Chapter 15: Priorities for the Preoperative Patient
Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
____ 1. The nurse administers the preoperative medication to the patient one hour
before elective surgery, and then discovers the preoperative consent is not signed.
Which action by the nurse is the most appropriate?
1. Have the patient sign the consent quickly, before the medication begins taking effect.
2. Have a family member or medical power of attorney sign the consent.
3. Send the patient to the holding area without a signed consent.
4. Notify the health-care provider that surgery will need to be canceled.
____ 2. The nurse is completing the preoperative checklist on the night shift in
preparation for the patient’s surgery, scheduled for 0800. Which tasks could the nurse
complete at this time?
1. Documenting the time of last voiding
2. Checking the medical record for the history, physical, and signed informed consent
3. Administering preoperative medication
4. Removing the prosthesis
____ 3. The nurse is conducting a medication assessment for a preoperative patient.
Which action by the nurse is appropriate for the patient who is prescribed
amiodarone?
1. Obtaining a baseline ECG
2. Monitoring blood pressure
3. Assessing for hyperglycemia
4. Tapering the drug two days prior to surgery
____ 4. The nurse is conducting a medication assessment for a preoperative patient.
Which action by the nurse is appropriate for the patient who is prescribed warfarin?
1. Obtaining a baseline ECG
2. Monitoring blood pressure
3. Assessing for hyperglycemia
4. Tapering the drug two days prior to surgery
____ 5. The nurse is conducting a medication assessment for a preoperative patient.
Which action by the nurse is appropriate for the patient who is prescribed metoprolol?
1. Obtaining a baseline ECG
,2. Monitoring blood pressure
3. Assessing for hyperglycemia
4. Tapering the drug two days prior to surgery
____ 6. The nurse is conducting a medication assessment for a preoperative patient.
Which action by the nurse is appropriate for the patient who is prescribed
dexamethoasone?
1. Obtaining a baseline ECG
2. Monitoring blood pressure
3. Assessing for hyperglycemia
4. Tapering the drug two days prior to surgery
____ 7. The nurse is conducting a medication assessment for a preoperative patient.
Which action by the nurse is appropriate for the patient who is prescribed
phenobarbital?
1. Obtaining a baseline ECG
2. Monitoring blood pressure
3. Maintaining the drug during the perioperative period
4. Assessing blood glucose levels closely during the perioperative period
____ 8. The nurse is conducting a medication assessment for a preoperative patient.
Which action by the nurse is appropriate for the patient who is prescribed insulin?
1. Obtaining a baseline ECG
2. Monitoring blood pressure
3. Holding the drug during the perioperative period
4. Assessing blood glucose levels closely during the perioperative period
____ 9. Which should the nurse teach the patient regarding NPO status prior to a
surgical procedure?
1. Nothing by mouth for 12 hours prior to surgery
2. Nothing solid by mouth for six hours prior to surgery
3. No clear liquids by mouth for four hours prior to the surgery
4. No clear liquids by mouth for two hours prior to the surgery
____ 10. Which is the priority nursing action when providing patient care during the
preoperative phase of care?
1. Ensuring NPO status
2. Monitoring vital signs
, 3. Obtaining informed consent
4. Completing a preoperative checklist
____ 11. The nurse is reviewing the medical records for patients who are scheduled
for surgery the next day. Which patient may not provide consent to receive blood
products?
1. A Hispanic Catholic patient.
2. An African-American Baptist patient.
3. A Caucasian Jehovah’s Witness patient.
4. A Native American patient with no religious affiliation.
____ 12. Which identifier should the nurse use during the initial time-out to determine
the right patient?
1. Date of birth
2. Maiden name
3. Medical record number
4. Photo placed in the medical record
____ 13. Which information should the nurse collect during the health history that is
conducted during the preoperative period?
1. Caretaker after discharge
2. Oral intake over the last day
3. Date of last sexual encounter
4. Previous response to anesthesia
____ 14. The nurse is preparing a patient, diagnosed with asthma, for surgery. Which
should the nurse include in the plan of care for this patient?
1. Monitoring blood pressure every hour
2. Assessing bowel sounds twice per shift
3. Monitoring pulse oximetry continuously
4. Assessing deep tendon reflexes every hour
____ 15. Which is the priority action by the nurse when a patient discloses a
medication allergy during the health history prior to a surgical procedure?
1. Asking the patient to describe the reaction that occurs
2. Documenting the information on the patient’s medical record
3. Placing an alert bracelet on the patient prior to leaving the unit
Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
____ 1. The nurse administers the preoperative medication to the patient one hour
before elective surgery, and then discovers the preoperative consent is not signed.
Which action by the nurse is the most appropriate?
1. Have the patient sign the consent quickly, before the medication begins taking effect.
2. Have a family member or medical power of attorney sign the consent.
3. Send the patient to the holding area without a signed consent.
4. Notify the health-care provider that surgery will need to be canceled.
____ 2. The nurse is completing the preoperative checklist on the night shift in
preparation for the patient’s surgery, scheduled for 0800. Which tasks could the nurse
complete at this time?
1. Documenting the time of last voiding
2. Checking the medical record for the history, physical, and signed informed consent
3. Administering preoperative medication
4. Removing the prosthesis
____ 3. The nurse is conducting a medication assessment for a preoperative patient.
Which action by the nurse is appropriate for the patient who is prescribed
amiodarone?
1. Obtaining a baseline ECG
2. Monitoring blood pressure
3. Assessing for hyperglycemia
4. Tapering the drug two days prior to surgery
____ 4. The nurse is conducting a medication assessment for a preoperative patient.
Which action by the nurse is appropriate for the patient who is prescribed warfarin?
1. Obtaining a baseline ECG
2. Monitoring blood pressure
3. Assessing for hyperglycemia
4. Tapering the drug two days prior to surgery
____ 5. The nurse is conducting a medication assessment for a preoperative patient.
Which action by the nurse is appropriate for the patient who is prescribed metoprolol?
1. Obtaining a baseline ECG
,2. Monitoring blood pressure
3. Assessing for hyperglycemia
4. Tapering the drug two days prior to surgery
____ 6. The nurse is conducting a medication assessment for a preoperative patient.
Which action by the nurse is appropriate for the patient who is prescribed
dexamethoasone?
1. Obtaining a baseline ECG
2. Monitoring blood pressure
3. Assessing for hyperglycemia
4. Tapering the drug two days prior to surgery
____ 7. The nurse is conducting a medication assessment for a preoperative patient.
Which action by the nurse is appropriate for the patient who is prescribed
phenobarbital?
1. Obtaining a baseline ECG
2. Monitoring blood pressure
3. Maintaining the drug during the perioperative period
4. Assessing blood glucose levels closely during the perioperative period
____ 8. The nurse is conducting a medication assessment for a preoperative patient.
Which action by the nurse is appropriate for the patient who is prescribed insulin?
1. Obtaining a baseline ECG
2. Monitoring blood pressure
3. Holding the drug during the perioperative period
4. Assessing blood glucose levels closely during the perioperative period
____ 9. Which should the nurse teach the patient regarding NPO status prior to a
surgical procedure?
1. Nothing by mouth for 12 hours prior to surgery
2. Nothing solid by mouth for six hours prior to surgery
3. No clear liquids by mouth for four hours prior to the surgery
4. No clear liquids by mouth for two hours prior to the surgery
____ 10. Which is the priority nursing action when providing patient care during the
preoperative phase of care?
1. Ensuring NPO status
2. Monitoring vital signs
, 3. Obtaining informed consent
4. Completing a preoperative checklist
____ 11. The nurse is reviewing the medical records for patients who are scheduled
for surgery the next day. Which patient may not provide consent to receive blood
products?
1. A Hispanic Catholic patient.
2. An African-American Baptist patient.
3. A Caucasian Jehovah’s Witness patient.
4. A Native American patient with no religious affiliation.
____ 12. Which identifier should the nurse use during the initial time-out to determine
the right patient?
1. Date of birth
2. Maiden name
3. Medical record number
4. Photo placed in the medical record
____ 13. Which information should the nurse collect during the health history that is
conducted during the preoperative period?
1. Caretaker after discharge
2. Oral intake over the last day
3. Date of last sexual encounter
4. Previous response to anesthesia
____ 14. The nurse is preparing a patient, diagnosed with asthma, for surgery. Which
should the nurse include in the plan of care for this patient?
1. Monitoring blood pressure every hour
2. Assessing bowel sounds twice per shift
3. Monitoring pulse oximetry continuously
4. Assessing deep tendon reflexes every hour
____ 15. Which is the priority action by the nurse when a patient discloses a
medication allergy during the health history prior to a surgical procedure?
1. Asking the patient to describe the reaction that occurs
2. Documenting the information on the patient’s medical record
3. Placing an alert bracelet on the patient prior to leaving the unit
