SURGICAL FIRST ASSISTANT TEST QUESTIONS V1
1. Of the following, which of the following procedures should be done first when arriving in
the surgical department each day?: A. The first hand cleansing with a brush scrub Explanation:
When a person arrives at the surgical department, the first thing thatshould be done would be
the first hand cleansing with a brush scrub. When a person does a surgical scrubbingthey
should use a brush, antiseptic soap, and water.
2. Nonabsorbable suture is used in what?: A. Tendons
Explanation: Nonabsorbable sutures are used in places where additional wound support is
required such as in tendons and fascia. It is also often used in cardiovas-cular and neurosurgery
3. What agent should be used for prepping burned skin?: A. Normal saline Explanation:
Normal saline solution should be used to prep burned skin. It can alsobe used for denuded skin
4. Which nursing intervention would you prioritize as first for a diagnosisof ineffective
thermoregulation with febrile signs?: A. Administer antipyretics Explanation: The patient has
a fever and requires antipyretics. This should be prior-itized before the other nursing
interventions. The temperature should be monitoredafter the antipyretics are administered.
5. The largest body cavity which extends from the diaphragm to the lesserpelvic wall would
be?: A. Abdominal Cavity
Explanation: The abdominal cavity is the largest cavity in the body. This cavity holdsthe
stomach, liver, pancreas, intestines, spleen and kidneys.
6. The hardest working organ in the human body even though it's only thesize of a closed fist
would be which of the following?: A. Heart
Explanation: Even though it is fairly small, the heart is the hardest working organ inthe human
body, the heart is solely responsible for pumping the blood through thebody's circulatory
system.
7. Instrument equipment that can be used for visualization of the bronchusand trachea would
be considered: A. Bronchoscope
Explanation: A gastroscope would be used to view the stomach.A colonoscope would be used
to view the entire large intestines. An arthroscope would be used toview the intra-articular
surfaces such as the knee. A bronchoscope would be usedto view the bronchus and trachea.
8. In which of the following cases would a nurse be allowed to disclose confidential
information?: A. if the patient is a danger to himself or others. Explanation: Confidential
information can be disclosed under certain circumstances.For example, the nurse must disclose
such information when authorized by a patient(but only to the extent authorized), when a patient
is a danger to himself or others, orwhen required by law for a reportable communicable disease
or suspected abuse.
9. Nutritional therapy for a patient with chronic kidney disease includes allof the following
except:: A. using protein supplements
, Explanation: All of the choices are part of the nutritional therapy for a patient with
chronic kidney disease except this one. Patients should be taught to avoid high protein diets
and protein supplements. They may overstress the diseased kidneys
10. Behaviors that are motivated by a desire to prevent disease, catch disease early, or return
to optimum function even with disease are known aswhich of the following?: A. Health
protection Explanation: Health protection is a setof behaviors designed to prevent disease, catch
disease early, or return to optimumfunctioning even with disease. This is sometimes also known
as disease prevention
11. The set of steps used to make a nursing decision is known as which ofthe following?: A.
algorithm
Explanation: The algorithm is the set of steps used to make a nursing decision. Theprocedure
refers to the set of "how-to" action steps; the standard of care refers to a description of the
acceptable level of patient care. Clinical practice guidelines arestatements outlining
appropriate practice for clinical condition or procedure.
12. A smoke plume contains which of the following?: A. Harmful toxins Explanation: The
laser equipment should be used according to the manufacturer'sinstructions. The smoke
plume contains harmful toxins. The filters are considered toxic waste and should be handled
according to the facility and government policy.
13. Patient care should reflect ongoing management. An adverse outcomerelated to preparing
the patient for a procedure would include:: A. Changes inthe patient's health status are not
identified and reflected in the patient care plan before procedures
Explanation: Nurses failing to reflect changes in the patient care plan before a procedure is an
adverse preparation or planning related outcome and nursing goaldeficit . The other answer
choices reflect adverse outcomes that may occur duringthe implementation/intervention nor
planning phase of treatment.
14. A recovering patient developed a rash on her wrist from the latex (gloves). Everytime a
nurse touched the patient's wrist, it irritated the patient'sskin sensitivity, and eventually a rash
appeared. This patient had an adverseoutcome for which care event category?: A. Monitoring
and controlling the envi-ronment
Explanation: A reaction to latex exposure is an adverse outcome associated with monitoring
and controlling the environment. It is not due to drugs or solutions because the question
specified the gloves. Additionally, positioning and handling ofcultures and specimens are not
proper answer choices.
15. A desired patient outcome is the patient should be free from infection or injury from retained
instruments. A common method used to confirm retention of instruments includes what?: A.
Taking an X-ray
Explanation: An adverse outcome related to the use of surgical instruments includes
1. Of the following, which of the following procedures should be done first when arriving in
the surgical department each day?: A. The first hand cleansing with a brush scrub Explanation:
When a person arrives at the surgical department, the first thing thatshould be done would be
the first hand cleansing with a brush scrub. When a person does a surgical scrubbingthey
should use a brush, antiseptic soap, and water.
2. Nonabsorbable suture is used in what?: A. Tendons
Explanation: Nonabsorbable sutures are used in places where additional wound support is
required such as in tendons and fascia. It is also often used in cardiovas-cular and neurosurgery
3. What agent should be used for prepping burned skin?: A. Normal saline Explanation:
Normal saline solution should be used to prep burned skin. It can alsobe used for denuded skin
4. Which nursing intervention would you prioritize as first for a diagnosisof ineffective
thermoregulation with febrile signs?: A. Administer antipyretics Explanation: The patient has
a fever and requires antipyretics. This should be prior-itized before the other nursing
interventions. The temperature should be monitoredafter the antipyretics are administered.
5. The largest body cavity which extends from the diaphragm to the lesserpelvic wall would
be?: A. Abdominal Cavity
Explanation: The abdominal cavity is the largest cavity in the body. This cavity holdsthe
stomach, liver, pancreas, intestines, spleen and kidneys.
6. The hardest working organ in the human body even though it's only thesize of a closed fist
would be which of the following?: A. Heart
Explanation: Even though it is fairly small, the heart is the hardest working organ inthe human
body, the heart is solely responsible for pumping the blood through thebody's circulatory
system.
7. Instrument equipment that can be used for visualization of the bronchusand trachea would
be considered: A. Bronchoscope
Explanation: A gastroscope would be used to view the stomach.A colonoscope would be used
to view the entire large intestines. An arthroscope would be used toview the intra-articular
surfaces such as the knee. A bronchoscope would be usedto view the bronchus and trachea.
8. In which of the following cases would a nurse be allowed to disclose confidential
information?: A. if the patient is a danger to himself or others. Explanation: Confidential
information can be disclosed under certain circumstances.For example, the nurse must disclose
such information when authorized by a patient(but only to the extent authorized), when a patient
is a danger to himself or others, orwhen required by law for a reportable communicable disease
or suspected abuse.
9. Nutritional therapy for a patient with chronic kidney disease includes allof the following
except:: A. using protein supplements
, Explanation: All of the choices are part of the nutritional therapy for a patient with
chronic kidney disease except this one. Patients should be taught to avoid high protein diets
and protein supplements. They may overstress the diseased kidneys
10. Behaviors that are motivated by a desire to prevent disease, catch disease early, or return
to optimum function even with disease are known aswhich of the following?: A. Health
protection Explanation: Health protection is a setof behaviors designed to prevent disease, catch
disease early, or return to optimumfunctioning even with disease. This is sometimes also known
as disease prevention
11. The set of steps used to make a nursing decision is known as which ofthe following?: A.
algorithm
Explanation: The algorithm is the set of steps used to make a nursing decision. Theprocedure
refers to the set of "how-to" action steps; the standard of care refers to a description of the
acceptable level of patient care. Clinical practice guidelines arestatements outlining
appropriate practice for clinical condition or procedure.
12. A smoke plume contains which of the following?: A. Harmful toxins Explanation: The
laser equipment should be used according to the manufacturer'sinstructions. The smoke
plume contains harmful toxins. The filters are considered toxic waste and should be handled
according to the facility and government policy.
13. Patient care should reflect ongoing management. An adverse outcomerelated to preparing
the patient for a procedure would include:: A. Changes inthe patient's health status are not
identified and reflected in the patient care plan before procedures
Explanation: Nurses failing to reflect changes in the patient care plan before a procedure is an
adverse preparation or planning related outcome and nursing goaldeficit . The other answer
choices reflect adverse outcomes that may occur duringthe implementation/intervention nor
planning phase of treatment.
14. A recovering patient developed a rash on her wrist from the latex (gloves). Everytime a
nurse touched the patient's wrist, it irritated the patient'sskin sensitivity, and eventually a rash
appeared. This patient had an adverseoutcome for which care event category?: A. Monitoring
and controlling the envi-ronment
Explanation: A reaction to latex exposure is an adverse outcome associated with monitoring
and controlling the environment. It is not due to drugs or solutions because the question
specified the gloves. Additionally, positioning and handling ofcultures and specimens are not
proper answer choices.
15. A desired patient outcome is the patient should be free from infection or injury from retained
instruments. A common method used to confirm retention of instruments includes what?: A.
Taking an X-ray
Explanation: An adverse outcome related to the use of surgical instruments includes
