ATI LPN
Perioperative Care Fundamentals Practice Questions Quizlet Questions
Question 1 of 5
A client in the operating room has developed malignant hyperthermia. The clients potassium is 6.5 mEq/L. What action by the nurse takes priority?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Insulin rapidly shifts potassium into cells treating the hyperkalemia associated with malignant hyperthermia.
Question 2 of 5
A circulating nurse is responsible for ensuring client safety. If an electrical cord is frayed, what action by the nurse is best?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Ensuring client safety by replacing faulty equipment is the priority.
Question 3 of 5
The nurse is caring for a patient who is receiving oxygen therapy for pneumonia. How should the nurse best assess whether the patient is hypoxemic?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Assessing hypoxemia, a deficiency in oxygen reaching tissues, requires a direct, real-time measure of oxygenation, making pulse oximetry (oxygen saturation) the best bedside method. It provides an immediate percentage of oxygenated hemoglobin, typically aiming above 92%, reflecting lung function and oxygen delivery effectiveness in pneumonia. Level of consciousness may indicate severe hypoxia if altered, but it's nonspecific and late-stage. Cyanosis, a bluish tint in extremities, is unreliable as it appears only with significant desaturation (below 80%) and varies with skin tone or circulation. Hemoglobin, hematocrit, and RBC levels assess oxygen-carrying capacity, not current oxygenation status, and require lab processing, delaying intervention. Pulse oximetry, often paired with arterial blood gases for confirmation, allows the nurse to quickly adjust oxygen therapy, ensuring timely correction of hypoxemia in this acute respiratory condition.
Question 4 of 5
When assessing for substances that are known to harm workers lungs, the occupational health nurse should assess their potential exposure to which of the following?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Asbestos exposure is a well-documented occupational hazard causing pneumoconiosis, notably asbestosis, and lung cancer due to its fibrous particles lodging in lung tissue, triggering chronic inflammation and scarring. The occupational health nurse must assess this risk in industries like construction or shipbuilding, where asbestos was historically used. Organic acids may irritate airways but don't typically cause chronic lung disease like pneumoconiosis. Propane, a gas, poses asphyxiation or explosion risks, not direct lung parenchymal damage. Gypsum (calcium sulfate) is a dust irritant but lacks the fibrogenic potency of asbestos. Focusing on asbestos exposure via job history, duration, and protective measures enables the nurse to identify workers at risk for irreversible lung damage, facilitating early screening (e.g., spirometry, imaging) and prevention strategies like respirators, critical in occupational health.
Question 5 of 5
A clinic nurse is caring for a patient who has just been diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The patient asks the nurse what he could have done to minimize the risk of contracting this disease. What would be the nurses best answer?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Cigarette smoking is the most significant risk factor for COPD, driving 85-90% of cases by causing chronic airway inflammation, ciliary damage, and alveolar destruction (e.g., emphysema). The nurse's response highlights this preventable cause, emphasizing that quitting or never starting smoking drastically reduces risk, as smoke's tar and chemicals progressively impair lung function over decades. Occupational toxins (e.g., silica) contribute but are far less prevalent, affecting specific worker subsets. Inadequate exercise doesn't cause COPD, though it may worsen symptoms. Dust and pollen trigger allergies or asthma, not COPD's irreversible obstruction. Educating the patient on smoking's primacy quantified by pack-years underscores its outsized role, aligning with epidemiology (e.g., CDC data) and empowering lifestyle change to mitigate progression.