C HAPTER 41: T HE P ERIANESTHESIA
P ATIENT
Urden: Critical Care Nursing, 9th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The nurse is caring for a postoperative patient who is snorin g and has
stridor, nostril flaring, and intercostal retractions. The nurse knows that
these findings are clinical manifestations of what problem?
a. Angina
b. Airway obstruction
c. Pain
d. Oversedation
ANS: B
Clinical manifestation of airway obstruction includes snori ng, stridor,
flaring of the nostrils, retractions at the intercostal spaces and
suprasternal notch, abnormal use of accessory muscles, asynchronous
movements of the chest and abdomen, increased pulse rate, decreased
oxygen saturation level, and decreased b reath sounds.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering REF: p. 995
OBJ: Nursing Process Step: Diagnosis TOP:
Perianesthesia MSC: NC LEX: Physiologic Integrit y
,2. A postoperative patient has developed laryngeal edema. What medication
would the nurse anticipa te being administered to the patient?
a. Racemic epinephrine
b. Succinylcholine
c. Albuterol
d. Morphine
ANS: A
Management consists of placing the patient in the upright position;
using cool, humidified oxygen; and administering nebulized racemic
epinephrine. Reintubation is performed onl y if the patient’s symptoms
cannot be controlled with an inhalation treatment within 30 minutes,
hypercarbia persists, or the patient appears to be in respiratory
distress.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Appl ying REF: p. 995
OBJ: Nursi ng Process Step: Intervention TOP:
Perianesthesia MSC: NC LEX: Physiologic Integrit y
3. A postoperative patient has developed laryngospasm. What medication
would the nurse anticipate being administered to the patient?
a. Racemic epinephrine
b. Succinylcholine
c. Albuterol
d. Morphine
ANS: B
, If complete obstruction is unrelieved by positive -pressure ventilation, a
small dose of succinylcholine (10 to 20 mg) may be needed to relax the
vocal cords to allow for ventilation.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Appl ying REF: p. 996
OBJ: Nursing Process Step: Planning TOP:
Perianesthesia MSC: NC LEX: Physiologic Integrit y
4. A postoperative patient has developed bronchospasms. What medication
would the nurse anticipate being administered to the patient?
a. Racemic epinephrine
b. Methylprednisolone
c. Albuterol
d. Morphine
ANS: C
The first line of therapy consists of inhaled bronchodilators. These
inhalants cause fewer cardiovascular side effects than systemicall y
administered drugs. Common inhalant medications used are isoetharine,
metaproterenol, al buterol, and beclomethasone.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering REF: p. 996
OBJ: Nursing Process Step: Planning TOP:
Perianesthesia MSC: NC LEX: Physiologic Integrit y
5. What is the most common cause of hypoxemia in the immediate
postoperative period?
a. Pulmonary vasoconstriction
P ATIENT
Urden: Critical Care Nursing, 9th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The nurse is caring for a postoperative patient who is snorin g and has
stridor, nostril flaring, and intercostal retractions. The nurse knows that
these findings are clinical manifestations of what problem?
a. Angina
b. Airway obstruction
c. Pain
d. Oversedation
ANS: B
Clinical manifestation of airway obstruction includes snori ng, stridor,
flaring of the nostrils, retractions at the intercostal spaces and
suprasternal notch, abnormal use of accessory muscles, asynchronous
movements of the chest and abdomen, increased pulse rate, decreased
oxygen saturation level, and decreased b reath sounds.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering REF: p. 995
OBJ: Nursing Process Step: Diagnosis TOP:
Perianesthesia MSC: NC LEX: Physiologic Integrit y
,2. A postoperative patient has developed laryngeal edema. What medication
would the nurse anticipa te being administered to the patient?
a. Racemic epinephrine
b. Succinylcholine
c. Albuterol
d. Morphine
ANS: A
Management consists of placing the patient in the upright position;
using cool, humidified oxygen; and administering nebulized racemic
epinephrine. Reintubation is performed onl y if the patient’s symptoms
cannot be controlled with an inhalation treatment within 30 minutes,
hypercarbia persists, or the patient appears to be in respiratory
distress.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Appl ying REF: p. 995
OBJ: Nursi ng Process Step: Intervention TOP:
Perianesthesia MSC: NC LEX: Physiologic Integrit y
3. A postoperative patient has developed laryngospasm. What medication
would the nurse anticipate being administered to the patient?
a. Racemic epinephrine
b. Succinylcholine
c. Albuterol
d. Morphine
ANS: B
, If complete obstruction is unrelieved by positive -pressure ventilation, a
small dose of succinylcholine (10 to 20 mg) may be needed to relax the
vocal cords to allow for ventilation.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Appl ying REF: p. 996
OBJ: Nursing Process Step: Planning TOP:
Perianesthesia MSC: NC LEX: Physiologic Integrit y
4. A postoperative patient has developed bronchospasms. What medication
would the nurse anticipate being administered to the patient?
a. Racemic epinephrine
b. Methylprednisolone
c. Albuterol
d. Morphine
ANS: C
The first line of therapy consists of inhaled bronchodilators. These
inhalants cause fewer cardiovascular side effects than systemicall y
administered drugs. Common inhalant medications used are isoetharine,
metaproterenol, al buterol, and beclomethasone.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Remembering REF: p. 996
OBJ: Nursing Process Step: Planning TOP:
Perianesthesia MSC: NC LEX: Physiologic Integrit y
5. What is the most common cause of hypoxemia in the immediate
postoperative period?
a. Pulmonary vasoconstriction
