CPAN Roles and Responsibilities 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A PACU nurse is caring for a patient who was discharged from Phase I recovery but is now being returned due to respiratory distress. What is the nurse's first priority?
- Notify the anesthesia provider immediately
- Reassess airway patency and oxygen saturation (Correct answer)
- Review the patient's medication administration record
- Contact the surgeon for orders
Correct answer: Reassess airway patency and oxygen saturation
Reassessing airway patency and oxygen saturation addresses the immediate life threat before escalating to the provider.
Question 2: According to ASPAN standards, which of the following best describes the PACU nurse's role in patient advocacy?
- Ensuring the patient's family is satisfied with care
- Representing the patient's interests when they cannot speak for themselves (Correct answer)
- Advocating for additional staffing on the unit
- Communicating patient preferences to the billing department
Correct answer: Representing the patient's interests when they cannot speak for themselves
Patient advocacy in the PACU involves representing the patient's best interests, especially when they are sedated and unable to self-advocate.
Question 3: A PACU nurse receives a patient from the OR. During hand-off, the CRNA mentions a difficult intubation requiring three attempts. What is the nurse's most important responsibility based on this information?
- Document the difficult airway and ensure airway equipment is readily available (Correct answer)
- Administer additional analgesics to reduce patient anxiety
- Notify the ICU for potential transfer
- Place the patient in Trendelenburg position
Correct answer: Document the difficult airway and ensure airway equipment is readily available
Documenting the difficult airway and keeping emergency airway equipment nearby prepares the PACU team for potential re-intubation needs.
Question 4: Which collaborative responsibility does the PACU nurse share with the surgical team regarding wound management?
- Performing wound closure if sutures are loose
- Assessing and documenting dressing status and reporting abnormal drainage (Correct answer)
- Prescribing topical antibiotics for wound care
- Independently deciding when to change a surgical dressing
Correct 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.
Question 5: A Phase II PACU patient expresses that she does not want her husband notified of her diagnosis. The husband arrives and demands information. What should the nurse do?
- Provide general information since he is her spouse
- Inform him that patient privacy cannot allow disclosure without the patient's consent (Correct answer)
- Ask the charge nurse to speak with him instead
- Refer him to the surgeon for all questions
Correct answer: Inform him that patient privacy cannot allow disclosure without the patient's consent
HIPAA mandates that patient information not be disclosed without consent regardless of the relationship of the requesting party.
Question 6: When is it appropriate for a PACU nurse to delegate assessment tasks to an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP)?
- When the unit is short-staffed and patients are stable
- Assessment cannot be delegated; only selected tasks within the UAP's role can be (Correct answer)
- When the UAP has completed PACU orientation
- Only for Phase II patients awaiting discharge
Correct answer: Assessment cannot be delegated; only selected tasks within the UAP's role can be
Nursing assessment is a professional responsibility that cannot be delegated to UAPs under any circumstance.
Question 7: A PACU nurse notes a discrepancy between the intraoperative medication record and the anesthesia provider's verbal report. What is the appropriate action?
- Proceed with care based on the verbal report only
- Clarify the discrepancy with the anesthesia provider before accepting the patient (Correct answer)
- Document both versions and address it later
- Contact the charge nurse to resolve the discrepancy
Correct answer: Clarify the discrepancy with the anesthesia provider before accepting the patient
Medication discrepancies must be clarified before accepting patient responsibility to ensure safe, accurate post-anesthesia care.
CPAN Roles and Responsibilities 2
A PACU nurse is caring for a patient who was discharged from Phase I recovery but is now being returned due to respiratory distress.
What is the nurse's first priority?