ATI LPN
Perioperative Nursing Care Test Questions Questions
Question 1 of 5
A female patient is having a biopsy of a nodule found in the right breast. Which classification identifies this surgery?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: A biopsy of a breast nodule is classified as diagnostic surgery because its purpose is to determine the nature of the nodule (e.g., benign or malignant). Urgent surgery implies immediate need due to life-threatening conditions, like appendicitis, which does not apply here. Minor surgery refers to low-risk procedures, but classification focuses on purpose, not complexity. Cosmetic surgery enhances appearance, irrelevant to a biopsy's diagnostic intent. The rationale lies in surgical classifications: diagnostic procedures gather information to guide treatment, distinct from curative, restorative, or palliative goals. A breast biopsy involves removing tissue for analysis, aligning with the diagnostic category, and is a critical step in cancer detection, emphasizing its investigative rather than therapeutic role.
Question 2 of 5
A patient has an MH incident during surgery. To whom does the nurse report this incident?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The nurse reports an MH incident to the North American Malignant Hyperthermia Registry to track and study this rare condition. The Joint Commission oversees safety, CDC tracks diseases, and OSHA addresses workplace safety, none specific to MH. The rationale emphasizes data collection: the Registry improves MH understanding and prevention, aiding future care. Reporting supports nursing's role in quality improvement, distinct from regulatory or infectious disease oversight, enhancing patient safety long-term.
Question 3 of 5
Which characteristics are appropriate to the anesthetic agent ketamine HCl?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Ketamine HCl causes dissociative reactions and nausea , increases heart rate (not lowers BP, choice B), and is short-acting . It minimally depresses respiration . The rationale clarifies pharmacology: ketamine's dissociative state (hallucinations) and emetic effects are notable; it stimulates cardiovascularly, aiding unstable patients, and wears off quickly. Nursing manages these (e.g., antiemetics), leveraging its benefits, distinct from respiratory-depressing agents.
Question 4 of 5
Which signs/symptoms are considered postoperative complications? (Select all that apply.)
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Postoperative complications include pulmonary embolism , hypothermia , and wound evisceration (choice E, not listed). Sedation and site pain are expected. The rationale distinguishes normal vs. abnormal: embolism (clot) and hypothermia (low temperature) threaten life; evisceration signals wound failure. Nursing monitors for these, intervening (e.g., anticoagulants, warming), contrasting with manageable sedation or pain, ensuring prompt complication management.
Question 5 of 5
The health care team determines a patient's readiness for discharge from the PACU by noting a postanesthesia recovery score of at least 10. After determining that all criteria have been met, the patient is discharged to the hospital unit or home. Review the patient profiles after 1 hour in the PACU listed below. Which patient should the nurse expect to be discharged from the PACU first?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The 42-year-old woman is discharged first, fully awake, voiding, and stable post-sedation. The girl is close but has sore throat; the man with fracture has tachycardia and nausea; the scar patient is drowsy with slow breathing. The rationale uses Aldrete scoring: consciousness, respiration, circulation, and activity favor the colonoscopy patient alert, normal vitals, mobile. Nursing prioritizes stability, ensuring safe transfer, distinct from lingering anesthesia effects.