Prophecy PACU RN A V1 Questions and Answers
Meperidine (Demerol) 12.5mg every 15 minutes, IV prn is ordered for shivering in the
PACU. Meperidine is available in 50mg/1ml. How many mililiters should be given? -
✔✔ANSWER✔✔>>0.25 mililiters
Upon inspecting a patient's epidural insertion site, you notice swelling around the
catheter. What should you do? - ✔✔ANSWER✔✔>>A) Position the patient on their side
B) Place the patient in a prone position
C) Check the epidural line for kinks
***D) Contact the anesthesia provider
What set of findings indicates a patient is likely to be ready for phase 1 discharge? -
✔✔ANSWER✔✔>>A) Has received discharge instructions, pain level 9 out 10,
shortness of breath
B) Drowsy, blood pressure returned to preoperative levels, on 6 liters oxygen via face
mask
***C) Drowsy, oxygen saturation of 96%, able to cough, and move all extremities
D) Fully alert, shallow breathing, on 3 liters via T-piece, can move 2 extremities
What do you consider to be a safe dose of intravenous fentanyl for an adult who does
not have tolerance to opioids? - ✔✔ANSWER✔✔>>A) 1.5 miligrams
***B) 25 micrograms
C) 100 micrograms
D 25 miligrams
Your patient in the PACU has a blood pressure of 171/92 mmHg, a heart rate of 120,
respiratory rate of 24, is grimacing, restless, and moaning in bed. What medication
should you prepare to give FIRST? - ✔✔ANSWER✔✔>>A) 10 mg hydralazine IV push
***B) 50 mcg fentanyl IV push
C) 2 mg lorazepam IV push
D) 5 mg metoprolol IV push
You are about to discharge a day surgery patient with aphasia and you discover the
family members are not available for the discharge instructions and are not responding
to your phone calls. Business hours are over and the PACU is about to close. How will
you handle the situation? - ✔✔ANSWER✔✔>>***A) Wait until the family returns
B) Leave the discharge education on voicemail and discharge patient
C) Discharge patient with non-emergency transport
D) Take patient home yourself
, You are caring for a patient with a brachial plexus block after surgery. The patient
begins to report chest discomfort on the side where the block was placed. A 12 lead
EKG was normal. What order do you expect to be completed NEXT for this patient? -
✔✔ANSWER✔✔>>A) Echo
B) Cardiac biomarkers
C) CMP
***D) Chest X-ray
You need to obtain consent from a sedated patient post hip replacement surgery for a
regional block. Two women showed up at bedside as next of kin. One has a child with
patient and the other is the patient's girlfriend. How will you obtain the consent? -
✔✔ANSWER✔✔>>A) Proceed with patient signature
***B) Look for patient's parents or immediate family members
C) Allow one of the women to sign
D) Allow both women to sign
***WRONG***
What instructions for care should you include when educating a patient about their
Penrose drain? - ✔✔ANSWER✔✔>>***WORNG***A) You will have bright red drainage
from the tube for several days
B) Change your dressing 2 times a day or when it becomes wet (very probs correct)
C) This drainage tube helps prevent accumulation of bile
D) Remove the safety pin at the end of the tube when you get home
You are caring for a patient with a continuous basal rate PCA infusion when the patient
becomes difficult to awaken. What should you do FIRST? - ✔✔ANSWER✔✔>>***A)
Hold the PCA infusion
B) Elevate the head of bed 45 degrees
C) Stay with patient
D) Contact anesthesia provider
Which factor puts a patient MOST at risk for confusion upon awakening from general
anesthesia? - ✔✔ANSWER✔✔>>B) Advanced Age
You are providing care for a diabetic patient in the PACU. What care should you provide
to decrease their risk of surgical site infections? - ✔✔ANSWER✔✔>>B) Maintain blood
glucose levels per protocol and hand hygiene
What department approves and reviews medical aspects of care in the PACU including
policies and procedures? - ✔✔ANSWER✔✔>>Department of Anesthesia
When providing care to a patient in the PACU who is receiving placement of a new
permanent vascular access graft, what finding should you report immediately to the
surgeon? - ✔✔ANSWER✔✔>>Inability to palpate a thrill
Meperidine (Demerol) 12.5mg every 15 minutes, IV prn is ordered for shivering in the
PACU. Meperidine is available in 50mg/1ml. How many mililiters should be given? -
✔✔ANSWER✔✔>>0.25 mililiters
Upon inspecting a patient's epidural insertion site, you notice swelling around the
catheter. What should you do? - ✔✔ANSWER✔✔>>A) Position the patient on their side
B) Place the patient in a prone position
C) Check the epidural line for kinks
***D) Contact the anesthesia provider
What set of findings indicates a patient is likely to be ready for phase 1 discharge? -
✔✔ANSWER✔✔>>A) Has received discharge instructions, pain level 9 out 10,
shortness of breath
B) Drowsy, blood pressure returned to preoperative levels, on 6 liters oxygen via face
mask
***C) Drowsy, oxygen saturation of 96%, able to cough, and move all extremities
D) Fully alert, shallow breathing, on 3 liters via T-piece, can move 2 extremities
What do you consider to be a safe dose of intravenous fentanyl for an adult who does
not have tolerance to opioids? - ✔✔ANSWER✔✔>>A) 1.5 miligrams
***B) 25 micrograms
C) 100 micrograms
D 25 miligrams
Your patient in the PACU has a blood pressure of 171/92 mmHg, a heart rate of 120,
respiratory rate of 24, is grimacing, restless, and moaning in bed. What medication
should you prepare to give FIRST? - ✔✔ANSWER✔✔>>A) 10 mg hydralazine IV push
***B) 50 mcg fentanyl IV push
C) 2 mg lorazepam IV push
D) 5 mg metoprolol IV push
You are about to discharge a day surgery patient with aphasia and you discover the
family members are not available for the discharge instructions and are not responding
to your phone calls. Business hours are over and the PACU is about to close. How will
you handle the situation? - ✔✔ANSWER✔✔>>***A) Wait until the family returns
B) Leave the discharge education on voicemail and discharge patient
C) Discharge patient with non-emergency transport
D) Take patient home yourself
, You are caring for a patient with a brachial plexus block after surgery. The patient
begins to report chest discomfort on the side where the block was placed. A 12 lead
EKG was normal. What order do you expect to be completed NEXT for this patient? -
✔✔ANSWER✔✔>>A) Echo
B) Cardiac biomarkers
C) CMP
***D) Chest X-ray
You need to obtain consent from a sedated patient post hip replacement surgery for a
regional block. Two women showed up at bedside as next of kin. One has a child with
patient and the other is the patient's girlfriend. How will you obtain the consent? -
✔✔ANSWER✔✔>>A) Proceed with patient signature
***B) Look for patient's parents or immediate family members
C) Allow one of the women to sign
D) Allow both women to sign
***WRONG***
What instructions for care should you include when educating a patient about their
Penrose drain? - ✔✔ANSWER✔✔>>***WORNG***A) You will have bright red drainage
from the tube for several days
B) Change your dressing 2 times a day or when it becomes wet (very probs correct)
C) This drainage tube helps prevent accumulation of bile
D) Remove the safety pin at the end of the tube when you get home
You are caring for a patient with a continuous basal rate PCA infusion when the patient
becomes difficult to awaken. What should you do FIRST? - ✔✔ANSWER✔✔>>***A)
Hold the PCA infusion
B) Elevate the head of bed 45 degrees
C) Stay with patient
D) Contact anesthesia provider
Which factor puts a patient MOST at risk for confusion upon awakening from general
anesthesia? - ✔✔ANSWER✔✔>>B) Advanced Age
You are providing care for a diabetic patient in the PACU. What care should you provide
to decrease their risk of surgical site infections? - ✔✔ANSWER✔✔>>B) Maintain blood
glucose levels per protocol and hand hygiene
What department approves and reviews medical aspects of care in the PACU including
policies and procedures? - ✔✔ANSWER✔✔>>Department of Anesthesia
When providing care to a patient in the PACU who is receiving placement of a new
permanent vascular access graft, what finding should you report immediately to the
surgeon? - ✔✔ANSWER✔✔>>Inability to palpate a thrill
