Perioperative Patient Assessment Flashcards

Which documentation is the CRNFA responsible for ensuring is complete before the surgical incision is made?

Answer: Signed and witnessed surgical informed consent on the chart

Verifying that signed informed surgical consent is present on the chart is a mandatory preoperative safety check performed during the timeout and pre-incision phase.

When the CRNFA performs the preoperative patient assessment, which finding is MOST relevant to positioning safety?

Answer: Patient's weight, height, BMI, and presence of joint limitations or implants

Weight, BMI, joint limitations, and implanted hardware directly affect how a patient can be safely positioned without injury to nerves, vessels, or hardware.

A diabetic patient's point-of-care blood glucose before surgery reads 320 mg/dL. The CRNFA should:

Answer: Notify the anesthesiologist and surgeon immediately before proceeding

A preoperative blood glucose of 320 mg/dL represents significant hyperglycemia that increases infection risk and may require insulin management prior to proceeding with elective surgery.

Which preoperative information is most relevant when preparing the back table and anticipating intraoperative needs for a trauma patient?

Answer: Mechanism of injury, estimated blood loss, and suspected injuries from imaging

Mechanism of injury, estimated blood loss, and imaging findings guide the surgical team in preparing for damage control procedures, vascular instruments, and blood products.

Preoperative marking of the surgical site is performed to prevent which type of adverse surgical event?

Answer: Wrong-site, wrong-side, or wrong-procedure surgery

Surgical site marking is a Joint Commission Universal Protocol requirement specifically designed to prevent wrong-site, wrong-side, and wrong-procedure surgeries.

Which preoperative assessment finding in a female patient of reproductive age requires documentation and possible further action before elective abdominal surgery?

Answer: Possibility of pregnancy — last menstrual period unknown

Unknown or possible pregnancy must be investigated with a pregnancy test before elective abdominal or pelvic surgery to protect the fetus from anesthesia, radiation, and surgical trauma.