Deck 30: Postoperative Patient Care

Question 1

Invasive procedures are not performed in the PACU setting.

Answer 1

False
Performing procedures in PACU is more common in facilities in which the PACU doubles as a special procedure care unit for ambulatory patients who are receiving nerve blocks for pain therapy.Some institutions allow an uncomplicated endoscopy to be performed in the PACU.The rationale behind this practice is that patients having special procedures need to be monitored by experienced personnel for a short time after a treatment or test.For some procedures,the PACU nurse monitors a patient receiving intravenous conscious sedation and may assist the physician,thus depleting the staff available for postoperative care.

Question 2

What is one purpose of the postoperative follow-up phone call?

A)To assess patient outcomes upon discharge
B)To avoid a pending lawsuit by the patient or family members
C)To improve patient satisfaction scores on future surveys
D)To satisfy insurance company demands for follow-up

Answer 2

A
Patient evaluation phone calls assist in identifying whether the patient care outcomes were achieved.The follow-up phone call also provides a foundation for ongoing improvement of perioperative patient care and identifies activities that may need to be modified.

Question 3

Which professional organization established the standards of practice for the postoperative care of patients?

A)ASPAN
B)AORN
C)ABPANC
D)CAPA

Answer 3

A
Organized in 1980,the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses (ASPAN),formerly known as the American Society of Post Anesthesia Nurses,has established standards of practice for the postoperative care of diverse populations,such as pediatric,adult,and geriatric patients.ASPAN has also identified specific phases of care to be performed for surgical patients before and after a procedure.

Question 4

Time spent in the PACU varies from patient to patient and can change with each patient.

Question 5

Which is an item that the circulating nurse's handoff report needs to contain?

A)Family location
B)Insurance information
C)Total surgical time
D)Type of dressing and drains

Question 6

The main focus of the PACU nurse is on

A)discharge.
B)all physiologic processes.
C)circulation.
D)documentation.

Question 7

Report to the PACU nurse is given by

A)the circulating nurse.
B)the OR charge nurse.
C)the scrub person.
D)the OR scheduling office.

Question 8

A patient having a surgical procedure performed in a physician's office does not need postoperative care and should be able to leave immediately after it is over.

Question 9

What is one way a PACU nurse can assess a patient's pain level?

A)Palpating the surgical incision
B)Wait until they are crying
C)Asking the anesthesia provider whether the patient is experiencing pain
D)Using the FACES scale

Question 10

When does the postoperative phase begin?

A)As soon as the surgery is over
B)When report is given
C)When the patient is admitted to the postoperative area
D)When the patient is home

Question 11

Which is one piece of equipment needed for each patient bed space in the PACU?

A)Linen container
B)Suction equipment
C)Computer monitor for documentation
D)Bedside table