ATI LPN
Perioperative Nursing Care Questions Questions
Question 1 of 5
The 79-year-old patient with type 2 diabetes is scheduled for surgery to remove his left great toe. Which risk factors for complications of surgery does the nurse assess for in this patient? (Select all that apply.)
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Risk factors include chronic illnesses like diabetes , healing problems , dehydration , and electrolyte imbalances (choice E, not listed). Absence of smoking reduces risk. The rationale focuses on diabetes' impact: it impairs circulation and immunity, increasing infection and delayed healing risks. Age (79) compounds this with reduced recovery capacity. Dehydration affects perfusion, critical for surgery, while chronic illness heightens systemic stress. Nursing assesses these to tailor interventions (e.g., glucose control, hydration), contrasting with smoking cessation's protective effect, ensuring comprehensive risk mitigation.
Question 2 of 5
In which situations is regional anesthesia used instead of general anesthesia? (Select all that apply.)
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Regional anesthesia is used for adverse reactions to general , serious medical problems , postoperative pain , and patient preference (choice E, not listed). Endoscopy uses sedation. The rationale highlights benefits: regional avoids systemic risks (e.g., respiratory depression), ideal for high-risk patients or prior reactions, and enhances pain control (e.g., epidurals). Nursing supports this choice, ensuring safety and comfort, distinct from sedation-based procedures.
Question 3 of 5
A patient develops respiratory distress after having a left total hip replacement. The patient develops labored breathing and a pulse oximetry reading is 83% on 2 L oxygen via nasal cannula. Which intervention is appropriate for the nurse to delegate to unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP)?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The nurse delegates vital signs checks to UAP , a routine task. Assessing , ordering , and intubating require nursing judgment. The rationale respects scope: UAP can measure vitals (e.g., pulse ox), freeing the nurse to interpret and act on respiratory distress (83% SpO2 signals hypoxia). Nursing retains critical interventions, ensuring timely escalation (e.g., oxygen increase), balancing delegation with expertise.
Question 4 of 5
The nurse is teaching incisional care to a patient who has been discharged after abdominal surgery. Which priority instruction must the nurse include?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The priority instruction is proper handwashing to prevent infection, a primary post-op risk. Avoiding touch , cleaning , and splinting follow. The rationale emphasizes infection control: hands introduce pathogens; washing reduces this, protecting the healing wound. Nursing prioritizes this universal precaution, ensuring patient safety, distinct from supportive or cleaning tasks, foundational for recovery.
Question 5 of 5
The medical-surgical nurse is caring for a postoperative patient whose lab values reveal an increase in band cells (immature neutrophils). What is the nurse's best interpretation of this value?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Increased band cells suggest infection, a left shift indicating immune response. Transfusion , clotting , and expected rise don't fit. The rationale explains hematology: immature neutrophils surge with bacterial infection, common post-op (e.g., wound). Nursing escalates care (e.g., cultures), distinguishing from normal leukocytosis or unrelated issues, targeting treatment.