Roles and Responsibilities Flashcards

A PACU nurse is orienting a new graduate nurse. Which statement best reflects the professional responsibility of perianesthesia nursing?

Answer: Perianesthesia nurses practice autonomously within defined standards to promote safe recovery

Perianesthesia nursing involves autonomous professional practice guided by ASPAN standards to ensure safe recovery from anesthesia.

Which action best demonstrates the PACU nurse's responsibility for maintaining professional competency?

Answer: Pursuing CPAN certification and participating in ongoing specialty education

CPAN certification and ongoing specialty education demonstrate active commitment to maintaining and advancing professional competency.

During a busy shift, a PACU nurse is simultaneously caring for two Phase I patients. One patient begins showing signs of malignant hyperthermia. What is the nurse's immediate responsibility?

Answer: Activate the MH protocol and call for additional help while initiating treatment

Malignant hyperthermia is a life-threatening emergency requiring immediate protocol activation and team assistance without delay.

A surgeon calls the PACU and gives a verbal order for a medication that seems unusually high dose. The PACU nurse should:

Answer: Clarify the order with the surgeon and verify against references before administration

The nurse is professionally and legally responsible for any medication administered and must verify questionable orders before proceeding.

A PACU nurse discovers that a colleague made a medication error on the previous shift but did not document or report it. What is the nurse's professional obligation?

Answer: Encourage the colleague to self-report and, if necessary, report through appropriate channels

Professional accountability requires supporting reporting of errors through appropriate channels to ensure patient safety and system improvement.

Which of the following is within the PACU nurse's independent scope of practice without a physician order?

Answer: Prescribing supplemental oxygen titration per ASPAN respiratory protocol

Titrating supplemental oxygen to maintain target saturation per protocol is within PACU nursing scope without requiring a new physician order.

A PACU nurse is preparing a patient for transfer to the medical-surgical floor. The receiving nurse is not available for 20 minutes. What is the appropriate action?

Answer: Delay transfer until a verbal hand-off report can be given to the receiving nurse

Safe patient hand-off requires a direct verbal report to the receiving nurse to ensure continuity of care and patient safety.