Managing Emergency Situations 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 Managing Emergency Situations flashcards as text
Which scenario BEST represents a 'never event' requiring immediate reporting per CMS guidelines in the perioperative setting?
Answer: A retained surgical sponge is discovered on post-op imaging
Retained surgical items (RSIs) are classified as never events by CMS and require immediate reporting, root cause analysis, and corrective action.
A fire ignites in the surgical field. Per the RACE mnemonic, the FIRST step is:
Answer: Rescue patients in immediate danger
RACE stands for Rescue, Alarm, Confine, Extinguish — rescuing patients in immediate danger is always the first priority.
An OR fire involving dry surgical drapes is BEST extinguished using which type of fire extinguisher?
Answer: Class A (water-based)
Class A fires involve ordinary combustibles like drapes and paper; a Class A water-based extinguisher or CO2 can be used, but Class A designation covers ordinary combustible materials in the OR.
During a procedure under local anesthesia, a patient reports sudden chest tightness and difficulty breathing. The nurse's FIRST action should be:
Answer: Administer supplemental oxygen and notify the surgeon
Airway and oxygenation are always the first priority; providing O2 and alerting the surgeon allows rapid assessment and preparation for escalation if needed.
Which patient position is CONTRAINDICATED in a patient with suspected air embolism detected intraoperatively?
Answer: Head of bed elevated 30 degrees
Elevating the head of the bed increases risk of air moving into the cerebral circulation; the correct position is left lateral decubitus with head down to trap air in the right ventricle.
The MH Hotline number that perioperative staff should have posted in the OR is:
Answer: 1-800-644-9737
The MHAUS (Malignant Hyperthermia Association of the United States) 24-hour hotline is 1-800-644-9737 (1-800-MH-HYPER).
When a cardiac arrest occurs in the OR, which team member is responsible for documenting the resuscitation timeline?
Answer: A designated circulating nurse
A designated circulating nurse should assume documentation responsibility during resuscitation to ensure accurate timing of interventions, drugs, and defibrillation attempts.