VTNE Surgical Nursing 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is the primary reason for using a cuffed endotracheal tube in surgical patients under general anesthesia?
- To prevent anesthetic gas leakage and protect the airway from aspiration (Correct answer)
- To facilitate nasal breathing
- To increase tidal volume delivery
- To prevent laryngospasm
Correct answer: To prevent anesthetic gas leakage and protect the airway from aspiration
A cuffed ETT seals the trachea to prevent aspiration of fluid or ingesta and reduces waste anesthetic gas leakage into the room.
Question 2: What is the primary purpose of a sterile drape during surgery?
- To keep the patient warm
- To establish and maintain a sterile field around the incision site (Correct answer)
- To absorb blood and fluids
- To prevent the patient from moving
Correct answer: To establish and maintain a sterile field around the incision site
Sterile drapes demarcate and maintain the sterile field surrounding the incision, preventing contamination from nonsterile surfaces.
Question 3: During a splenectomy, the circulating nurse notices a sponge count discrepancy. The CORRECT immediate action is to:
- Complete the closure and recount after surgery
- Notify the surgeon immediately so the body cavity can be searched (Correct answer)
- Document the discrepancy and continue
- Remove all drapes and restart the count
Correct answer: Notify the surgeon immediately so the body cavity can be searched
A sponge count discrepancy before closure requires immediate notification of the surgeon to search the cavity before it is closed to prevent a retained foreign body.
Question 4: Which anesthetic monitoring parameter MOST directly reflects cardiac output during surgery?
- End-tidal CO2 (EtCO2) (Correct answer)
- SpO2
- Body temperature
- Respiratory rate
Correct answer: End-tidal CO2 (EtCO2)
EtCO2 closely reflects cardiac output because CO2 delivery to the lungs depends on pulmonary perfusion; a sudden drop often indicates reduced cardiac output.
Question 5: Monofilament suture material is preferred over multifilament in contaminated wounds primarily because:
- It is stronger
- It ties more securely
- It has less capillarity and reduces bacterial wicking (Correct answer)
- It is absorbed faster
Correct answer: It has less capillarity and reduces bacterial wicking
Monofilament suture has a smooth surface with no interstices, reducing capillarity and the risk of bacteria being wicked along the suture into the wound.
Question 6: A dog undergoing orthopedic surgery receives a tourniquet for hemostasis. The maximum recommended tourniquet time before releasing to reperfuse the limb is approximately:
- 15 minutes
- 30 minutes
- 90 minutes (Correct answer)
- 3 hours
Correct answer: 90 minutes
Tourniquet application should generally not exceed 90 minutes without reperfusion to prevent ischemic muscle and nerve damage.
Question 7: Which surgical instrument is specifically designed to crush and ligate blood vessels or tissue pedicles?
- Rochester-Carmalt forceps (Correct answer)
- Backhaus towel clamp
- Adson forceps
- Senn retractor
Correct answer: Rochester-Carmalt forceps
Rochester-Carmalt forceps have longitudinal serrations that crush and hold vascular pedicles (such as ovarian or uterine stumps) during ligation.
VTNE Surgical Nursing 3
Which of the following is the primary reason for using a cuffed endotracheal tube in surgical patients under general anesthesia?