibility
C. Thyroid storm
D. Serotonin syndrome
Answer: B. Malignant hyperthermia susceptibility
Rationale: Malignant hyperthermia is an inherited pharmacogenetic
disorder involving abnormal skeletal-muscle calcium regulation. A
personal or family history of a severe anesthetic reaction characterized
by hypercapnia, tachycardia, rigidity, hyperthermia, and
metabolic/metabolic respiratory abnormalities is highly concerning.
The anesthesia team must be alerted before anesthetic administration.
3.
During the surgical time-out, the surgeon states that the procedure is a
left-sided knee replacement. The consent form says “right knee
replacement.” What should the circulating nurse do?
A. Allow the surgeon to correct the consent after incision
B. Ask the patient which knee is being operated on and proceed
C. Stop the process and resolve the discrepancy before surgery continues
D. Assume the surgeon's verbal statement overrides the consent
Answer: C. Stop the process and resolve the discrepancy before
surgery continues
2
,Rationale: A discrepancy involving the procedure or surgical site is a
major patient-safety concern. The operation should not proceed until
the discrepancy is reconciled through the appropriate verification
process. The time-out is specifically intended to identify errors before
an invasive procedure occurs.
4.
Which responsibility is most characteristic of the circulating nurse rather
than the scrub person?
A. Maintaining the sterile field directly
B. Passing sterile instruments to the surgeon
C. Managing the sterile instrument table
D. Coordinating documentation, positioning, counts, and overall room
safety
Answer: D. Coordinating documentation, positioning, counts, and
overall room safety
Rationale: The circulating nurse functions outside the sterile field and
coordinates patient safety, documentation, positioning, specimen
management, environmental concerns, counts, communication, and
verification activities. The scrub person works within the sterile field
and manages sterile instruments and supplies.
5.
A scrub nurse accidentally touches the sterile gown of another team
member below the level considered sterile. What is the appropriate
response?
A. Continue because the gown is still sterile
B. Cover the area with another sterile drape
3
, C. Consider the contaminated area and take corrective action
D. Spray the gown with an antiseptic solution
Answer: C. Consider the contaminated area and take corrective
action
Rationale: Sterile technique depends on maintaining known sterile
boundaries. Areas below the sterile field or outside recognized sterile
zones are considered contaminated. Covering contamination without
addressing it does not restore sterility.
6.
While opening a sterile package, the circulating nurse notices that the
external wrapper is wet. What should the nurse do?
A. Open it because the internal contents are probably dry
B. Use the package only for noncritical items
C. Consider the package contaminated and obtain a new sterile package
D. Dry the outside and use it
Answer: C. Consider the package contaminated and obtain a new
sterile package
Rationale: Moisture can allow microorganisms to migrate through
packaging by strike-through contamination. A wet sterile package
should not be considered reliably sterile. The correct action is to
remove it from use and obtain another sterile item.
7.
A patient undergoing spinal surgery is positioned prone. Which
assessment is especially important because of the positioning?
4
