ATI LPN
Perioperative Care Fundamentals Practice Questions Quizlet Questions
Question 1 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 2 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.
Question 3 of 5
A nurse is developing the teaching portion of a care plan for a patient with COPD. What would be the most important component for the nurse to emphasize?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The most important teaching component for a COPD patient is that chronic inhalation of indoor toxins (e.g., smoke, dust, chemicals) can cause lung damage, exacerbating airway obstruction and alveolar destruction. This environmental factor, alongside smoking, drives COPD progression by triggering inflammation and oxidative stress, worsening FEV1 decline. Allowing any smoking e.g., half a pack weekly contradicts cessation's necessity, as even minimal exposure sustains damage. Minor infections aren't self-limited in COPD; they disrupt fragile lung function, requiring prompt treatment to prevent exacerbations. Clustering ADLs in the morning ignores energy conservation needs pacing throughout the day reduces dyspnea. The nurse's emphasis on avoiding indoor toxins empowers the patient to control modifiable risks, complementing smoking cessation and medication, critical for slowing COPD's irreversible course.
Question 4 of 5
The case manager for a group of patients with COPD is providing health education. What is most important for the nurse to assess when providing instructions on self-management to these patients?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: In COPD self-management education, the nurse must assess patients' knowledge of self-care and their therapeutic regimen e.g., medication use (inhalers), breathing techniques, and exacerbation action plans as it's most important for daily control and preventing hospitalization. Understanding how to use bronchodilators, adhere to schedules, and recognize worsening symptoms (e.g., increased dyspnea) empowers patients to manage this chronic, irreversible condition effectively, per COPD guidelines (e.g., GOLD). Alternative treatments (e.g., acupuncture) lack evidence for core management. Family awareness of ADLs helps support but isn't the patient's primary learning need. Pathophysiology knowledge aids context but isn't essential for practical self-care. The nurse's focus on this area ensures adherence and skill mastery, critical for long-term COPD outcomes.
Question 5 of 5
The nurse is caring for a patient in the postanesthesia care unit. The patient has developed profuse bleeding from the surgical site, and the surgeon has determined the need to return to the operative area. This procedure would be classified as
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: An emergency procedure is required immediately to save life or preserve function, as with profuse postoperative bleeding necessitating urgent return to the operating room to control hemorrhage. This life-threatening situation distinguishes it from elective procedures, chosen by patients for non-essential issues like cosmetic surgery, or urgent ones, needed for health but not immediate survival, such as tumor excision. Major procedures involve extensive reconstruction, like coronary bypass, but aren't defined by urgency. The rapid intervention here prevents hypovolemic shock or organ damage, reflecting the critical nature of emergency classification. The nurse's recognition ensures swift coordination, highlighting the priority of stabilizing the patient over less acute classifications, per surgical standards.