Anesthesia and Sedation Principles Flashcards
7 cards from real CNOR practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Anesthesia and Sedation Principles flashcards as text
A patient undergoing general anesthesia develops masseter muscle rigidity immediately after succinylcholine administration. The perioperative team should:
Answer: Suspect malignant hyperthermia and prepare dantrolene
Masseter spasm following succinylcholine is a potential early sign of malignant hyperthermia and warrants immediate preparation for MH treatment protocol.
Which ASA physical status classification applies to a patient with well-controlled Type 2 diabetes and hypertension on medications?
Answer: ASA II
ASA II indicates a patient with mild systemic disease that is well-controlled and not functionally limiting.
The perioperative nurse should recognize that nitrous oxide is CONTRAINDICATED in patients with:
Answer: Pneumothorax or bowel obstruction
Nitrous oxide diffuses into closed gas-filled spaces faster than nitrogen exits, expanding volume and increasing pressure in pneumothorax or bowel obstruction.
During a procedure under moderate sedation, the patient's ETCO2 rises to 65 mmHg. The nurse should:
Answer: Stimulate the patient and reduce sedation depth
Rising ETCO2 indicates hypoventilation; stimulating the patient and reducing sedation depth addresses the cause of inadequate respiratory drive.
Which of the following is the MOST appropriate position to prevent aspiration during induction of general anesthesia in a patient with a full stomach?
Answer: Reverse Trendelenburg (head up)
Reverse Trendelenburg (head-up) positioning reduces gastric pressure against the lower esophageal sphincter, decreasing aspiration risk during rapid sequence induction.
When dantrolene is administered for malignant hyperthermia, what is the initial recommended dose?
Answer: 2.5 mg/kg IV
The initial dose of dantrolene for malignant hyperthermia is 2.5 mg/kg IV, repeated every 5 minutes as needed up to 10 mg/kg.
A perioperative nurse notes that a patient's temperature has risen to 39.8°C and ETCO2 is 78 mmHg during an otherwise routine procedure. These findings together suggest:
Answer: Malignant hyperthermia
The combination of rising temperature and elevated ETCO2 (reflecting increased CO2 production from hypermetabolism) are classic early signs of malignant hyperthermia.