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Post-Op Nursing Care Questions with
Detailed Verified Answers
Question:What is the primary way in which the nurse can lower a
patient's risk for postsurgical complications?
Adequately prepare the patient for discharge from the agency.
Provide continuity of nursing care throughout the patient's stay at the
agency.
Identify deviations from normal that may interfere with the recovery
process.
Evaluate the patient's emotional reaction to the surgical process.
Ans: C
Question: Which action will help support the postsurgical patient's
respiratory status?
Extending the patient's head when not contraindicated
Maintaining the patient in a supine position
Frequently calling the patient by name in a moderate tone
Reporting to the health care provider a systolic drop of 10 points or more
from the baseline blood pressure
Ans: A
Question: What instruction might the nurse give to nursing assistive
personnel (NAP) caring for a postsurgical patient?
"Assess his urine output, and compare it to intake."
"Please reassure the family, and explain to them what is going on."
"Let me know when the patient's family arrives on the floor."
"Please teach him about the incentive spirometer while I speak with the
physician."
Ans: C
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Question: When reviewing ordered pain medicine for a postoperative
patient whose pain is not currently controlled, which nursing action has
priority?
Asking the family member if the patient seems to be in pain
Reviewing the surgeon's preoperative pain medication order
Examining the patient's medical record for analgesics used with previous
surgeries
Asking the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) nurse when the patient last
received pain medication
Ans: D
Question: When a patient returns to the unit from the PACU, how would
the nurse assess possible urinary retention?
Straight-catheterize the patient.
Complete a bladder scan.
Encourage the patient to void.
Check the chart for lab values specific to urinary function
Ans: B
Question: What is the nurse's primary goal for appropriate, effective
pain management when considering the patient's risk for injury?
To minimize the potential for analgesic-induced dependency
To evaluate the effect of pain on the patient's ability to provide self-care
To maximize pain relief while maintaining the patient's ability to function
To identify the patient's need for both physical and emotional pain relief
Ans: C
Question: What is one step the nurse would take if a patient receiving
patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) were difficult to arouse?
Assess the infusion tubing to make sure it has not become occluded.
Check the infusion site for infiltration and any symptoms of infection.
Assess respiration, and then notify the health care provider immediately.
Check the infusion of maintenance fluid to make sure the correct rate is
running.
Post-Op Nursing Care Questions with
Detailed Verified Answers
Question:What is the primary way in which the nurse can lower a
patient's risk for postsurgical complications?
Adequately prepare the patient for discharge from the agency.
Provide continuity of nursing care throughout the patient's stay at the
agency.
Identify deviations from normal that may interfere with the recovery
process.
Evaluate the patient's emotional reaction to the surgical process.
Ans: C
Question: Which action will help support the postsurgical patient's
respiratory status?
Extending the patient's head when not contraindicated
Maintaining the patient in a supine position
Frequently calling the patient by name in a moderate tone
Reporting to the health care provider a systolic drop of 10 points or more
from the baseline blood pressure
Ans: A
Question: What instruction might the nurse give to nursing assistive
personnel (NAP) caring for a postsurgical patient?
"Assess his urine output, and compare it to intake."
"Please reassure the family, and explain to them what is going on."
"Let me know when the patient's family arrives on the floor."
"Please teach him about the incentive spirometer while I speak with the
physician."
Ans: C
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Question: When reviewing ordered pain medicine for a postoperative
patient whose pain is not currently controlled, which nursing action has
priority?
Asking the family member if the patient seems to be in pain
Reviewing the surgeon's preoperative pain medication order
Examining the patient's medical record for analgesics used with previous
surgeries
Asking the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) nurse when the patient last
received pain medication
Ans: D
Question: When a patient returns to the unit from the PACU, how would
the nurse assess possible urinary retention?
Straight-catheterize the patient.
Complete a bladder scan.
Encourage the patient to void.
Check the chart for lab values specific to urinary function
Ans: B
Question: What is the nurse's primary goal for appropriate, effective
pain management when considering the patient's risk for injury?
To minimize the potential for analgesic-induced dependency
To evaluate the effect of pain on the patient's ability to provide self-care
To maximize pain relief while maintaining the patient's ability to function
To identify the patient's need for both physical and emotional pain relief
Ans: C
Question: What is one step the nurse would take if a patient receiving
patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) were difficult to arouse?
Assess the infusion tubing to make sure it has not become occluded.
Check the infusion site for infiltration and any symptoms of infection.
Assess respiration, and then notify the health care provider immediately.
Check the infusion of maintenance fluid to make sure the correct rate is
running.
