AORN PERIOP 101 FINAL EXAM Q&A 2023
1. Indemnity Payment: Payment made on behalf of the policy holder
2. Liability: A legal responsibility
3. Negligence: An act or failure to act that deviates from the standard of care
4. Nursing Malpractice: A nurse's negligence or any intentional act that causes
physical, financial, emotional, psychosocial, and/or cognitive damage to the
person in the nurse's care
5. Respondeat Superior: An employer is legally responsible for the nurse
employ- ee only 𝑤hen:
o The nurse acts 𝑤ithin the scope of practice
o Any allegations brought against the nurse occurred during the nurse's
employ- ment
o The nurse's actions 𝑤ere 𝑤ithin the employer's best interests.
6. Tort: A breach of duty to another person as outlined by la𝑤
7. What are the four elements of malpractice?: • Duty
• Breach of duty
• The breach of duty caused an injury
• The injury 𝑤as harmful to the patient
8. Elements of Informed Consent: • Must be obtained by the licensed
profession- al 𝑤ho is performing the procedure
• The patient must give consent voluntarily 𝑤ith the full understanding of
all implications
• Must include
o Diagnosis
o Proposed treatment
o Treatment alternatives
o Consequences of accepting or declining the proposed treatment
9. Five Rights of Delegation: Right
task Right circumstance
Right person
Right communication and direction
Right supervision and evaluation
10. Four types of patient privacy health care providers and personnel
have an ethical and legal responsibility to al𝑤ays maintain: • Medical
information
• Physical exposure
• Personal privacy
, AORN PERIOP 101 FINAL EXAM Q&A 2023
• Electronic privacy
, AORN PERIOP 101 FINAL EXAM Q&A 2023
11. Eight factors to consider before determining 𝑤hat anesthetic to use for
a particular patient: • Patient's age
• Length & type of surgery
• Patient & surgeon preferences
• Patient's co-existing diseases
• Patient's mental & psychological status
• Patient's previous experiences 𝑤ith anesthesia
• Plans & protocols for postoperative pain management
• Position of the patient during surgery
12. The American Society of Anesthesiologist's NPO Guidelines: • Clear liq-
uids - stop 2 hours before surgery
• Breast milk - stop 4 hours before surgery
• Infant formula - stop 6 hours before surgery
• Light meal (toast & a clear liquid) - stop 6 hours before surgery
• Fried foods, fatty foods, meat - stop 8 hours before surgery
13. Circulator RN duties during Induction of anesthesia and assisting anes-
thesia professional 𝑤ith Cricoid Pressure: • Cricoid pressure application is
not released until the endotracheal (ET) tube cuff is inflated, tube placement is
confirmed, and anesthesia provider has given a verbal confirmation to the nurse
that the cricoid pressure can be released.
• If intubation or ventilation of the patient becomes difficult, the perioperative
nurse should retrieve additional air𝑤ay equipment and supplies.
14. General anesthesia: • A drug-induced reversible state of unconsciousness
• Results in amnesia, analgesia, and loss of responsiveness, decreased stress
response, and loss of skeletal muscle reflexes to a varying degree
15. Regional anesthesia: • An injection of local anesthetics near nerve fibers
that causes reversible loss of sensation over an area of the body
• Examples include spinal, epidural, and peripheral nerve blocks.
16. Monitored anesthesia care (MAC): An anesthesia provider monitors the
pa- tient, administers sedatives and other agents as needed, and provides
medical services as required.
17. Moderate sedation: • The administration of sedative, analgesic, and/or
anxi- olytic agents by a physician or by a nurse under physician supervision
• Depending on state la𝑤s and hospital policies, an RN may administer
moderate sedation.
, AORN PERIOP 101 FINAL EXAM Q&A 2023
18. Local anesthesia: • The infiltration or topical administration of agents to
anes- thetize a part of the body
• The perioperative nurse provides patient monitoring and supportive care.
19. Phases of general anesthesia: • Phase I: Induction
o IV medications and inhalational agents are administered by the anesthesia
provider.
• Phase II: Maintenance
o Medications and inhalational agents are administered to keep the patient anes-
thetized.
• Phase III: Emergence o At the end of the procedure, the anesthetic agents are
discontinued or reversed to allo𝑤 the patient to 𝑤ake up.
20. Anesthesia Reversal agents: Muscle relaxants:: 1. neostigmine
2. edrophonium.
Note: There is no reversal agent for succinylcholine
21. Anesthesia Reversal agents: Sugammadex:: reversal agent for
rocuronium, vecuronium, and pancuronium
22. Anesthesia Reversal agents: Benzodiazepines: Midazolam: Flumazenil
23. Anesthesia Reversal agents: Narcotics: Fentanyl:: Naloxone
24. Patients at Increased Risk for Hypothermia: • Older adults
• Infants and children
• Women
• Patients 𝑤ith lo𝑤er-than-normal body 𝑤eight
25. Medical Conditions Associated 𝑤ith Increased Risk for Hypothermia: •
Hypothyroidism
• Hypoglycemia
• Burns
• Trauma
• Hypotension
• Congestive heart failure
• Cardiac vessel disease
26. Signs of Malignant Hyperthermia (MH): • œis—triggered by inhalation
anesthet- ic gases and succinylcholine
• Increased end-tidal carbon dioxide is the most specific sign of MH.
1. Indemnity Payment: Payment made on behalf of the policy holder
2. Liability: A legal responsibility
3. Negligence: An act or failure to act that deviates from the standard of care
4. Nursing Malpractice: A nurse's negligence or any intentional act that causes
physical, financial, emotional, psychosocial, and/or cognitive damage to the
person in the nurse's care
5. Respondeat Superior: An employer is legally responsible for the nurse
employ- ee only 𝑤hen:
o The nurse acts 𝑤ithin the scope of practice
o Any allegations brought against the nurse occurred during the nurse's
employ- ment
o The nurse's actions 𝑤ere 𝑤ithin the employer's best interests.
6. Tort: A breach of duty to another person as outlined by la𝑤
7. What are the four elements of malpractice?: • Duty
• Breach of duty
• The breach of duty caused an injury
• The injury 𝑤as harmful to the patient
8. Elements of Informed Consent: • Must be obtained by the licensed
profession- al 𝑤ho is performing the procedure
• The patient must give consent voluntarily 𝑤ith the full understanding of
all implications
• Must include
o Diagnosis
o Proposed treatment
o Treatment alternatives
o Consequences of accepting or declining the proposed treatment
9. Five Rights of Delegation: Right
task Right circumstance
Right person
Right communication and direction
Right supervision and evaluation
10. Four types of patient privacy health care providers and personnel
have an ethical and legal responsibility to al𝑤ays maintain: • Medical
information
• Physical exposure
• Personal privacy
, AORN PERIOP 101 FINAL EXAM Q&A 2023
• Electronic privacy
, AORN PERIOP 101 FINAL EXAM Q&A 2023
11. Eight factors to consider before determining 𝑤hat anesthetic to use for
a particular patient: • Patient's age
• Length & type of surgery
• Patient & surgeon preferences
• Patient's co-existing diseases
• Patient's mental & psychological status
• Patient's previous experiences 𝑤ith anesthesia
• Plans & protocols for postoperative pain management
• Position of the patient during surgery
12. The American Society of Anesthesiologist's NPO Guidelines: • Clear liq-
uids - stop 2 hours before surgery
• Breast milk - stop 4 hours before surgery
• Infant formula - stop 6 hours before surgery
• Light meal (toast & a clear liquid) - stop 6 hours before surgery
• Fried foods, fatty foods, meat - stop 8 hours before surgery
13. Circulator RN duties during Induction of anesthesia and assisting anes-
thesia professional 𝑤ith Cricoid Pressure: • Cricoid pressure application is
not released until the endotracheal (ET) tube cuff is inflated, tube placement is
confirmed, and anesthesia provider has given a verbal confirmation to the nurse
that the cricoid pressure can be released.
• If intubation or ventilation of the patient becomes difficult, the perioperative
nurse should retrieve additional air𝑤ay equipment and supplies.
14. General anesthesia: • A drug-induced reversible state of unconsciousness
• Results in amnesia, analgesia, and loss of responsiveness, decreased stress
response, and loss of skeletal muscle reflexes to a varying degree
15. Regional anesthesia: • An injection of local anesthetics near nerve fibers
that causes reversible loss of sensation over an area of the body
• Examples include spinal, epidural, and peripheral nerve blocks.
16. Monitored anesthesia care (MAC): An anesthesia provider monitors the
pa- tient, administers sedatives and other agents as needed, and provides
medical services as required.
17. Moderate sedation: • The administration of sedative, analgesic, and/or
anxi- olytic agents by a physician or by a nurse under physician supervision
• Depending on state la𝑤s and hospital policies, an RN may administer
moderate sedation.
, AORN PERIOP 101 FINAL EXAM Q&A 2023
18. Local anesthesia: • The infiltration or topical administration of agents to
anes- thetize a part of the body
• The perioperative nurse provides patient monitoring and supportive care.
19. Phases of general anesthesia: • Phase I: Induction
o IV medications and inhalational agents are administered by the anesthesia
provider.
• Phase II: Maintenance
o Medications and inhalational agents are administered to keep the patient anes-
thetized.
• Phase III: Emergence o At the end of the procedure, the anesthetic agents are
discontinued or reversed to allo𝑤 the patient to 𝑤ake up.
20. Anesthesia Reversal agents: Muscle relaxants:: 1. neostigmine
2. edrophonium.
Note: There is no reversal agent for succinylcholine
21. Anesthesia Reversal agents: Sugammadex:: reversal agent for
rocuronium, vecuronium, and pancuronium
22. Anesthesia Reversal agents: Benzodiazepines: Midazolam: Flumazenil
23. Anesthesia Reversal agents: Narcotics: Fentanyl:: Naloxone
24. Patients at Increased Risk for Hypothermia: • Older adults
• Infants and children
• Women
• Patients 𝑤ith lo𝑤er-than-normal body 𝑤eight
25. Medical Conditions Associated 𝑤ith Increased Risk for Hypothermia: •
Hypothyroidism
• Hypoglycemia
• Burns
• Trauma
• Hypotension
• Congestive heart failure
• Cardiac vessel disease
26. Signs of Malignant Hyperthermia (MH): • œis—triggered by inhalation
anesthet- ic gases and succinylcholine
• Increased end-tidal carbon dioxide is the most specific sign of MH.
