What condition should the nurse anticipate that may occur during epidural and spinal anesthesia?

What is the physical environment of a surgery suite primarily designed to promote?
a. Electrical safety
b. Medical and surgical asepsis
c. Comfort and privacy of the patient
d. Communication among the surgical team

b. Medical and surgical asepsis

Although all of the factors listed are important to the safety and well-being of the patient, the first consideration in the physical environment of the surgical suite is prevention of transmission of infection to the patient.

When transporting an inpatient to the surgical department, a nurse from another area of the hospital is able to access which area?
a. Sterile core
b. Holding area
c. Corridors of surgical suite
d. Unprepared operating room

b. Holding area

Persons in street clothes or attire other than surgical scrub clothing can interact with personnel of the surgical suite in unrestricted areas, such as the holding area, nursing station, control desk, or locker rooms.

Which nursing actions are completed by the scrub nurse (select all that apply)?
a. Prepares the instrument table
b. Documents intraoperative care
c. Remains in the sterile area of the OR
d. Checks mechanical and electrical equipment
e. Passes instruments to surgeon and assistants
f. Monitors blood and other fluid loss and urine output

a. Prepares the instrument table
c. Remains in the sterile area of the OR
e. Passes instruments to surgeon and assistants

The scrub nurse is involved in sterile activities, including preparing instrument table and passing instruments to the surgeon, and remains in the sterile area of the OR.

What is the primary goal of the circulating nurse during preparation of the operating room, transferring and positioning the patient, and assisting the anesthesia team?
a. Avoiding any type of injury to the patient
b. Maintaining a clean environment for the patient
c. Providing for patient comfort and sense of well-being
d. Preventing breaks in aseptic technique by the sterile members of the team

a. Avoiding any type of injury to the patient

The protection of the patient from injury int eh operating room environment is maintain by the circulating nurse, who ensures functioning equipment; prevents falls and injury during transport, transfer, and positioning; monitors asepsis; and provides supportive care for the anesthetized patient.

Goals for patient safety in the OR include the Universal Protocol. What is included in this protocol?
a. All surgical centers of any type must submit reports on patient safety infractions to the accreditation agencies.
b. Members of the surgical team stop whatever they are doing to check that all sterile items have been prepared properly.
c. Members of the surgical team pause right before surgery to meditate for 1 minute to decrease stress and possible errors.
d. A surgical timeout is performed just before the procedure is started to verify patient identity, surgical procedure, and surgical site.

d. A surgical timeout is performed just before the procedure is started to verify patient identity, surgical procedure, and surgical site.

The Universal Protocol supported by the TJC is used to prevent wrong site, wrong procedure, and working surgery in view of a high rate of these problems nationally. It involves pausing just before the procedure starts to verify patient identity, surgical site, and surgical procedure.

A break in sterile technique occurs during surgery when the scrub nurse touches
a. the mask with sterile gloved hands
b. sterile gloved hands to the gown at chest level
c. the drape at the incision site with sterile gloved hands
d. the lower arm to the instruments on the instrument tray

a. the mask with sterile gloved hands

The mask covering the face is not considered sterile and if in contact with sterile gloved hands, it contaminates the gloves.

During surgery, a patient has a nursing diagnosis of risk for preoperative positioning injury. What is the common risk factor for this nursing diagnosis?
a. Skin lesions
b. Break in the sterile technique
c. Musculoskeletal deformities
d. Electrical or mechanical equipment failure

c. Musculoskeletal deformities

Musculoskeletal deformities can be a risk factor for positioning injuries and require special padding and support on the operating table.

At the end of the surgical procedure, the perioperative nurse evaluates the patient's response to the nursing care delivered during the preoperative period. What reflects a positive outcome related to the patient's physical status?
a. The patient's right to privacy is maintain throughout the procedure.
b. The patient's care is consistent with the preplanned perioperative plan of care.
c. The patient receives consistent and comparable care regardless of the surgical setting.
d. The patient's respiratory function is consisted with or improved from baseline levels established preoperatively.

d. The patient's respiratory function is consisted with or improved from baseline levels established preoperatively.

The Preoperative Nursing Data Set includes outcome statements that reflect standards and recommended practices of perioperative nursing. Outcomes related to physiologic responses include those of physiologic function, such as respiratory function; perioperative safety includes the patient's freedom from any type of injury; and behavioral responses include knowledge and actions of the patient and family, including the consistency of the patient's care with the perioperative plan and the patient's right to privacy.

Which short-acting barbiturate is most commonly used for induction of general anesthesia?
a. Nitrous oxide
b. Propofol (Diprivan)
c. Isoflurane (Forane)
d. Methohexital (Brevital)

d. Methohexital (Brevital)

Methohexital (Brevital) ius a rapid-acting, short-lasting barbiturate used to induce general anesthesia.

Because of the rapid elimination of volatile liquids used for general anesthesia, what should the nurse anticipate the patient will need early in the anesthesia recovery period?
a. Warm blankets
b. Analgesic medication
c. Observation for respiratory depression
d. Airway protection in anticipation of vomiting

b. Analgesic medication

The volatile liquid inhalation agents have very little residual analgesia and patients experience early onset of pain when the agents are discontinued.

What is the primary advantage of the use of midazolam as an adjunct to general anesthesia?
a. Amnestic effect
b. Analgesic effect
c. Prolonged action
d. Antiemetic effect

a. Amnestic effect

Midazolam is a rapid, short-acting, sedative-hypnotic benzodiazepine that is used to prevent recall of events under anesthesia because of its amnestic properties.

Monitored anesthesia care (MAC) is being considered for a patient undergoing a cervical dilation and endometrial biopsy in the health care clinic. The patient asks the nurse, "What is this MAC?" The nurse's response is based one the knowledge that MAC
a. can be administered only by anesthesiologists or nurse anesthetists.
b. should never be used outside of the OR because of the risk of serious complications.
c. is so safe that it can be administered by nurses with directions from health care providers.
d. provides maximum flexibility to match the sedation level with the patient and procedure needs.

d. provides maximum flexibility to match the sedation level with the patient and procedure needs.

MAC refers to sedation that is similar to general anesthesia using sedative, anxiolytic, and/or analgesic medications. It can be administered by an ACP.

Match the methods of local anesthetic administration with their descriptions.
a. Injection of aunt into subarachnoid space
b. Injection of anesthetic agent directly into tissues
c. Injection of a specific nerve with an anesthetic agent
d. Injection of anesthetic agent into space around the vertebrae
e. Injection of agent into veins of extremity after limb is exsanguinated

1. Nerve block
2. IV nerve block
3. Spinal block
4. Epidural block
5. Local infiltration

a. Injection of aunt into subarachnoid space -> 3. Spinal block

b. Injection of anesthetic agent directly into tissues -> 5. Local infiltration

c. Injection of a specific nerve with an anesthetic agent -> 1. Nerve block

d. Injection of anesthetic agent into space around the vertebrae -> 4. Epidural block

e. Injection of agent into veins of extremity after limb is exsanguinated -> 2. IV nerve block

The patient will be placed under moderate sedation to allow realignment of a fracture in the emergency department. When the family asks about this anesthesia, what should the nurse tell them?
a. Includes inhalation agents
b. Induces high levels of sedation
c. Frequently used for traumatic injuries
d. Patients remain responsive and breathe without assistance

d. Patients remain responsive and breathe without assistance

Moderate sedation uses sedative, anxiolytic, and/or analgesic medications.

What condition should the nurse anticipate that may occur during epidural and spinal anesthesia?
a. Spinal headache
b. Hypotension and bradycardia
c. Loss of consciousness and seizures
d. Downward tension of nerve block

b. Hypotension and bradycardia

During epidural and spinal anesthesia, a sympathetic nervous system blockade may occur that results in hypotension, bradycardia, and nausea and vomiting.

A preoperative patient reveals that an uncle died during surgery because of fever and cardiac arrest. Knowing the patient is at risk for malignant hyperthermia, the perioperative nurse alerts the surgical team. What is likely to happen next?
a. The surgery will have to be canceled.
b. Specific precautions can be taken to safely anesthetize the patient.
c. Dantrolene (Dantrium) must be given to prevent hyperthermia during surgery.
d. The patient should be placed on a cooling blanket during the surgical procedure.

b. Specific precautions can be taken to safely anesthetize the patient.

Although malignant hyperthermia can result in cardiac arrest and death, if the patient is known or suspected to be at risk for the disorder, appropriate precautions taken by the ACP can provide for safe anesthesia for the patient. Because preventive measures are possible if risk is known, it is critical that preoperative assessment include a careful family history of surgical events.

What complications of spinal anesthesia should tm be monitored for during surgery *?

Bradycardia and cardiac arrest are the most worrisome complications related to spinal anaesthesia.

What is the priority nursing actions that should be taken when Tom arrives in the OR and why?

PRIORITY DECISION: WHAT ARE THE PRIORITY NURSING ACTIONS THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN WHEN T.M. ARRIVES IN THE OR? ENSURE THAT ENOUGH HELP IS AVAILABLE TO TRANSFER THE PATIENT FROM THE STRETCHER TO THE OR TABLE.

What is the primary goal of the circulating nurse during preparation of operating room transferring and positioning the patient and assisting the Anaesthesia team?

The circulating nurse manages the operating room and protects the safety and health needs of the patient by monitoring activities of members of the surgical team and checking the conditions in the operating room.

What is the primary goal of the circulating nurse during preparation?

The protection of the patient from injury int eh operating room environment is maintain by the circulating nurse, who ensures functioning equipment; prevents falls and injury during transport, transfer, and positioning; monitors asepsis; and provides supportive care for the anesthetized patient.