Test Bank for Pharmacology for Nurses
Perioperative nursing care occurs before, during, and after surgery. Preadmission testing occurs
before surgery and is considered preoperative. Nursing care provided during the surgical
procedure is considered intraoperative, and in the postanesthesia care unit, it is considered
postoperative. All of these are parts of the perioperative phase, but each individual phase does
not explain the term completely. - ANSWERS1. The nurse is caring for a surgical patient, when
the family member asks what perioperative nursing means. How should the nurse respond?
a. Perioperative nursing occurs in preadmission testing.
b. Perioperative nursing occurs primarily in the post-anesthesia care unit.
c. Perioperative nursing includes activities before, during, and after surgery.
d. Perioperative nursing includes activities only during the surgical procedure.
ANS: B
Reviewing the patient's laboratory tests and allergies is done before surgery in the preoperative
phase. Perioperative means before, during, and after surgery. Intraoperative means during the
surgical procedure in the operating suite; postoperative means after the surgery and could
occur in the postanesthesia care unit, in the ambulatory surgical area, or on the hospital unit. -
ANSWERS2. The nurse is caring for a patient who is scheduled to undergo a surgical procedure.
The nurse is completing an assessment and reviews the patient's laboratory tests and allergies
and prepares the patient for surgery. In which perioperative nursing phase is the nurse working?
a. Perioperative
b. Preoperative
c. Intraoperative
d. Postoperative
ANS: D
,An emergency procedure must be done immediately to save a life or preserve the function of a
body part. An example would be repair of a perforated appendix, repair of a traumatic
amputation, or control of internal hemorrhaging. An urgent procedure is necessary for a
patient's health and often prevents additional problems from developing. An example would be
excision of a cancerous tumor, removal of a gallbladder for stones, or vascular repair for an
obstructed artery. An elective procedure is performed on the basis of the patient's choice; it is
not essential and is not always necessary for health. An example would be a bunionectomy,
plastic surgery, or hernia reconstruction. A major procedure involves extensive reconstruction or
alteration in body parts; it poses great risks to well-being. An example would be a coronary
artery bypass or colon resection. - ANSWERS3. The nurse is caring for a patient in the
postanesthesia care unit. The patient has developed profuse bleeding from the surgical site, and
the surgeon has determined the need to return to the operative area. How will the nurse
classify this procedure?
a. Major
b. Urgent
c. Elective
d. Emergency
ANS: C
An ASA III rating is a patient with a severe systemic disease, such as poorly controlled
hypertension with an implanted pacemaker. ASA I is a normal healthy patient with no major
illnesses or conditions. ASA II is a patient with mild systemic disease. ASA V is a moribund
patient who is not expected to survive without the operation and includes patients with
ruptured abdominal/thoracic aneurysm or massive trauma. - ANSWERS4. The nurse is caring for
a patient in preadmission testing. The patient has been assigned a physical status classification
by the American Society of Anesthesiologists of ASA III. Which assessment will support this
classification?
a. Normal, healthy patient
b. Denial of any major illnesses or conditions
c. Poorly controlled hypertension with implanted pacemaker
,d. Moribund patient not expected to survive without the operation
ANS: B
Moderate sedation (conscious sedation) is used routinely for procedures that do not require
complete anesthesia but rather a depressed level of consciousness. Not all patients who are
treated on an outpatient basis receive moderate sedation. Regional anesthesia such as local
anesthesia provides loss of sensation in an area of the body. General anesthesia is used for
patients who need to be immobile and to not remember the surgical procedure. - ANSWERS5.
The patient has presented to the ambulatory surgery center to have a colonoscopy. The patient
is scheduled to receive moderate sedation (conscious sedation) during the procedure. How will
the nurse interpret this information?
a. The procedure results in loss of sensation in an area of the body.
b. The procedure requires a depressed level of consciousness.
c. The procedure will be performed on an outpatient basis.
d. The procedure necessitates the patient to be immobile.
ANS: A
Induction of regional anesthesia results in loss of sensation in an area of the body—in this case,
the left leg. The peripheral nerve block influences the portions of sensory pathways that are
anesthetized in the targeted area of the body. Decreased pulse, toes cool to touch, and cyanosis
are indications of decreased blood flow and are not expected findings. Reports of pain in the
left foot may indicate that the block is not working or is subsiding and is not an expected finding
in the immediate postoperative period. - ANSWERS6. The nurse is caring for a patient in the
post-anesthesia care unit who has undergone a left total knee arthroplasty. The anesthesia
provider has indicated that the patient received a left femoral peripheral nerve block. Which
assessment will be an expected finding for this patient?
a. Sensation decreased in the left leg
b. Patient report of pain in the left foot
c. Pulse decreased at the left posterior tibia
, d. Left toes cool to touch and slightly cyanotic
ANS: B
The goal of the preoperative assessment is to identify a patient's normal preoperative function
and the presence of any risks to recognize, prevent, and minimize possible postoperative
complications. Gathering appropriate equipment, planning care, and educating the patient and
family are all important interventions that must be provided for the surgical patient; they are
part of the nursing process but are not the priority reason/goal for completing an assessment of
the surgical patient. - ANSWERS7. The nurse is preparing a patient for surgery. Which goal is a
priority for assessing the patient before surgery?
a. Plan for care after the procedure.
b. Establish a patient's baseline of normal function.
c. Educate the patient and family about the procedure. d. Gather appropriate equipment for the
patient's needs.
ANS: A
Medications such as warfarin or aspirin alter normal clotting factors and thus increase the risk
of hemorrhaging. Discontinue at least 48 hours before surgery. Acetaminophen is a pain reliever
that has no special implications for surgery. Vitamin C actually assists in wound healing and has
no special implications for surgery. Prednisone is a corticosteroid, and dosages are often
temporarily increased rather than held. - ANSWERS8. The nurse is completing a medication
history for the surgical patient in preadmission testing. Which medication should the nurse
instruct the patient to hold (discontinue) in preparation for surgery according to protocol?
a. Warfarin
b. Vitamin C
c. Prednisone
d. Acetaminophen
Perioperative nursing care occurs before, during, and after surgery. Preadmission testing occurs
before surgery and is considered preoperative. Nursing care provided during the surgical
procedure is considered intraoperative, and in the postanesthesia care unit, it is considered
postoperative. All of these are parts of the perioperative phase, but each individual phase does
not explain the term completely. - ANSWERS1. The nurse is caring for a surgical patient, when
the family member asks what perioperative nursing means. How should the nurse respond?
a. Perioperative nursing occurs in preadmission testing.
b. Perioperative nursing occurs primarily in the post-anesthesia care unit.
c. Perioperative nursing includes activities before, during, and after surgery.
d. Perioperative nursing includes activities only during the surgical procedure.
ANS: B
Reviewing the patient's laboratory tests and allergies is done before surgery in the preoperative
phase. Perioperative means before, during, and after surgery. Intraoperative means during the
surgical procedure in the operating suite; postoperative means after the surgery and could
occur in the postanesthesia care unit, in the ambulatory surgical area, or on the hospital unit. -
ANSWERS2. The nurse is caring for a patient who is scheduled to undergo a surgical procedure.
The nurse is completing an assessment and reviews the patient's laboratory tests and allergies
and prepares the patient for surgery. In which perioperative nursing phase is the nurse working?
a. Perioperative
b. Preoperative
c. Intraoperative
d. Postoperative
ANS: D
,An emergency procedure must be done immediately to save a life or preserve the function of a
body part. An example would be repair of a perforated appendix, repair of a traumatic
amputation, or control of internal hemorrhaging. An urgent procedure is necessary for a
patient's health and often prevents additional problems from developing. An example would be
excision of a cancerous tumor, removal of a gallbladder for stones, or vascular repair for an
obstructed artery. An elective procedure is performed on the basis of the patient's choice; it is
not essential and is not always necessary for health. An example would be a bunionectomy,
plastic surgery, or hernia reconstruction. A major procedure involves extensive reconstruction or
alteration in body parts; it poses great risks to well-being. An example would be a coronary
artery bypass or colon resection. - ANSWERS3. The nurse is caring for a patient in the
postanesthesia care unit. The patient has developed profuse bleeding from the surgical site, and
the surgeon has determined the need to return to the operative area. How will the nurse
classify this procedure?
a. Major
b. Urgent
c. Elective
d. Emergency
ANS: C
An ASA III rating is a patient with a severe systemic disease, such as poorly controlled
hypertension with an implanted pacemaker. ASA I is a normal healthy patient with no major
illnesses or conditions. ASA II is a patient with mild systemic disease. ASA V is a moribund
patient who is not expected to survive without the operation and includes patients with
ruptured abdominal/thoracic aneurysm or massive trauma. - ANSWERS4. The nurse is caring for
a patient in preadmission testing. The patient has been assigned a physical status classification
by the American Society of Anesthesiologists of ASA III. Which assessment will support this
classification?
a. Normal, healthy patient
b. Denial of any major illnesses or conditions
c. Poorly controlled hypertension with implanted pacemaker
,d. Moribund patient not expected to survive without the operation
ANS: B
Moderate sedation (conscious sedation) is used routinely for procedures that do not require
complete anesthesia but rather a depressed level of consciousness. Not all patients who are
treated on an outpatient basis receive moderate sedation. Regional anesthesia such as local
anesthesia provides loss of sensation in an area of the body. General anesthesia is used for
patients who need to be immobile and to not remember the surgical procedure. - ANSWERS5.
The patient has presented to the ambulatory surgery center to have a colonoscopy. The patient
is scheduled to receive moderate sedation (conscious sedation) during the procedure. How will
the nurse interpret this information?
a. The procedure results in loss of sensation in an area of the body.
b. The procedure requires a depressed level of consciousness.
c. The procedure will be performed on an outpatient basis.
d. The procedure necessitates the patient to be immobile.
ANS: A
Induction of regional anesthesia results in loss of sensation in an area of the body—in this case,
the left leg. The peripheral nerve block influences the portions of sensory pathways that are
anesthetized in the targeted area of the body. Decreased pulse, toes cool to touch, and cyanosis
are indications of decreased blood flow and are not expected findings. Reports of pain in the
left foot may indicate that the block is not working or is subsiding and is not an expected finding
in the immediate postoperative period. - ANSWERS6. The nurse is caring for a patient in the
post-anesthesia care unit who has undergone a left total knee arthroplasty. The anesthesia
provider has indicated that the patient received a left femoral peripheral nerve block. Which
assessment will be an expected finding for this patient?
a. Sensation decreased in the left leg
b. Patient report of pain in the left foot
c. Pulse decreased at the left posterior tibia
, d. Left toes cool to touch and slightly cyanotic
ANS: B
The goal of the preoperative assessment is to identify a patient's normal preoperative function
and the presence of any risks to recognize, prevent, and minimize possible postoperative
complications. Gathering appropriate equipment, planning care, and educating the patient and
family are all important interventions that must be provided for the surgical patient; they are
part of the nursing process but are not the priority reason/goal for completing an assessment of
the surgical patient. - ANSWERS7. The nurse is preparing a patient for surgery. Which goal is a
priority for assessing the patient before surgery?
a. Plan for care after the procedure.
b. Establish a patient's baseline of normal function.
c. Educate the patient and family about the procedure. d. Gather appropriate equipment for the
patient's needs.
ANS: A
Medications such as warfarin or aspirin alter normal clotting factors and thus increase the risk
of hemorrhaging. Discontinue at least 48 hours before surgery. Acetaminophen is a pain reliever
that has no special implications for surgery. Vitamin C actually assists in wound healing and has
no special implications for surgery. Prednisone is a corticosteroid, and dosages are often
temporarily increased rather than held. - ANSWERS8. The nurse is completing a medication
history for the surgical patient in preadmission testing. Which medication should the nurse
instruct the patient to hold (discontinue) in preparation for surgery according to protocol?
a. Warfarin
b. Vitamin C
c. Prednisone
d. Acetaminophen
