CNOR - Certification Anesthesia and Sedation Principles Questions and Answers

Question 1

A patient under general anesthesia with succinylcholine and a volatile anesthetic develops sudden tachycardia, masseter muscle rigidity, and a sharp increase in end-tidal CO2.
What is the perioperative nurse's priority action?

Accepted Answer

Notify the anesthesia professional and prepare to stop the triggering agents.

Answer

Apply cooling blankets and prepare chilled IV fluids.

Answer

Draw blood for an arterial blood gas (ABG) and electrolyte panel.

Answer

Prepare for immediate administration of intravenous dantrolene.

Question 2

Which of the following best describes the emergence phase of general anesthesia?

Accepted Answer

The period when anesthetic agents are discontinued and the patient begins to awaken, continuing until airway reflexes return.

Answer

The period from the administration of induction agents to the loss of consciousness.

Answer

The period starting from when the patient begins to awaken until they are safely discharged from the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU).

Answer

The period from the surgical incision until near the completion of the procedure.

Question 3

A patient is scheduled for a procedure under Monitored Anesthesia Care (MAC). What is a key characteristic that distinguishes MAC from moderate (conscious) sedation?

Accepted Answer

An anesthesia professional must be present and prepared to convert to general anesthesia if needed.

Answer

The patient is expected to lose consciousness and all airway reflexes.

Answer

Only a specially trained registered nurse is required to administer the sedative medications.

Answer

Capnography monitoring is considered optional and not a standard of care.

Question 4

A patient who received spinal anesthesia 24 hours prior calls the hospital complaining of a severe headache that is significantly worse when sitting up and relieved by lying flat. The perioperative nurse should recognize these symptoms as characteristic of which complication?

Accepted Answer

Post-dural puncture headache (PDPH)

Answer

Meningitis

Answer

Anesthetic neurotoxicity

Answer

Subdural hematoma

Question 5

During a procedure with sedation, the perioperative nurse observes a sudden drop in the end-tidal CO2 (EtCO2) waveform on the capnography monitor, which quickly becomes a flat line. This finding is the earliest and most reliable indicator of what condition?

Accepted Answer

Apnea or total airway obstruction

Answer

Hypertensive crisis

Answer

Malignant hyperthermia

Answer

Anaphylactic reaction

Question 6

A patient is undergoing a procedure on their arm using intravenous regional anesthesia (Bier block). Which safety measure is MOST critical for the perioperative nurse to ensure throughout the procedure?

Accepted Answer

Continuously monitoring the dual-cuff tourniquet pressure and inflation time.

Answer

Placing a warming blanket over the operative extremity to enhance the anesthetic effect.

Answer

Administering a prophylactic antiemetic before the procedure begins.

Answer

Ensuring the patient has a patent intravenous line in the non-operative arm.