Question 1

The nurse is caring for a patient who is to have a nephrectomy. The patient states that the surgeon said that this surgery is considered a "curative procedure." Which of these responses would be appropriate by the nurse?

Accepted Answer

A nephrectomy is a surgical procedure for the removal of one or both kidneys. It is considered a curative procedure for certain conditions such as kidney cancer or severe infection. Therefore, the appropriate response by the nurse is B - "Yes, it can be classified as a curative procedure."

Question 2

The nurse is caring for a patient who had an abdominal hysterectomy and reports pain from gas postoperatively. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

Accepted Answer

Ambulation promotes the passage of flatus and relieves discomfort caused by gas buildup after surgery. Hot beverages, extra blankets, and abdominal binders may provide comfort, but they do not directly address the issue of gas buildup.

Question 3

The nurse is to witness an adult patient's consent for a knee arthroscopy. Which of these is essential for the nurse to confirm before witnessing the consent?

Accepted Answer

The nurse must confirm which is the operative knee to ensure that the correct site is being operated on. Knowing the patient's job, when they last ate or drank, and who is driving them home are all important pieces of information, but they are not essential for the nurse to confirm before witnessing the consent.

Question 4

The nurse is caring for a preoperative patient. The patient asks, "What type of anesthesia causes a total loss of sensation and a complete loss of consciousness?" Which of these responses should the nurse give?

Accepted Answer

General anesthesia causes a total loss of sensation and a complete loss of consciousness. Epidural anesthesia and spinal anesthesia may provide complete loss of sensation, but the patient remains conscious. Local anesthesia only numbs a specific area of the body.

Question 5

The nurse is caring for a patient who is scheduled for surgery. Which of these nursing actions should the nurse use to address the patient's psychological concerns?

Accepted Answer

Providing privacy allows the patient to feel more comfortable asking questions and expressing concerns. This can help alleviate psychological concerns and anxiety about the surgery. Using correct terminology may not address the patient's psychological concerns directly, instructing the patient to ask the surgeon all surgical questions does not address any non-surgical concerns, and providing information to a patient who says "I do not want to know" may not acknowledge their psychological concerns and anxiety about the surgery.

Question 6

The nurse is contributing to the plan of care for a surgical patient. The nurse recognizes that the most common human response to the stress associated with surgery is which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Anxiety is the most common human response to the stress associated with surgery. It is understandable for patients to feel anxious before a surgical procedure, and it is important for the healthcare team to provide support and education to help alleviate this anxiety. While depression and delirium can occur postoperatively, anxiety is the most common initial response to the stress of surgery. Fear is also a common response, but it is often closely linked to anxiety.

Question 7

The nurse is caring for a patient 23 hours after abdominal surgery. Which of the following patient data collection findings would require the nurse to take action?

Accepted Answer

Abdominal distention 23 hours after abdominal surgery could be a sign of a complication such as paralytic ileus or bowel obstruction and requires immediate nursing intervention. Hypoactive bowel sounds may be expected postoperatively and may resolve over time. Reports of flatus and lack of appetite may also be expected postoperatively and may improve over time.

Question 8

The nurse answers a patient's call light and finds the patient sitting up in bed with a wound evisceration. What action should the nurse take first?

Accepted Answer

The answer of The nurse answers a patient's call light...

Question 9

The nurse is caring for a patient who is NPO for scheduled surgery. The nurse notes that the patient has been on long-term oral steroid therapy and would have been scheduled for a dose of Prednisone 10 mg orally at 0600 if not NPO. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

Accepted Answer

The nurse should notify the registered nurse because the patient is NPO and cannot take anything orally, including medications. The registered nurse can determine if the medication should be rescheduled or if an alternative route of administration should be used.

Question 10

The nurse is caring for a patient who has developed an increased temperature during the first 24 hours postoperatively. Which of these actions is a priority for the nurse to take?

Accepted Answer

Encouraging coughing and deep breathing is a priority as it helps prevent atelectasis, a common cause of fever in the first 24 hours postoperatively.

Question 11

The nurse is caring for a patient who had spinal anesthesia. Which of the following effects from spinal anesthesia may affect the safety of the patient when getting out of bed for the first time postoperatively?

Accepted Answer

Spinal anesthesia can cause hypotension, which may affect the safety of the patient when getting out of bed for the first time postoperatively as it may cause dizziness and increase the risk of falls. Symptoms of hypotension may include lightheadedness, nausea, and fainting. Therefore, the nurse should be cautious when helping the patient to ambulate and promptly report any signs of hypotension to the healthcare provider.

Question 12

The nurse is caring for a patient who the night before surgery is withdrawn and sad. The patient says, "I am scared of this surgery." Which of the following would be the nurse's best response?

Accepted Answer

A is the best response because it acknowledges the patient's fear and encourages them to share their concerns. This allows the nurse to address specific fears and provide reassurance, which can help alleviate anxiety before the surgery. B may provide some comfort but does not address the patient's specific concerns. C and D dismiss the patient's feelings and do not provide appropriate support.

Question 13

The nurse is to preoperatively administer 8 mg of morphine intramuscularly to a patient. The nurse has available morphine 10 mg/mL. How many milliliters should the nurse give?

Accepted Answer

To calculate the correct dosage, divide the prescribed amount (8 mg) by the concentration available (10 mg/mL). This gives 0.8 mL (8 mg ÷ 10 mg/mL = 0.8 mL).

Question 14

The nurse assists in preparing patients for surgery. Which of these patients would the nurse recognize as being in the best condition for surgery and at lower risk for complications?

Accepted Answer

The 55-year-old patient who is a marathon runner is likely in good physical condition and at lower risk for surgical complications. Age, weight, and smoking status are all factors that can increase surgical risk, so the other patients may be at higher risk for complications.

Question 15

The nurse is contributing to the preoperative patient's plan of care. Which of these statements by the patient would alert the nurse to plan interventions to help prevent postoperative complications?

Accepted Answer

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) increases the risk of postoperative complications, such as respiratory complications, due to impaired lung function. The nurse would plan interventions to help prevent these complications.

Question 16

The nurse is caring for a postoperative patient. Which of these outcomes would be most important for the patient's postoperative nursing diagnosis of Pain related to new incision?

Accepted Answer

The most important outcome for a postoperative nursing diagnosis of pain is that the patient states pain relief is satisfactory, indicating effective pain management.

Question 17

The nurse is caring for a patient who is to have a liver biopsy. The nurse recognizes that this is an example of which category of surgical procedures?

Accepted Answer

A liver biopsy is a diagnostic surgical procedure, meaning it is done to obtain tissue for a diagnosis or to determine a patient's condition. Preventive surgeries are done to prevent future health problems, curative surgeries are done to cure a current health problem, and palliative surgeries are done to improve a patient's quality of life but do not cure the underlying condition.

Question 18

The nurse is caring for a postoperative patient who becomes restless, hypotensive, tachycardic, and tachypneic. Which nursing action should be given priority?

Accepted Answer

Maintaining a patent airway is the priority as the patient is showing signs of respiratory distress. Oxygen may need to be given to ensure adequate ventilation. Once the airway is stable, the nurse can then notify the physician and monitor vital signs. Notifying the family can be done once the patient is stabilized.

Question 19

The nurse is caring for a postoperative patient. When the patient is allowed to get out of bed for the first time postoperatively, which of these measures would be most effective to ensure patient safety?

Accepted Answer

The answer of The nurse is caring for a postoperative...

Question 20

The nurse is caring for a postoperative patient who has a nursing diagnosis of ineffective airway clearance. Which of these outcomes would be most appropriate for this patient?

Accepted Answer

The most appropriate outcome for a patient with a nursing diagnosis of ineffective airway clearance would be for the patient to correctly demonstrate coughing and deep breathing exercises. This would indicate that the patient has understood and can perform the necessary actions to clear their airway effectively. Simply observing or explaining the exercises may not be sufficient to ensure the patient's ability to perform them correctly. Explaining the rationale for the exercises is important, but it is not the most appropriate outcome for this specific nursing diagnosis.

Quiz 12: Nursing Care of Patients Having Surgery