Question 1

When providing an alarm system for an operating suite to use in case of emergency, which of the following are important design factors?

Accepted Answer

All surgical personnel should know how to activate the alarm and what to do when it is turned on; additionally, the alarm should notify personnel who are outside the operating room, such as those at the tech's station nearby. All personnel should learn how to activate the alarm so they can call for help if there is ever an emergency. Sometimes, an operating room emergency requires additional assistance from others, and an alarm outside of the suite will notify others for the need for assistance.

Question 2

Which of the following measures is an example of patient burn prevention in the perioperative period?

Accepted Answer

An example of patient burn prevention in the perioperative period would be placing towels under the patient during the skin preparation to collect fluid. Fluid that pools near the patient's skin can cause chemical burns, pain, and infection. The tech should avoid using liquids such as acetone for cleaning, as these could be ignited through static electricity. Flammable liquids should be stored away from both the patient monitor and the electrosurgical unit to prevent a spark from electrodes.

Question 3

A patient is given anesthesia during the induction period and begins to develop muscle stiffness and cyanosis. His temperature is noted to be increasing at a rate of two degrees Celsius approximately every five minutes. What condition has this patient most likely developed?

Accepted Answer

The patient described in this situation has most likely developed malignant hyperthermia. This is a condition characterized by rapidly increasing temperature, cardiac dysrhythmias and respiratory failure. Malignant hyperthermia typically occurs as a result of anesthesia administration and is a life-threatening event. The surgical staff must respond quickly by administering muscle relaxing medications and cooling the body to stabilize the patient.

Question 4

What is the process for managing an overdose of anesthesia during the surgical procedure?

Accepted Answer

If a patient receives too much anesthetic during the surgical process, managing the condition involves stopping the anesthetic and administering a narcotic antagonist. The patient must not receive any more anesthetic until cardiac and respiratory systems have been restored to prevent death. A narcotic antagonist will reverse the effects of a narcotic that may have been used as part of anesthesia.

Question 5

A perioperative tech is assessing a patient recovering from abdominal surgery. As they check the incision site, blood rushes out, followed by loops of intestine. Which intervention is necessary for an abdominal evisceration?

Accepted Answer

In the case of an abdominal evisceration, the tech should place sterile dressings moistened with saline over the intestines and notify the surgeon of the need for surgical intervention. An abdominal evisceration is a serious complication associated with postoperative wound dehiscence. In order to protect the intestines from damage and to reduce the risk of infection, the tech should cover the wound until the surgeon arrives, rather than trying to replace the abdominal contents.

Question 6

The perioperative tech assists with an emergency intubation of a patient who has developed respiratory distress. The patient's oxygen saturation levels are increasing and there is symmetrical chest expansion. What is the tech's next action?

Accepted Answer

After the tube has been inserted in an emergency intubation, the tech should obtain a chest x-ray to verify correct tube placement. Although the patient's oxygen status is improving, the tube could still be placed too deep into the patient's lungs. Securing or cutting the tube should not be done until confirmation that the tube is correctly in place, in case the tube needs to be repositioned.

Question 7

What is the purpose of critical incident stress debriefing for a patient with an adverse outcome?

Accepted Answer

The purpose of a critical incident stress debriefing is to discuss painful feelings related to a situation with an adverse outcome. When a patient dies tragically or a particularly difficult situation is encountered, healthcare providers may struggle with feelings of helplessness or grief over the situation. Critical incident stress debriefing allows those involved to share their feelings in an effort to cope with the situation.

Question 8

In the middle of a surgical procedure, the patient on the table goes into cardiac arrest and needs CPR. What is the first action of the perioperative tech?

Accepted Answer

Before starting CPR, the tech should turn on the alarm to notify others of the need for assistance. Even if there are other surgical personnel in the operating room, the alarms notify other techs on the unit of the emergency. These staff can bring the crash cart and along with it, medications and the cardiac defibrillator to attempt to get the heart beating again and correct cardiac arrhythmias.

Question 9

A patient is admitted with severe burns over 50 percent of their body. The tech inserts an IV to begin fluid administration and for medications. What is the typical process of fluid shift for this type of patient within the first 48 hours?

Accepted Answer

During the first 48 hours following a burn, fluid is pulled out of the blood vessels and into the tissues. The tech must administer adequate fluids to prevent hypovolemia and subsequent hypotension. The tissues will swell with the excess fluid, but after approximately two to three days, the shift reverses and the fluid returns to circulation.

Question 10

A tech is assisting with a cesarean section and notes that the fetus appears to be in distress. Upon delivery, the baby is limp and pale, with meconium staining the amniotic fluid. What is the most appropriate action of the tech?

Accepted Answer

The tech should provide tracheal suctioning to remove meconium from the airway. This action should be done before stimulating the baby to breathe, as breathing could result in aspiration of meconium into the lungs. The tech should try to identify the presence of meconium stained fluid before delivery if possible. In some institutions, tracheal suctioning is the physician's responsibility.

Quiz 4: Emergencies