Mixed Deck — All CPAN Topics Flashcards

ASPAN's Standards of PeriAnesthesia Nursing Practice serve primarily to:

Answer: Provide a framework for safe, evidence-based perianesthesia nursing care

ASPAN standards provide a professional framework for evidence-based, safe perianesthesia nursing practice and guide clinical decision-making.

Post-operative shivering primarily increases which physiological demand?

Answer: Oxygen consumption

Shivering increases metabolic rate and oxygen consumption by up to 400–500%, stressing cardiopulmonary reserves.

A CPAN candidate submits an application with incomplete practice hour documentation. ABPANC will most likely:

Answer: Return the application and request the missing documentation before processing

ABPANC will return incomplete applications requesting full supporting documentation before the application can be reviewed and approved.

When accreditation standards are updated to reflect new evidence about post-anesthesia oxygen therapy, PACU nurses benefit MOST by:

Answer: Updating their knowledge and practices to align with current evidence-based standards

Accreditation standards evolve with evidence; nurses benefit by proactively updating their knowledge and practice rather than waiting for external prompts.

During CPR in the PACU, the team leader asks for the correct compression-to-ventilation ratio for a single rescuer performing adult CPR. The correct ratio is:

Answer: 30:2

Current AHA guidelines specify a 30:2 compression-to-ventilation ratio for adult single-rescuer CPR before an advanced airway is placed.

A patient in the PACU is agitated and attempts to remove their IV. They lack decision-making capacity at this moment. Which ethical principle MOST supports using a soft restraint if less restrictive measures fail?

Answer: Non-maleficence

Non-maleficence ('do no harm') supports using the least restrictive restraint necessary to prevent the patient from harming themselves when they temporarily lack decision-making capacity.

State health departments often accept accreditation as a substitute for routine state inspections. This is known as:

Answer: Deemed status

Deemed status means accreditation by an approved body is accepted by CMS and state agencies as meeting licensure inspection requirements.

A PACU implements accreditation-required discharge criteria checklists for phase I to phase II transfer. The PRIMARY benefit is:

Answer: Standardized assessment ensuring patients are physiologically stable before transfer

Standardized discharge criteria checklists ensure patients meet objective physiological benchmarks before transfer, directly reducing risk of post-transfer deterioration.

A PACU patient receiving patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) with morphine has a respiratory rate of 7 breaths/min and pinpoint pupils. The CPAN should first:

Answer: Administer naloxone 0.4 mg IV and prepare to repeat dosing

Signs of opioid toxicity with respiratory depression require immediate naloxone administration to reverse life-threatening respiratory compromise.

During assessment of a patient after thyroid surgery, the PACU nurse notices inspiratory stridor and the patient clutches their throat. The priority intervention after calling for help is:

Answer: Open the surgical wound to relieve tracheal compression

Post-thyroid surgery stridor may indicate hematoma compressing the trachea; opening the wound to decompress is a life-saving emergency intervention while preparing definitive airway management.

Which of the following is the PRIMARY reason for documenting the time of each nursing intervention in the PACU?

Answer: To establish a chronological record that supports clinical decision-making and legal accountability

Time-stamped documentation creates a legal and clinical chronological record that demonstrates the sequence and timing of care provided.

A patient with an implanted cardiac defibrillator (ICD) develops ventricular fibrillation in the PACU and the ICD fails to fire. The nurse should:

Answer: Begin CPR and use the external defibrillator, placing pads away from the ICD generator

External defibrillation should proceed immediately; pads should be placed at least 8 cm from the ICD generator to avoid damaging the device.

Which collaborative responsibility does the PACU nurse share with the surgical team regarding wound management?

Answer: Assessing and documenting dressing status and reporting abnormal drainage

The PACU nurse assesses and documents dressing status and reports abnormal findings to the surgical team within the scope of collaborative practice.

Which principle of bioethics obligates a CPAN nurse to provide post-anesthesia care that promotes patient well-being and prevents harm?

Answer: Beneficence

Beneficence is the ethical principle that requires healthcare providers to act in the best interest of the patient and promote their well-being.

A patient in the PACU after exploratory laparotomy has a nasogastric tube draining 400 mL of bright red blood in 30 minutes. Which assessment should the PACU nurse perform immediately?

Answer: Assess blood pressure, heart rate, and level of consciousness

Rapid assessment of hemodynamic status (blood pressure, heart rate, consciousness) identifies the degree of hemorrhagic compromise and guides urgency of escalation.

During PACU assessment, a patient's capnography shows a waveform with a gradually rising plateau and a prolonged expiratory phase. This pattern is most consistent with:

Answer: Obstructive airway disease such as bronchospasm

A shark-fin or oblique capnography waveform with prolonged expiration indicates obstructive airway disease due to impaired exhalation.

Which pharmacologic agent is the drug of choice for treating bronchospasm in the PACU?

Answer: Albuterol via nebulizer or MDI

Albuterol, a short-acting beta-2 agonist delivered via nebulizer or MDI, is the first-line pharmacologic treatment for bronchospasm due to its rapid onset and bronchodilatory effect.

What is multimodal analgesia in the post-anesthesia setting?

Answer: Combining different analgesic medications targeting different pain pathways

Multimodal analgesia combines different analgesic classes targeting different pain mechanisms to improve pain control while reducing opioid requirements.

Which principle guides the selection of appropriate clinical interventions?

Answer: Evidence-based practice guidelines

Evidence-based practice integrates the best available research with clinical expertise and patient values to guide intervention selection.

Which condition is characterized by muscle rigidity, rapidly rising hyperthermia, and autonomic instability following anesthetic exposure?

Answer: Malignant hyperthermia

Malignant hyperthermia presents with hypercapnia, muscle rigidity, rapidly rising temperature, and autonomic instability triggered by volatile anesthetics or succinylcholine.