ATI LPN
Perioperative Care Practice Questions Questions
Question 1 of 5
A nurse is creating a health promotion intervention focused on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). What should the nurse identify as a complication of COPD?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Respiratory failure is a major complication of COPD, arising when chronic airway obstruction and alveolar damage impair gas exchange, leading to hypoxemia or hypercapnia. In advanced COPD, reduced FEV1 and hyperinflation (e.g., from emphysema) diminish ventilatory capacity, risking acute-on-chronic failure, often triggered by infection or exacerbation. Lung cancer, while a smoking-related risk, isn't a direct COPD complication, though shared etiology increases incidence. Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder, not a COPD outcome, affecting mucus clearance differently. Hemothorax, blood in the pleural space, relates to trauma or malignancy, not COPD's pathophysiology. The nurse's identification of respiratory failure as a complication informs health promotion e.g., vaccination, smoking cessation to prevent exacerbations, aligning with COPD management goals to sustain oxygenation and quality of life.
Question 2 of 5
A nurse is developing a teaching plan for a patient with COPD. What should the nurse include as the most important area of teaching?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The most important teaching area for a COPD patient is setting and accepting realistic short- and long-range goals, addressing the disease's progressive, incurable nature. Short-term goals (e.g., walking 10 minutes daily) and long-range goals (e.g., maintaining independence) adapt to declining lung function (e.g., low FEV1), reducing frustration and enhancing self-efficacy. Avoiding temperature extremes helps comfort but doesn't alter disease course. Moderate activity is beneficial but secondary overexertion risks dyspnea without goal-setting's framework. Avoiding stress aids coping but isn't the core focus; emotional triggers don't drive COPD pathology. The nurse's emphasis on realistic goals specific, measurable guides patients to pace activities and accept limitations, aligning with chronic disease management principles for sustained quality of life.
Question 3 of 5
The nurse is caring for a patient in preadmission testing. The patient has been assigned a physical status classification by the American Society of Anesthesiologists of P3. Which of the following assessments would support this classification?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: A P3 classification indicates severe systemic disease per the American Society of Anesthesiologists, supported by a history of hypertension, significant obesity (80 pounds overweight), and asthma. These conditions impair multiple systems cardiovascular strain from hypertension, respiratory compromise from asthma, and obesity-related surgical risks fitting P3's criteria of severe but not immediately life-threatening disease. Denial of major illnesses or a normal, healthy status aligns with P1, a healthy patient. Mild systemic disease, like controlled hypertension alone, fits P2. A myocardial infarction limiting activity, a constant threat to life, denotes P4. The nurse's assessment confirms P3 by identifying these chronic, severe conditions, ensuring anesthesia and surgical plans account for heightened risks like respiratory distress or poor wound healing.
Question 4 of 5
The nurse and the nursing assistant are assisting a postoperative patient to turn in the bed. To assist in minimizing discomfort, which instruction should the nurse provide to the patient?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Instructing the patient to place a hand over the incision splints it during turning, reducing discomfort by supporting the surgical site against muscle pull or suture strain. This self-directed support minimizes pain and risk of dehiscence, common with movement post-surgery. Closing eyes or holding breath offers no mechanical relief, focusing on distraction or tension, not support. Holding the nurse's shoulders shifts effort away from incision protection. The nurse's guidance ensures the patient actively mitigates discomfort, enhancing safety and comfort during repositioning, a key postoperative mobility intervention.
Question 5 of 5
The nurse is caring for a patient in the preoperative holding area of an ambulatory surgery center. Which nursing action would be most appropriate for this area?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Applying a warm blanket in the preoperative holding area counters the cool environment kept so to limit microbial growth preventing hypothermia and easing patient comfort before surgery. Vital signs aren't routinely monitored every 15 minutes unless indicated (e.g., med administration); this area focuses on readiness verification. Ambulatory patients rarely arrive with urinary drainage bags or dressings those are postoperative. The nurse's action enhances emotional and physical preparation, aligning with holding area priorities to stabilize patients for the operating suite.