FREE CMSRN Perioperative Questions and Answers

Question 1

In the operating room (OR), the circulating nurse sets up the sterile field. After fifteen minutes, the nurse gets word that the surgeon is working at another hospital, thus the procedure will be delayed by twenty minutes. What would be the best course of action for the nurse?

Accepted Answer

Monitor the sterile field while awaiting the surgeon.

Answer

Maintaining the sterility of the surgical field is paramount to prevent surgical site infections. If a procedure is delayed, the circulating nurse's primary responsibility is to continuously monitor the sterile field to ensure it remains intact and uncontaminated. Covering the field or tearing it down introduces unnecessary risks of contamination or delays in re-establishing sterility when the surgeon arrives.

Question 2

Which test result would necessitate the nurse's quick attention for the patient who was supposed to have surgery?

Accepted Answer

Potassium 2.4 mEq/L.

Answer

A potassium level of 2.4 mEq/L indicates severe hypokalemia, which is a critical electrolyte imbalance. Hypokalemia can lead to life-threatening cardiac dysrhythmias, muscle weakness, and respiratory compromise, especially in the perioperative period. This abnormal finding requires immediate attention and correction before surgery to ensure patient safety.

Question 3

The patient being cared for by the nurse is experiencing sinus tachycardia following surgery. Which intervention from the list below ought to be carried out by the nurse?

Accepted Answer

Manage the client’s anxiety

Answer

Sinus tachycardia post-surgery can often be a physiological response to pain, anxiety, hypovolemia, or fever. Among the given options, managing the client's anxiety is a direct and appropriate nursing intervention for sinus tachycardia, as anxiety can significantly elevate heart rate. Addressing anxiety can help reduce sympathetic stimulation and normalize the heart rate.

Question 4

A disparity in the number of sponges is discovered by the scrub tech and the circulating nurse. Which task ought to be completed by the circulating nurse first?

Accepted Answer

Re-count all sponges.

Answer

A discrepancy in the sponge count during surgery is a serious safety concern, as it indicates a potential retained surgical item. The immediate priority for the circulating nurse is to re-count all sponges to confirm the discrepancy and rule out a counting error. Only after a confirmed discrepancy should other actions, like notifying the surgeon or completing an occurrence report, be taken.

Question 5

When a client needs fluids, the nurse gets ready to place a peripheral intravascular catheter. Which antiseptic is best for cleaning the skin before the catheter is inserted?

Accepted Answer

Chlorhexadine

Answer

Chlorhexidine is the preferred antiseptic for skin preparation before inserting peripheral intravascular catheters. It provides superior and longer-lasting antimicrobial activity compared to alcohol or iodophor, effectively reducing the risk of catheter-related bloodstream infections. Its efficacy and residual activity make it the gold standard for this procedure.

CMSRN - Medical-Surgical Nursing Practice Test

CMSRN - Medical-Surgical Nursing Practice Test

FREE CMSRN Perioperative Questions and Answers