NIFA STUDY GUIDE EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
The number one patient safety issue identified in a survey of peri-
operative nurses is preventing: -
correct answer ✅Wrong site/procedure/patient surgery
Reprocessing (flashing) instruments in the OR is high risk because: -
correct answer ✅OR personnel not properly trained to reprocess
instruments
To safely transfer and position patients in a manner that prevents
shearing, personnel should use a mechanical lifting device for a
supine-to-supine transfer of a patient weighing more than: -
correct answer ✅157 lbs
_______________ should be the primary decision makers for what
equipment and supplies are purchased and stocked in the difficult
airway management cart. -
correct answer ✅Anesthesia personnel
Proper specimen management techniques prevent errors and
include all of the following EXCEPT: -
correct answer ✅Receiving specimens from the surgical field then
affixing patient label to each
,NIFA STUDY GUIDE EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
Preventing surgical fires is a top priority for all OR personnel and
members of the surgical team should perform all of the following
duties EXCEPT: -
correct answer ✅Perform a weekly fire risk assessment
Peri-operative hypothermia is an important issue for all
anesthetized patients because of all of the following EXCEPT: -
correct answer ✅Increases risk of renal failure
Recommendations for preventing retained surgical items include all
of the following EXCEPT: -
correct answer ✅Utilizing a multidisciplinary team to resolve
incorrect counts
Select the appropriate order for administering blood and blood
products. -
correct answer ✅Verify informed consent for blood, verify patient
identification and blood type and unit numbers against blood tag
and requisition slip with second licensed person, sign slips
,NIFA STUDY GUIDE EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
Weighing sponges is a valuable tool for meticulous calculation of
blood and fluid loss when conducted correctly and used in
appropriate circumstances. Select the response that correctly
reflects the best practice in weighing sponges. -
correct answer ✅Keep a running total blood loss calculated from
available sponges during procedure
Laparoscopic procedures that emergently convert to open
procedures place the patient at risk for unintentional retained
foreign objects (RFOs). What new and evolving risk reduction
strategy could prevent RFOs and frustrating, time-consuming
miscount adventures at the end of these procedures? -
correct answer ✅Replacing or tagging sponges and laparotomy
instruments with radiofrequency identification (RFID) chips
A female patient with end-stage pancreatic cancer was admitted
from hospice for a celiac plexus block to treat intractable pain. She
had a Whipple procedure 18 months earlier and enjoyed a good
quality of life until 3 weeks ago. She wanted to be able to complete
"getting her things in order" and saying good-bye to her friends and
family while enjoying her last days pain-free. The patient insisted
that her Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) status NOT be rescinded. She
was conscious and competent and knew what was best for herself.
The patient was taking full advantage of what provision for her
, NIFA STUDY GUIDE EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
care? -
correct answer ✅PSDA and advance directives
A patient was presented with the prepared informed consent form
during the discussion with her surgeon concerning her scheduled
vaginal-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy. She demonstrated and
verbalized that she understood all of the tenets of the procedure,
risks, expected outcome, complications, and procedural process.
Before she signed the consent form, she informed the surgeon that
she did not want any medical students or surgical residents
performing any parts of the procedure other than assisting and did
not want any photographs of her body taken. The surgeon agreed,
and she crossed out those portions of the form and initialed them
before she signed. The patient was exercising her: -
correct answer ✅right to informed consent.
Early on, during the preliminary sponge count on closure of a repair
of a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm, the circulating nurse was
unable to account for 2 lap sponges. He had meticulously
maintained accountability for all sponges and instruments
discarded from the sterile field and bagged each sponge carefully.
He immediately turned and addressed the entire team in a clear
voice. Select the appropriate communication that the circulating
nurse must employ during this count discrepancy. -
AND ANSWERS
The number one patient safety issue identified in a survey of peri-
operative nurses is preventing: -
correct answer ✅Wrong site/procedure/patient surgery
Reprocessing (flashing) instruments in the OR is high risk because: -
correct answer ✅OR personnel not properly trained to reprocess
instruments
To safely transfer and position patients in a manner that prevents
shearing, personnel should use a mechanical lifting device for a
supine-to-supine transfer of a patient weighing more than: -
correct answer ✅157 lbs
_______________ should be the primary decision makers for what
equipment and supplies are purchased and stocked in the difficult
airway management cart. -
correct answer ✅Anesthesia personnel
Proper specimen management techniques prevent errors and
include all of the following EXCEPT: -
correct answer ✅Receiving specimens from the surgical field then
affixing patient label to each
,NIFA STUDY GUIDE EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
Preventing surgical fires is a top priority for all OR personnel and
members of the surgical team should perform all of the following
duties EXCEPT: -
correct answer ✅Perform a weekly fire risk assessment
Peri-operative hypothermia is an important issue for all
anesthetized patients because of all of the following EXCEPT: -
correct answer ✅Increases risk of renal failure
Recommendations for preventing retained surgical items include all
of the following EXCEPT: -
correct answer ✅Utilizing a multidisciplinary team to resolve
incorrect counts
Select the appropriate order for administering blood and blood
products. -
correct answer ✅Verify informed consent for blood, verify patient
identification and blood type and unit numbers against blood tag
and requisition slip with second licensed person, sign slips
,NIFA STUDY GUIDE EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
Weighing sponges is a valuable tool for meticulous calculation of
blood and fluid loss when conducted correctly and used in
appropriate circumstances. Select the response that correctly
reflects the best practice in weighing sponges. -
correct answer ✅Keep a running total blood loss calculated from
available sponges during procedure
Laparoscopic procedures that emergently convert to open
procedures place the patient at risk for unintentional retained
foreign objects (RFOs). What new and evolving risk reduction
strategy could prevent RFOs and frustrating, time-consuming
miscount adventures at the end of these procedures? -
correct answer ✅Replacing or tagging sponges and laparotomy
instruments with radiofrequency identification (RFID) chips
A female patient with end-stage pancreatic cancer was admitted
from hospice for a celiac plexus block to treat intractable pain. She
had a Whipple procedure 18 months earlier and enjoyed a good
quality of life until 3 weeks ago. She wanted to be able to complete
"getting her things in order" and saying good-bye to her friends and
family while enjoying her last days pain-free. The patient insisted
that her Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) status NOT be rescinded. She
was conscious and competent and knew what was best for herself.
The patient was taking full advantage of what provision for her
, NIFA STUDY GUIDE EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
care? -
correct answer ✅PSDA and advance directives
A patient was presented with the prepared informed consent form
during the discussion with her surgeon concerning her scheduled
vaginal-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy. She demonstrated and
verbalized that she understood all of the tenets of the procedure,
risks, expected outcome, complications, and procedural process.
Before she signed the consent form, she informed the surgeon that
she did not want any medical students or surgical residents
performing any parts of the procedure other than assisting and did
not want any photographs of her body taken. The surgeon agreed,
and she crossed out those portions of the form and initialed them
before she signed. The patient was exercising her: -
correct answer ✅right to informed consent.
Early on, during the preliminary sponge count on closure of a repair
of a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm, the circulating nurse was
unable to account for 2 lap sponges. He had meticulously
maintained accountability for all sponges and instruments
discarded from the sterile field and bagged each sponge carefully.
He immediately turned and addressed the entire team in a clear
voice. Select the appropriate communication that the circulating
nurse must employ during this count discrepancy. -
