RN Targeted Medical-Surgical Nursing –
Perioperative Care 2025 | Comprehensive
Exam Practice Questions and Rationales
Introduction:
This document provides an extensive collection of RN Targeted
Medical-Surgical Nursing practice questions focused on
perioperative care, including preoperative, intraoperative, and
postoperative management. It covers key topics such as
anesthesia considerations, infection prevention, pain
management, airway and respiratory care, surgical
complications, and patient education, all with detailed
rationales. The material is aligned with NCLEX-style and ATI-
style assessments and is designed as comprehensive exam
preparation for nursing students in 2025.
Exam Questions and Answers with Rationales:
1. A nurse is reviewing the medical record for a client who
has a prescription for general anesthesia prior to surgery.
Which of the following laboratory values should the nurse
report to the provider as the priority finding?
A. Potassium 2.8 mEq/L (3.5 to 5. mEq/L)
,B. Glucose 140 mg/dL (74 to 106 mg/dL)
C. INR 2.4 (0.7 to. 1.8)
D. BUN 24 mg/dL (10 to 20 mg/dL)---Correct Answer---A.
Potassium 2.8 mEq/L (3.5 to 5 mEq/L)
Rationale:The nurse should identify that the greatest risk to
the client is cardiac dysrhythmias due to a potassium level
below the expected reference range. Therefore, the nurse
should report this finding to the provider as the priority
finding.
2. A nurse is teaching a client who is in the. immediate
postoperative period about the use of a patient-controlled
analgesia (PCA) pump. Which of the following statements
should the nurse include in the teaching?
A. "Do not allow visitors to push the PCA button if you are
sleeping."
B. "You will receive a dose of medication every time you
push the button."
C. "You cannot receive too much medication by pushing the
button."
, D. "Do not push the PCA button until your pain reaches a
severe level."---Correct Answer---A. "Do not allow visitors to
push the PCA button if you are sleeping."
Rationale:The nurse should instruct the client that they should
be awake when receiving a dose of the medication and that
they are the only authorized user of the PCA pump. Allowing
visitors to push the button is a safety risk for the client.
3. A nurse is caring for a client who has bradycardia
following a surgical pro- cedure using spinal anesthesia. The
nurse should plan to administer which of
the following medications to the client?
A. Amiodarone
B. Propranolol
C. Methyldopa
D. Epinephrine---Correct Answer---D. Epinephrine
Rationale:The nurse should plan to administer epinephrine, a
vasopressor, to increase the client's heart rate and prevent
cardiac arrest.
Perioperative Care 2025 | Comprehensive
Exam Practice Questions and Rationales
Introduction:
This document provides an extensive collection of RN Targeted
Medical-Surgical Nursing practice questions focused on
perioperative care, including preoperative, intraoperative, and
postoperative management. It covers key topics such as
anesthesia considerations, infection prevention, pain
management, airway and respiratory care, surgical
complications, and patient education, all with detailed
rationales. The material is aligned with NCLEX-style and ATI-
style assessments and is designed as comprehensive exam
preparation for nursing students in 2025.
Exam Questions and Answers with Rationales:
1. A nurse is reviewing the medical record for a client who
has a prescription for general anesthesia prior to surgery.
Which of the following laboratory values should the nurse
report to the provider as the priority finding?
A. Potassium 2.8 mEq/L (3.5 to 5. mEq/L)
,B. Glucose 140 mg/dL (74 to 106 mg/dL)
C. INR 2.4 (0.7 to. 1.8)
D. BUN 24 mg/dL (10 to 20 mg/dL)---Correct Answer---A.
Potassium 2.8 mEq/L (3.5 to 5 mEq/L)
Rationale:The nurse should identify that the greatest risk to
the client is cardiac dysrhythmias due to a potassium level
below the expected reference range. Therefore, the nurse
should report this finding to the provider as the priority
finding.
2. A nurse is teaching a client who is in the. immediate
postoperative period about the use of a patient-controlled
analgesia (PCA) pump. Which of the following statements
should the nurse include in the teaching?
A. "Do not allow visitors to push the PCA button if you are
sleeping."
B. "You will receive a dose of medication every time you
push the button."
C. "You cannot receive too much medication by pushing the
button."
, D. "Do not push the PCA button until your pain reaches a
severe level."---Correct Answer---A. "Do not allow visitors to
push the PCA button if you are sleeping."
Rationale:The nurse should instruct the client that they should
be awake when receiving a dose of the medication and that
they are the only authorized user of the PCA pump. Allowing
visitors to push the button is a safety risk for the client.
3. A nurse is caring for a client who has bradycardia
following a surgical pro- cedure using spinal anesthesia. The
nurse should plan to administer which of
the following medications to the client?
A. Amiodarone
B. Propranolol
C. Methyldopa
D. Epinephrine---Correct Answer---D. Epinephrine
Rationale:The nurse should plan to administer epinephrine, a
vasopressor, to increase the client's heart rate and prevent
cardiac arrest.
