AORN PERIOP 101 CLINICAL PRACTICE REVIEW 2026-2027
– SPECIMEN MANAGEMENT, MEDICATIONS, OR SAFETY &
PERIOPERATIVE NURSING LATEST REVIEWED STUDY
GUIDE GRADED A+
When will the surgical team review specimen identification and labeling?
a. sign in
b. pre-procedure check-in
c. sign-out
d. time out - Correct Ans: c. sign-out
Which of the following is a negative consequence of a specimen error?
a. diagnosis accuracy
b. shorter length of hospitalization
c. potential litigation - Correct Ans: c. potential litigation
To decrease the possibility of specimen compromise, the scrub person should:
a. keep the specimen in a sterile basin under the mayo stand
b. cover and label the specimen
c. label the rim of the specimen container and cover the container with a water-soaked sponge
d. keep the specimen dry in a counted sponge - Correct Ans: b. cover and label the specimen
When transferring the specimen off to the sterile field, the scrub person should:
a. use the transfer instrument for the closing count
b. confirm with the RN circulator that the container is large enough for the specimen
c. wear 2 masks to avoid breathing in preservative fumes
d. pour sterile water into the specimen container - Correct Ans: b. confirm with the RN circulator
that the container is large enough for the specimen
,An incomplete, inaccurate, or delayed diagnosis can have devastating consequences for the
patient. What is a negative outcome of specimen mismanagement that can have a direct impact
on any member of the surgical team?
a. increased morbidity and mortality
b. additional procedures
c. exposure to blood and other potentially infectious materials
d. community distrust - Correct Ans: c. exposure to blood and other potentially infectious
materials
It is necessary for specimen containers to be:
a. leak proof
b. puncture resistant
c. large enough to contain the specimen and preservative
d. all of the above - Correct Ans: d. all of the above
What patient harm may occur due to a specimen management error?
a. appropriate treatment
b. community distrust
c. extended length of stay
d. exposure to blood and body fluids - Correct Ans: c. extended length of stay
How are bullets handled during a procedure?
a. grasped with metal instrument with protective rubber shods and placed in a non-metal basin
b. grasped with a metal instrument with protective rubber shods and placed in a metal basin
c. grasped with a metal instrument with protective rubber shods and placed in a laparotomy
sponge
d. grasped with a metal instrument and placed in a metal basin - Correct Ans: a. grasped
with metal instrument with protective rubber shods and placed in a non-metal basin
,When a specimen is removed from the body, which of the following is the next best step?
a. cover it with water
b. place it in a dry container
c. cover it with a sterile towel
d. pass it off the sterile field - Correct Ans: d. pass it off the sterile field
What is it called when a patient's belongings are bagged and a list is kept to track who handled
the items for legal purposes?
a. forensic nursing
b. specimen management
c. forensic chain of custody
d. best nursing practice - Correct Ans: c. forensic chain of custody
If the facility policy and procedure does not describe steps for handling an infectious specimen,
who would you call?
a. surgeon
b. pathology department
c. scrub person
d. physician assistant - Correct Ans: b. pathology department
Which sterile team member typically administers medication to the patient at or near the
incision site during the surgical procedure?
a. anesthesia professional
b. RN circulator
c. scrub technologist
, d. surgeon - Correct Ans: d. surgeon
A perioperative RN is preparing a heparin flush. Before administration of the medication, the
RN should double-check the medication dosage with any of the following team members
EXCEPT an:
a. unlicensed team member
b. anesthesia professional
c. RN
d. MD - Correct Ans: a. unlicensed team member
A medication that is accepted onto the sterile field and is not in its origional container should be
labeled, at a minimum, with the medication name, concentration, and:
a. initials
b. dilution and diluent if used
c. time
d. date - Correct Ans: b. dilution and diluent if used
Which medication neutralizes the effect of heparin?
a. bacitracin
b. vitamin k
c. protamine
d. propranolol - Correct Ans: c. protamine
When epinephrine is added to a local anesthetic its actions include:
a. bronchial dilation
b. antimicrobial activity
– SPECIMEN MANAGEMENT, MEDICATIONS, OR SAFETY &
PERIOPERATIVE NURSING LATEST REVIEWED STUDY
GUIDE GRADED A+
When will the surgical team review specimen identification and labeling?
a. sign in
b. pre-procedure check-in
c. sign-out
d. time out - Correct Ans: c. sign-out
Which of the following is a negative consequence of a specimen error?
a. diagnosis accuracy
b. shorter length of hospitalization
c. potential litigation - Correct Ans: c. potential litigation
To decrease the possibility of specimen compromise, the scrub person should:
a. keep the specimen in a sterile basin under the mayo stand
b. cover and label the specimen
c. label the rim of the specimen container and cover the container with a water-soaked sponge
d. keep the specimen dry in a counted sponge - Correct Ans: b. cover and label the specimen
When transferring the specimen off to the sterile field, the scrub person should:
a. use the transfer instrument for the closing count
b. confirm with the RN circulator that the container is large enough for the specimen
c. wear 2 masks to avoid breathing in preservative fumes
d. pour sterile water into the specimen container - Correct Ans: b. confirm with the RN circulator
that the container is large enough for the specimen
,An incomplete, inaccurate, or delayed diagnosis can have devastating consequences for the
patient. What is a negative outcome of specimen mismanagement that can have a direct impact
on any member of the surgical team?
a. increased morbidity and mortality
b. additional procedures
c. exposure to blood and other potentially infectious materials
d. community distrust - Correct Ans: c. exposure to blood and other potentially infectious
materials
It is necessary for specimen containers to be:
a. leak proof
b. puncture resistant
c. large enough to contain the specimen and preservative
d. all of the above - Correct Ans: d. all of the above
What patient harm may occur due to a specimen management error?
a. appropriate treatment
b. community distrust
c. extended length of stay
d. exposure to blood and body fluids - Correct Ans: c. extended length of stay
How are bullets handled during a procedure?
a. grasped with metal instrument with protective rubber shods and placed in a non-metal basin
b. grasped with a metal instrument with protective rubber shods and placed in a metal basin
c. grasped with a metal instrument with protective rubber shods and placed in a laparotomy
sponge
d. grasped with a metal instrument and placed in a metal basin - Correct Ans: a. grasped
with metal instrument with protective rubber shods and placed in a non-metal basin
,When a specimen is removed from the body, which of the following is the next best step?
a. cover it with water
b. place it in a dry container
c. cover it with a sterile towel
d. pass it off the sterile field - Correct Ans: d. pass it off the sterile field
What is it called when a patient's belongings are bagged and a list is kept to track who handled
the items for legal purposes?
a. forensic nursing
b. specimen management
c. forensic chain of custody
d. best nursing practice - Correct Ans: c. forensic chain of custody
If the facility policy and procedure does not describe steps for handling an infectious specimen,
who would you call?
a. surgeon
b. pathology department
c. scrub person
d. physician assistant - Correct Ans: b. pathology department
Which sterile team member typically administers medication to the patient at or near the
incision site during the surgical procedure?
a. anesthesia professional
b. RN circulator
c. scrub technologist
, d. surgeon - Correct Ans: d. surgeon
A perioperative RN is preparing a heparin flush. Before administration of the medication, the
RN should double-check the medication dosage with any of the following team members
EXCEPT an:
a. unlicensed team member
b. anesthesia professional
c. RN
d. MD - Correct Ans: a. unlicensed team member
A medication that is accepted onto the sterile field and is not in its origional container should be
labeled, at a minimum, with the medication name, concentration, and:
a. initials
b. dilution and diluent if used
c. time
d. date - Correct Ans: b. dilution and diluent if used
Which medication neutralizes the effect of heparin?
a. bacitracin
b. vitamin k
c. protamine
d. propranolol - Correct Ans: c. protamine
When epinephrine is added to a local anesthetic its actions include:
a. bronchial dilation
b. antimicrobial activity
