PERIOP 101 COMPLETE STUDY GUIDE WITH
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026
▶ Which of the following best illustrates the purpose of perioperative pt and
family education?
a. To reduce the pt's anxiety
b. To increase pt and family adherence to the plan of care
c. To increase the pt's and fam's satisfaction with the quality of care
d. To support legal, ethical, and regulatory mandates. Answer: c
▶ Which of the following practices violates a pt's ethical right to self-
determination or removes his or her ability to make informed choices?
a. Automatically suspending an intraoperative DNR decision
b. Including family in the education process
c. Performing emergency surgery without informed consent
d. Providing info about the scientific evidence for planned care. Answer: a
▶ A 43 yr old female scheduled for a lap choly, the periop RN should
provide preop education to her and her family, incuding
a. Detailed info about the surgical procedure, including risks and benefits
b. Obtaining informed consent from her and suspending any DNR orders
c. Verification of financial records
d. Wound care and pain management. Answer: d
▶ Periop teaching encompasses the 3 elements of info, psychological
support, and skills training. What most accurately describes the level of
skills training?
a. Information describing elements of postoperative recovery
b. Coping mechanisms provided for fear and anxiety
c. The explanation of the periop process
d. Description of intraoperative pt care activities. Answer: a
▶ A surgical mask should cover both mouth, nose and should be
a. Allowed to hang around the neck between procedures
b. Changed after 2 hours of use
c. Removed and discarded after every case
d. Tied snugly with strings crossed. Answer: c
,▶ The ventilation system in the restricted area of the OR should have an
air exchange rate of at least _________ air exchanges per hour
a. 5
b. 20
c. 10
c. 15. Answer: b
▶ Documentation should be accurate, concise, and complete, providing
information for future reference in addition to
a. Ensuring the quality of pt care
b. Serving as evidence in a court of law
c. Reconstructing the pt's healthcare experience
d. All of the above. Answer: d
▶ Who is responsible for ensuring that the daily operations of the surgical
suite meet accrediting and regulatory agency requirements?
a. Administrative support staff
b. Biomedical staff
c. Environmental support staff
d. Surgical team. Answer: a
▶ Regulatory agencies require documentation for equipment and staff
education. Which of the following are types of records that the healthcare
facility is required to maintain?
a. Sterilization logs
b. Equipment maintenance records
c. Chemical sterilant records
d. All of the above. Answer: d
▶ What is the best method for keeping instruments clean on the sterile
field?
a. Soak instruments in a basin of normal saline
b. Wipe instruments with a sponge moistened with sterile water
c. Spray instruments with an enzymatic detergent
d. Wipe instruments with a sponge moistened with sterile water and flush
lumens with sterile water. Answer: d
▶ Select the appropriate Spaulding Classification System category for each
item listed:
, a. Blood pressure cuff
b. Laryngoscope blade
c. Ortho implants
1. critical
2. non- critical
3. semi critical. Answer: a. 2, b. 3, c. 1 or BP non crit, blade semi, implants
critical
▶ What is the first step in reprocessing surgical instruments after they have
been used in a procedure?
a. Cleaning
b. Decotamination
c. Disinfection
d. Transport to the sterilizer. Answer: a
▶ Biological monitoring
a. Is utilized to document the sterility of an item
b. Indicates that the intended physical conditions in the sterilizer were met
c. Can be read immediately after the sterilization cycle is complete
d. Should never be used in IUSS. Answer: b
▶ Decontamination of instruments should begin after the completion of all
invasive porcedures to prevent the formation of biofilm. Which of the
following statements is correct?
a. Decontamination of instruments occurs at the time of use of the
instruments
b. Decontamination begins when instruments are treated with an approved
chemical application or covered with a moistened towel
c. Decontamination of lumened instruments begins with flushing the lumen
with sterile saline
d. Instruments with multiple parts are not disassembled if they were not
used during the surgery. Answer: b
▶ What are the principle elements required for an infection to occur?
a. A method of transmission, a source or reservoir, a susceptible host
b. A susceptible host, middle age pt, skin integrity
c. A susceptible organism, a warm, moist environment, a method of
transmission
d. Limited air flow in the OR, a source or reservoir, compromised sterile
technique. Answer: a
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026
▶ Which of the following best illustrates the purpose of perioperative pt and
family education?
a. To reduce the pt's anxiety
b. To increase pt and family adherence to the plan of care
c. To increase the pt's and fam's satisfaction with the quality of care
d. To support legal, ethical, and regulatory mandates. Answer: c
▶ Which of the following practices violates a pt's ethical right to self-
determination or removes his or her ability to make informed choices?
a. Automatically suspending an intraoperative DNR decision
b. Including family in the education process
c. Performing emergency surgery without informed consent
d. Providing info about the scientific evidence for planned care. Answer: a
▶ A 43 yr old female scheduled for a lap choly, the periop RN should
provide preop education to her and her family, incuding
a. Detailed info about the surgical procedure, including risks and benefits
b. Obtaining informed consent from her and suspending any DNR orders
c. Verification of financial records
d. Wound care and pain management. Answer: d
▶ Periop teaching encompasses the 3 elements of info, psychological
support, and skills training. What most accurately describes the level of
skills training?
a. Information describing elements of postoperative recovery
b. Coping mechanisms provided for fear and anxiety
c. The explanation of the periop process
d. Description of intraoperative pt care activities. Answer: a
▶ A surgical mask should cover both mouth, nose and should be
a. Allowed to hang around the neck between procedures
b. Changed after 2 hours of use
c. Removed and discarded after every case
d. Tied snugly with strings crossed. Answer: c
,▶ The ventilation system in the restricted area of the OR should have an
air exchange rate of at least _________ air exchanges per hour
a. 5
b. 20
c. 10
c. 15. Answer: b
▶ Documentation should be accurate, concise, and complete, providing
information for future reference in addition to
a. Ensuring the quality of pt care
b. Serving as evidence in a court of law
c. Reconstructing the pt's healthcare experience
d. All of the above. Answer: d
▶ Who is responsible for ensuring that the daily operations of the surgical
suite meet accrediting and regulatory agency requirements?
a. Administrative support staff
b. Biomedical staff
c. Environmental support staff
d. Surgical team. Answer: a
▶ Regulatory agencies require documentation for equipment and staff
education. Which of the following are types of records that the healthcare
facility is required to maintain?
a. Sterilization logs
b. Equipment maintenance records
c. Chemical sterilant records
d. All of the above. Answer: d
▶ What is the best method for keeping instruments clean on the sterile
field?
a. Soak instruments in a basin of normal saline
b. Wipe instruments with a sponge moistened with sterile water
c. Spray instruments with an enzymatic detergent
d. Wipe instruments with a sponge moistened with sterile water and flush
lumens with sterile water. Answer: d
▶ Select the appropriate Spaulding Classification System category for each
item listed:
, a. Blood pressure cuff
b. Laryngoscope blade
c. Ortho implants
1. critical
2. non- critical
3. semi critical. Answer: a. 2, b. 3, c. 1 or BP non crit, blade semi, implants
critical
▶ What is the first step in reprocessing surgical instruments after they have
been used in a procedure?
a. Cleaning
b. Decotamination
c. Disinfection
d. Transport to the sterilizer. Answer: a
▶ Biological monitoring
a. Is utilized to document the sterility of an item
b. Indicates that the intended physical conditions in the sterilizer were met
c. Can be read immediately after the sterilization cycle is complete
d. Should never be used in IUSS. Answer: b
▶ Decontamination of instruments should begin after the completion of all
invasive porcedures to prevent the formation of biofilm. Which of the
following statements is correct?
a. Decontamination of instruments occurs at the time of use of the
instruments
b. Decontamination begins when instruments are treated with an approved
chemical application or covered with a moistened towel
c. Decontamination of lumened instruments begins with flushing the lumen
with sterile saline
d. Instruments with multiple parts are not disassembled if they were not
used during the surgery. Answer: b
▶ What are the principle elements required for an infection to occur?
a. A method of transmission, a source or reservoir, a susceptible host
b. A susceptible host, middle age pt, skin integrity
c. A susceptible organism, a warm, moist environment, a method of
transmission
d. Limited air flow in the OR, a source or reservoir, compromised sterile
technique. Answer: a
