CAPA CPAN Certification Study Guide Questions WITH
Answer GUARANTEE A+ 2025/2026
Post anesthesia phase 2 - - The pts in this area are preparing to go home
- Here pt receives discharge instructions
- Still requires monitoring for complications related to surgery or
medications
- VS every 30-60min (at arrival and discharge)
Post anesthesia phase 2 staffing - - 1:3 if over the age of 8 or under 8 with
family present
- if the pt is under 8 w/out family, ration should be 1:2
- 2 staff members are required to be in the unit at all times (1 RN
competent in phase 2)
- Staffing will be 1 nurse to 1 pt if pt becomes unstable and requires
transfer to higher level of care
Extended care - - Area where pts require extended observation after
discharge from phase 2
- Staffing should be 1:3-5
- These pts are typically waiting for transport home/inpt bed
- 2 staff members should be in the unit at all times (1 RN who is competent
in caring for pt population)
Blended care - - Care of pts who belong in multiple phases of care
- Clinical judgement is required to determine safe staffing
- Pts in different levels may share same physical space
- An effort must be made to ensure privacy and confidentiality
Recommendations to combat alarm fatigue - - Identify important alarms
- Develop policies that identify when alarms can be disabled
- Use alarms that change back to default settings when the pt is discharged
from device
- Adjust the alarms to the pt needs
Capnography - - Can detect early hypoxia to allow correction of
hypoventilation, apnea, or airway obstruction
- Can be used in areas other than operating rooms for procedures or
peripheral nerve blocks
- Can increase safety for pts when included with use of pulse ox
,- O2 supplementation may correct for pulse ox readings but may mask
hypoventilation
Minimal sedation, anxiolysis - - Pt responds normally
- Coordination may be impaired
- Pt is able to maintain airway
Moderate sedation, analgesia - - "Conscious sedation"
- Pt has depressed level of consciousness but can respond to verbal
commands or light touch
- Can maintain their own airway
Deep sedation, analgesia - - Pt responds purposefully to painful stimulation
- Pt may not be able to maintain their own airway
General anesthesia - - Pt loses consciousness, pts are not arousable,
usually cannot maintain airway and ventilatory function
- Cardiovascular function may be compromised
- 3 phases of general anesthesia: induction, maintenance, and emergence
Stages of anesthesia - I: stage of anesthesia and amnesia
II: stage of delirium
III: stage of surgical anesthesia
IV: cessation of respiration to circulatory collapse
Stage I of anesthesia and amnesia - - Begins with initiation of anesthesia
and ends with loss of consciousness
- Pt can follow simple commands
- Protective reflexes remain intact
Stage II of delirium - - Starts with loss of consciousness and ends with
disappearance of lid reflex
- Respirations irregular
- May be passed through quickly with newer anesthetic agents
- High risk for aspiration, laryngospasm and bronchospasm
Stage III of surgical anesthesia - - Cessation of spontaneous respirations
- Absence of eyelash response, blink, & swallow reflexes
- Airway management essential
, Stage IV cessation of respirations to circulatory collapse - Considered
overdose of general anesthetics
Regional anesthesia - - Loss of sensation to specific region of the body
- Ex: spinal, epidural, and peripheral nerve blocks
Local anesthesia - Local infiltration or topical application of anesthetic
agent
Horner's syndrome - - A sign of medical issue that has caused nerve
damage
- The nerve from the eye and face to the brain can be damaged and cause
drooping eye lid, decreased pupil size, and decreased sweating
- Can be cause dby tumor, stroke, or spinal cord injury
Retrobublar - Eye nerve block
Intercostal - Block of nerves that supply the ribs and abdominal wall
Brachial plexus - - Block of spinal nerves from C5-T1 vertebrae
- Each bundle divides and eventually end in radial, ulnar, and median
nerves
- Used for hand, forearm, and shoulder surgeries
- Interscalene, supraclavicular, infraclavicular, axillary
Lower extremity blocks - - Performed for knee and foot surgeries
- Lumbar and sacral nerves divide into sciatic, gemoral, popliteal, and tibial
nerves
To be completed prior to sedation... - - Pre-sedation evaluation by
anesthesia provider
- Informed consent
POSS sedation scale - - Assess for unwanted sedation
- S = sleep, easy to arouse (acceptable)
- 1 = awake and alert (acceptable)
- 2 = slightly drowsy, easily aroused (acceptable)
- 3 = frequently drowsy, arousable, drifts off to sleep during conversation
(unacceptable; monitor respiratory status, decrease opioid use or notify
Answer GUARANTEE A+ 2025/2026
Post anesthesia phase 2 - - The pts in this area are preparing to go home
- Here pt receives discharge instructions
- Still requires monitoring for complications related to surgery or
medications
- VS every 30-60min (at arrival and discharge)
Post anesthesia phase 2 staffing - - 1:3 if over the age of 8 or under 8 with
family present
- if the pt is under 8 w/out family, ration should be 1:2
- 2 staff members are required to be in the unit at all times (1 RN
competent in phase 2)
- Staffing will be 1 nurse to 1 pt if pt becomes unstable and requires
transfer to higher level of care
Extended care - - Area where pts require extended observation after
discharge from phase 2
- Staffing should be 1:3-5
- These pts are typically waiting for transport home/inpt bed
- 2 staff members should be in the unit at all times (1 RN who is competent
in caring for pt population)
Blended care - - Care of pts who belong in multiple phases of care
- Clinical judgement is required to determine safe staffing
- Pts in different levels may share same physical space
- An effort must be made to ensure privacy and confidentiality
Recommendations to combat alarm fatigue - - Identify important alarms
- Develop policies that identify when alarms can be disabled
- Use alarms that change back to default settings when the pt is discharged
from device
- Adjust the alarms to the pt needs
Capnography - - Can detect early hypoxia to allow correction of
hypoventilation, apnea, or airway obstruction
- Can be used in areas other than operating rooms for procedures or
peripheral nerve blocks
- Can increase safety for pts when included with use of pulse ox
,- O2 supplementation may correct for pulse ox readings but may mask
hypoventilation
Minimal sedation, anxiolysis - - Pt responds normally
- Coordination may be impaired
- Pt is able to maintain airway
Moderate sedation, analgesia - - "Conscious sedation"
- Pt has depressed level of consciousness but can respond to verbal
commands or light touch
- Can maintain their own airway
Deep sedation, analgesia - - Pt responds purposefully to painful stimulation
- Pt may not be able to maintain their own airway
General anesthesia - - Pt loses consciousness, pts are not arousable,
usually cannot maintain airway and ventilatory function
- Cardiovascular function may be compromised
- 3 phases of general anesthesia: induction, maintenance, and emergence
Stages of anesthesia - I: stage of anesthesia and amnesia
II: stage of delirium
III: stage of surgical anesthesia
IV: cessation of respiration to circulatory collapse
Stage I of anesthesia and amnesia - - Begins with initiation of anesthesia
and ends with loss of consciousness
- Pt can follow simple commands
- Protective reflexes remain intact
Stage II of delirium - - Starts with loss of consciousness and ends with
disappearance of lid reflex
- Respirations irregular
- May be passed through quickly with newer anesthetic agents
- High risk for aspiration, laryngospasm and bronchospasm
Stage III of surgical anesthesia - - Cessation of spontaneous respirations
- Absence of eyelash response, blink, & swallow reflexes
- Airway management essential
, Stage IV cessation of respirations to circulatory collapse - Considered
overdose of general anesthetics
Regional anesthesia - - Loss of sensation to specific region of the body
- Ex: spinal, epidural, and peripheral nerve blocks
Local anesthesia - Local infiltration or topical application of anesthetic
agent
Horner's syndrome - - A sign of medical issue that has caused nerve
damage
- The nerve from the eye and face to the brain can be damaged and cause
drooping eye lid, decreased pupil size, and decreased sweating
- Can be cause dby tumor, stroke, or spinal cord injury
Retrobublar - Eye nerve block
Intercostal - Block of nerves that supply the ribs and abdominal wall
Brachial plexus - - Block of spinal nerves from C5-T1 vertebrae
- Each bundle divides and eventually end in radial, ulnar, and median
nerves
- Used for hand, forearm, and shoulder surgeries
- Interscalene, supraclavicular, infraclavicular, axillary
Lower extremity blocks - - Performed for knee and foot surgeries
- Lumbar and sacral nerves divide into sciatic, gemoral, popliteal, and tibial
nerves
To be completed prior to sedation... - - Pre-sedation evaluation by
anesthesia provider
- Informed consent
POSS sedation scale - - Assess for unwanted sedation
- S = sleep, easy to arouse (acceptable)
- 1 = awake and alert (acceptable)
- 2 = slightly drowsy, easily aroused (acceptable)
- 3 = frequently drowsy, arousable, drifts off to sleep during conversation
(unacceptable; monitor respiratory status, decrease opioid use or notify
