Chapter 17: Surgery
Linton: Medical-Surgical Nursing, 7th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. What is the goal of palliative surgery?
a. Remove and study tissue to make a diagnosis:
b. Relieve symptoms or improve function without correcting the basic problem:
c. Remove diseased tissue or correct defects:
d. Correct serious defects that only affect appearance:
ANS: B
Palliative surgery is performed only to relieve symptoms or to improve function: It is
not curative:
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: p: 267 OBJ: 1
TOP: Types of Surgery KEY: Nursing Process Step: Planning
MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity: Basic Care and Comfort
2. What information should a nurse ask a patient during the preoperative assessment?
a. Current address and telephone number
b. Food preferences
c. Allergies, medications, and past medical conditions
d. Bathing and sleep patterns
ANS: C
If an emergency should arise, any allergies can be promptly managed: Knowledge of
the patient’s medications can enable the nurse to anticipate possible drug interactions:
Past medical conditions may increase surgical risks or require special attention during
the perioperative period:
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: p: 269 OBJ: 2
TOP: Preoperative Assessment KEY: Nursing Process Step: Assessment
MSC: NCLEX: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Coordinated Care
, 3. Which member of the surgical team administers anesthetics and monitors the patient’s
status throughout the procedure?
a. Surgeon
b. Circulating nurse
c. Perfusionist
d. Anesthesiologist
ANS: D
The anesthesiologist and nurse anesthetist have special training and are the members
of the surgical team that administer anesthesia and are responsible for closely
monitoring the patient during surgery:
DIF: Cognitive Level: Knowledge REF: p: 277 OBJ: 5
TOP: Surgical Team KEY: Nursing Process Step: N/A
MSC: NCLEX: N/A
4. A nurse is assisting in the transfer of a postoperative patient from the postanesthesia care
unit to the surgical nursing unit: What action should the nurse implement to ensure the
safety of the patient?
a. Put the side rails up after moving the patient from the stretcher to the bed:
b. Ask the patient to move from the stretcher to the bed:
c. Move the patient rapidly from the stretcher to the bed:
d. Uncover the patient before transferring from the stretcher to the bed:
ANS: A
The patient will probably still be experiencing residual effects of anesthesia; the side
rails should be up to prevent the patient from falling out of bed:
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: p: 285 OBJ: 9
TOP: Postoperative Care KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Safety and Infection
Control
5. A patient who has just undergone a colon resection complains to a nurse that he felt
something pop under his dressing while trying to get out of bed: The nurse removes the
Linton: Medical-Surgical Nursing, 7th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. What is the goal of palliative surgery?
a. Remove and study tissue to make a diagnosis:
b. Relieve symptoms or improve function without correcting the basic problem:
c. Remove diseased tissue or correct defects:
d. Correct serious defects that only affect appearance:
ANS: B
Palliative surgery is performed only to relieve symptoms or to improve function: It is
not curative:
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: p: 267 OBJ: 1
TOP: Types of Surgery KEY: Nursing Process Step: Planning
MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity: Basic Care and Comfort
2. What information should a nurse ask a patient during the preoperative assessment?
a. Current address and telephone number
b. Food preferences
c. Allergies, medications, and past medical conditions
d. Bathing and sleep patterns
ANS: C
If an emergency should arise, any allergies can be promptly managed: Knowledge of
the patient’s medications can enable the nurse to anticipate possible drug interactions:
Past medical conditions may increase surgical risks or require special attention during
the perioperative period:
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: p: 269 OBJ: 2
TOP: Preoperative Assessment KEY: Nursing Process Step: Assessment
MSC: NCLEX: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Coordinated Care
, 3. Which member of the surgical team administers anesthetics and monitors the patient’s
status throughout the procedure?
a. Surgeon
b. Circulating nurse
c. Perfusionist
d. Anesthesiologist
ANS: D
The anesthesiologist and nurse anesthetist have special training and are the members
of the surgical team that administer anesthesia and are responsible for closely
monitoring the patient during surgery:
DIF: Cognitive Level: Knowledge REF: p: 277 OBJ: 5
TOP: Surgical Team KEY: Nursing Process Step: N/A
MSC: NCLEX: N/A
4. A nurse is assisting in the transfer of a postoperative patient from the postanesthesia care
unit to the surgical nursing unit: What action should the nurse implement to ensure the
safety of the patient?
a. Put the side rails up after moving the patient from the stretcher to the bed:
b. Ask the patient to move from the stretcher to the bed:
c. Move the patient rapidly from the stretcher to the bed:
d. Uncover the patient before transferring from the stretcher to the bed:
ANS: A
The patient will probably still be experiencing residual effects of anesthesia; the side
rails should be up to prevent the patient from falling out of bed:
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: p: 285 OBJ: 9
TOP: Postoperative Care KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Safety and Infection
Control
5. A patient who has just undergone a colon resection complains to a nurse that he felt
something pop under his dressing while trying to get out of bed: The nurse removes the
