ABPANC Perianesthesia Complications Flashcards
6 cards from real ABPANC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 ABPANC Perianesthesia Complications flashcards as text
A patient in Phase I PACU develops laryngospasm after extubation. Which intervention is performed first?
Answer: Immediate oral suctioning and jaw thrust with 100% O2 by tight mask
Jaw thrust, oral suctioning of secretions, and 100% oxygen by tight-fitting mask with positive pressure are the initial interventions for laryngospasm.
Which postoperative patient is at highest risk for developing emergence delirium in the PACU?
Answer: A 4-year-old after tonsillectomy under sevoflurane
Young children, particularly those under 5, are at highest risk for emergence delirium after volatile anesthetic agents such as sevoflurane.
A patient returns to the PACU after abdominal surgery with a blood pressure of 200/110. Which finding would most concern the nurse as a sign of hypertensive emergency?
Answer: Severe headache, visual changes, and altered mental status with BP 200/110
Severe headache, visual disturbances, and altered mental status with markedly elevated BP indicate end-organ damage, defining a hypertensive emergency.
A patient post-thyroidectomy develops progressive stridor, neck swelling, and dyspnea 2 hours after surgery. What is the priority intervention?
Answer: Open the wound at the bedside to relieve hematoma compression on the airway
Post-thyroidectomy neck hematoma is a surgical emergency requiring immediate wound opening at the bedside to relieve tracheal compression before airway loss occurs.
Which electrolyte imbalance most commonly causes postoperative cardiac dysrhythmias in the PACU?
Answer: Hypokalemia
Hypokalemia increases cardiac membrane excitability, predisposing patients to atrial and ventricular dysrhythmias in the postoperative period.
A patient develops shivering in the PACU with a core temperature of 35.2°C (95.4°F). Which intervention helps reduce the metabolic demand caused by postoperative shivering?
Answer: Apply warm blankets and administer IV meperidine as ordered
Warm blankets raise core temperature while IV meperidine is the most effective pharmacological agent for suppressing postoperative shivering and its associated oxygen demand.