CVA Veterinary Practice & Nursing Care 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following best describes the 'five rights' of medication administration?
- Right drug, right dose, right route, right time, right patient (Correct answer)
- Right drug, right vein, right syringe, right label, right patient
- Right dose, right label, right nurse, right time, right chart
- Right patient, right drug, right clinic, right brand, right route
Correct answer: Right drug, right dose, right route, right time, right patient
The five rights—right patient, drug, dose, route, and time—are a fundamental safety checklist for medication administration in veterinary and human medicine.
Question 2: A veterinary assistant notices a dog is pawing at its face and rubbing its muzzle on the floor after receiving an injection. This behavior MOST likely indicates:
- Normal post-injection grooming
- Anaphylactic or allergic reaction (Correct answer)
- Pain from restraint technique
- Interest in the treatment room floor
Correct answer: Anaphylactic or allergic reaction
Facial rubbing and pawing after injection can be early signs of an allergic or anaphylactic reaction and should be reported immediately.
Question 3: What is the purpose of an Elizabethan collar (E-collar) placed on a post-surgical patient?
- Prevent the patient from eating too fast
- Keep the patient warm during recovery
- Prevent licking or chewing at the surgical site (Correct answer)
- Aid in intravenous fluid administration
Correct answer: Prevent licking or chewing at the surgical site
E-collars prevent patients from reaching their surgical sites to lick, chew, or scratch, protecting incisions from self-trauma and infection.
Question 4: Which solution is used for routine aseptic skin preparation before surgery?
- Isopropyl alcohol alone
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Chlorhexidine scrub alternated with alcohol (Correct answer)
- Povidone-iodine solution undiluted
Correct answer: Chlorhexidine scrub alternated with alcohol
Standard surgical prep involves alternating chlorhexidine scrub and isopropyl alcohol in a widening circular pattern to remove debris and reduce microbial load.
Question 5: In veterinary practice, 'NPO' instructions given before surgery mean the patient should:
- Receive fluids but no solid food
- Have nothing by mouth (no food or water) (Correct answer)
- Not be exercised
- Not receive premedication
Correct answer: Have nothing by mouth (no food or water)
NPO (nil per os) means the patient should have nothing by mouth to reduce the risk of aspiration during anesthesia.
Question 6: When bandaging a limb wound, the layers applied from innermost to outermost should be:
- Tertiary, secondary, primary
- Primary contact, secondary padded, tertiary outer (Correct answer)
- Outer wrap, padding, contact layer
- Gauze, tape, cotton
Correct answer: Primary contact, secondary padded, tertiary outer
A proper three-layer bandage consists of a primary contact layer, a secondary padded/absorptive layer, and a tertiary protective outer layer.
Question 7: A patient's capillary refill time (CRT) is measured at 3 seconds. This finding suggests:
- Normal perfusion
- Excellent cardiovascular status
- Compromised peripheral perfusion (Correct answer)
- Hyperthermia
Correct answer: Compromised peripheral perfusion
Normal CRT is less than 2 seconds; a CRT of 3 seconds indicates delayed perfusion, which can be a sign of shock, dehydration, or cardiovascular compromise.
CVA Veterinary Practice & Nursing Care 3
Which of the following best describes the 'five rights' of medication administration?