AORN Safety and Emergency Preparedness 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which class of fire extinguisher is appropriate for a fire involving electrical equipment in the OR?
- Class A
- Class B
- Class C (Correct answer)
- Class D
Correct answer: Class C
Class C extinguishers are designed for electrical fires and use non-conductive agents safe around energized equipment.
Question 2: When a patient is positioned on the OR table with an electrosurgical unit (ESU) in use, the dispersive electrode should be placed:
- Over a bony prominence near the operative site
- On well-vascularized muscle mass as close to the site as practical (Correct answer)
- On the patient's back regardless of surgical position
- On the thigh regardless of the procedure location
Correct answer: On well-vascularized muscle mass as close to the site as practical
The dispersive electrode should be placed on well-vascularized muscle tissue close to the operative site to ensure adequate current return and reduce burn risk.
Question 3: During a fire in the OR, the correct sequence of the RACE acronym is:
- Rescue, Alert, Contain, Extinguish
- Remove, Activate, Confine, Evacuate
- Rescue, Activate, Contain, Extinguish/Evacuate (Correct answer)
- Report, Alarm, Close, Exit
Correct answer: Rescue, Activate, Contain, Extinguish/Evacuate
RACE stands for Rescue (patients in immediate danger), Activate (pull alarm/call 911), Contain (close doors), Extinguish or Evacuate.
Question 4: A scrub technician notices the surgical drapes have ignited near the surgical light. The FIRST action should be:
- Apply a CO2 fire extinguisher immediately
- Flood the area with saline or water
- Remove the burning material from the patient if safe to do so (Correct answer)
- Activate the fire alarm and leave the room
Correct answer: Remove the burning material from the patient if safe to do so
Removing burning material from the patient is the first priority to prevent patient injury before other fire suppression steps.
Question 5: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Bloodborne Pathogens Standard requires perioperative nurses to:
- Recap needles using two hands after each use
- Immediately report all needle-stick injuries and undergo post-exposure evaluation (Correct answer)
- Use standard precautions only for patients with known infections
- Dispose of sharps in regular waste bins if capped
Correct answer: Immediately report all needle-stick injuries and undergo post-exposure evaluation
OSHA requires immediate reporting and post-exposure evaluation after needle-stick injuries to facilitate timely prophylaxis.
Question 6: Which malignant hyperthermia (MH) trigger should perioperative nurses be prepared to immediately remove from the anesthesia circuit when MH is suspected?
- Nitrous oxide
- Succinylcholine and volatile halogenated anesthetic agents (Correct answer)
- Propofol and ketamine
- Non-depolarizing neuromuscular blockers
Correct answer: Succinylcholine and volatile halogenated anesthetic agents
Succinylcholine and volatile halogenated agents (e.g., sevoflurane) are the primary MH triggers and must be discontinued immediately.
Question 7: In the context of laser safety, the control measure that protects OR personnel from laser plume hazards is:
- Wearing standard surgical masks
- Using a high-filtration laser plume evacuator positioned close to the source (Correct answer)
- Opening OR doors to ventilate the room
- Covering the laser handpiece between uses
Correct answer: Using a high-filtration laser plume evacuator positioned close to the source
A high-filtration laser plume evacuator captures aerosolized particles and viable cellular material within 2 cm of the source.
AORN Safety and Emergency Preparedness 2
Which class of fire extinguisher is appropriate for a fire involving electrical equipment in the OR?