Postanesthesia Care Flashcards
6 cards from real CAPA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Postanesthesia Care flashcards as text
What is the primary focus in the immediate postanesthesia period?
Answer: Monitoring airway and vital signs
Airway, breathing, and circulation (ABCs) are top priorities to ensure patient stability after anesthesia.
Which sign indicates potential respiratory depression post-anesthesia?
Answer: Respiratory rate of 8 breaths/min
A decreased respiratory rate can be an early sign of opioid-induced respiratory depression.
What is the Aldrete score used for?
Answer: Postanesthesia recovery assessment
The Aldrete score assesses readiness for discharge from the PACU based on activity, consciousness, respiration, circulation, and oxygen saturation.
Which symptom may suggest postoperative bleeding?
Answer: Hypotension and tachycardia
A drop in blood pressure and increasing heart rate can be signs of internal bleeding or hypovolemia.
What intervention is important for managing postoperative nausea?
Answer: Administer prescribed antiemetic
Administering antiemetics can reduce nausea and vomiting, which are common after anesthesia.
Which nursing action helps prevent hypothermia in the PACU?
Answer: Using warm blankets
Providing warm blankets and maintaining ambient temperature support thermoregulation after anesthesia.
How this page was made: written with AI tools and published by Nathan Beja, founder of Practice Test Geeks, who is responsible for its content. Exam facts are checked against the official sources listed below. Not reviewed by a subject-matter expert. Editorial policy
Sources & references
Exam facts on this page (fees, format, dates, passing scores) are checked against these official sources; the date is our last check. Editorial policy
- cpancapa.org — Fees, registration, test dates, retake fee, exam information · verified Nov 2026
- abpanc.org — Score validity, eligibility, test delivery, exam format, retake policy, passing score, score release, time limit · verified Oct 2026