ATI RN TARGETED MEDICAL SURGICAL
PERIOPERATIVE ONLINE COMPREHENSIVE
EXAM 2026 FULL QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◉ A nurse is planning care for a client who is postoperative and has a
closed-wound drainage system in place. Which of the following
interventions should the nurse plan to include?
a) Check the patency of the drain every 12 hr.
b) Clamp the drain while the client is ambulating.
c) Cleanse the drain plug with alcohol after emptying.
d) Secure the drain to the client's bed sheet. Answer: c) Cleanse the
drain plug with alcohol after emptying
After emptying the drain, the nurse should compress the top and bottom
of the device together with one hand, while cleansing the plug with the
other.
incorrect:
Check the patency of the drain every 12 hr.
,The nurse should check the amount, color, and type of drainage at least
every 8 hr.
Clamp the drain while the client is ambulating.
The purpose of a closed-wound drainage system is to provide continuous
suction. Therefore, the nurse should not clamp the drain while the client
is ambulating.
Secure the drain to the client's bed sheet.
The nurse should secure the drain to the client's gown to prevent
dislodgement.
◉ A nurse is receiving evening shift report on four clients who returned
from the PACU that morning. The nurse should assess which of the
following clients first?
a) A client who is postoperative following a thoracotomy and has a chest
tube with 150 mL of bright-red blood in the collection chamber from the
past 1 hr.
b) A client who is postoperative following a small bowel resection and
has a temporary colostomy along with absent bowel sounds in all four
quadrants.
c) A client who is postoperative following a tonsillectomy and has had
one episode of coffee-ground emesis.
,d) A client who is postoperative following a total knee arthroplasty and
is reporting a pain level of 7 on a scale from 0 to 10. Answer: a) A
client who is postoperative following a thoracotomy and has a chest tube
with 150mL of bright-red blood in the collection chamber from the past
1 hr.
When using the airway, breathing, circulation approach to client care,
the first client the nurse should assess is the client who has 150 mL of
blood in the collection chamber because this finding is above the
expected reference range and can be an indication of hemorrhage.
◉ A nurse is caring for a client who has a surgical wound with a Penrose
drain in place. Which of the following interventions should the nurse
plan to perform?
a) Cut a slit in a 4-inch square gauze pad to place around the drain.
b) Use the sterile technique when performing dressing changes.
c) Establish a clamping schedule prior to removal.
d) Apply negative pressure when emptying the drain. Answer: b) Use
the sterile technique when performing dressing changes.
The nurse should change the Penrose drain dressing using the surgical
aseptic technique.
Incorrect:
, Cut a slit in a 4-inch square gauze pad to place around the drain.
A drain sponge should be used around a Penrose drain. A gauze pad
should never be cut and used around a drain due to the risk of dressing
fibers becoming embedded in the wound.
Establish a clamping schedule prior to removal.
Clamping a Penrose drain can lead to infection.
Apply negative pressure when emptying the drain.
A Penrose drain is an open system and drains by gravity.
◉ A nurse is caring for a client who has bradycardia following a surgical
procedure 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 Answer: d) Epinephrine
The nurse should plan to administer epinephrine, a vasopressor, to
increase the client's heart rate and prevent cardiac arrest.
PERIOPERATIVE ONLINE COMPREHENSIVE
EXAM 2026 FULL QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◉ A nurse is planning care for a client who is postoperative and has a
closed-wound drainage system in place. Which of the following
interventions should the nurse plan to include?
a) Check the patency of the drain every 12 hr.
b) Clamp the drain while the client is ambulating.
c) Cleanse the drain plug with alcohol after emptying.
d) Secure the drain to the client's bed sheet. Answer: c) Cleanse the
drain plug with alcohol after emptying
After emptying the drain, the nurse should compress the top and bottom
of the device together with one hand, while cleansing the plug with the
other.
incorrect:
Check the patency of the drain every 12 hr.
,The nurse should check the amount, color, and type of drainage at least
every 8 hr.
Clamp the drain while the client is ambulating.
The purpose of a closed-wound drainage system is to provide continuous
suction. Therefore, the nurse should not clamp the drain while the client
is ambulating.
Secure the drain to the client's bed sheet.
The nurse should secure the drain to the client's gown to prevent
dislodgement.
◉ A nurse is receiving evening shift report on four clients who returned
from the PACU that morning. The nurse should assess which of the
following clients first?
a) A client who is postoperative following a thoracotomy and has a chest
tube with 150 mL of bright-red blood in the collection chamber from the
past 1 hr.
b) A client who is postoperative following a small bowel resection and
has a temporary colostomy along with absent bowel sounds in all four
quadrants.
c) A client who is postoperative following a tonsillectomy and has had
one episode of coffee-ground emesis.
,d) A client who is postoperative following a total knee arthroplasty and
is reporting a pain level of 7 on a scale from 0 to 10. Answer: a) A
client who is postoperative following a thoracotomy and has a chest tube
with 150mL of bright-red blood in the collection chamber from the past
1 hr.
When using the airway, breathing, circulation approach to client care,
the first client the nurse should assess is the client who has 150 mL of
blood in the collection chamber because this finding is above the
expected reference range and can be an indication of hemorrhage.
◉ A nurse is caring for a client who has a surgical wound with a Penrose
drain in place. Which of the following interventions should the nurse
plan to perform?
a) Cut a slit in a 4-inch square gauze pad to place around the drain.
b) Use the sterile technique when performing dressing changes.
c) Establish a clamping schedule prior to removal.
d) Apply negative pressure when emptying the drain. Answer: b) Use
the sterile technique when performing dressing changes.
The nurse should change the Penrose drain dressing using the surgical
aseptic technique.
Incorrect:
, Cut a slit in a 4-inch square gauze pad to place around the drain.
A drain sponge should be used around a Penrose drain. A gauze pad
should never be cut and used around a drain due to the risk of dressing
fibers becoming embedded in the wound.
Establish a clamping schedule prior to removal.
Clamping a Penrose drain can lead to infection.
Apply negative pressure when emptying the drain.
A Penrose drain is an open system and drains by gravity.
◉ A nurse is caring for a client who has bradycardia following a surgical
procedure 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 Answer: d) Epinephrine
The nurse should plan to administer epinephrine, a vasopressor, to
increase the client's heart rate and prevent cardiac arrest.
