AORN AORN Surgical Counts and Accountability 2

Question 1

What is the purpose of the X-ray detectable strip in surgical sponges?

Accepted Answer

To identify sponges on intraoperative X-ray if a count discrepancy occurs

Answer

The radiopaque strip enables identification of retained surgical sponges via X-ray when a count discrepancy cannot be resolved by manual search.

Question 2

When additional sponges or instruments are added to the sterile field during a procedure, what must occur?

Accepted Answer

They must be counted and added to the count record immediately

Answer

Any item added to the sterile field mid-procedure must be immediately counted and documented to maintain an accurate running count.

Question 3

A surgeon requests that the perioperative team skip the instrument count to save time. What is the correct nursing response?

Accepted Answer

Decline to skip the count and explain the patient safety rationale

Answer

Perioperative nurses are professionally obligated to perform all required counts regardless of a surgeon's request, as counts are a patient safety standard of care.

Question 4

Which documentation is required after every surgical count according to AORN?

Accepted Answer

The count result (correct or incorrect), time, and names of personnel who performed the count

Answer

AORN requires documentation of each count result, the time it was performed, and the names of both personnel who performed the count.

Question 5

What should be done with a sponge that has been cut or modified during the surgical procedure?

Accepted Answer

Keep all pieces together and count them as one item throughout the procedure

Answer

When a sponge is cut, all pieces must be kept together and counted as a single unit to prevent counting discrepancies.

(AORN) Association of PeriOperative Registered Nurses Practice Test

(AORN) Association of PeriOperative Registered Nurses Practice Test

AORN AORN Surgical Counts and Accountability 2