VTNE Surgical Nursing Procedures 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A dog undergoing orthopedic surgery has a tourniquet applied to the limb. What is the maximum recommended continuous tourniquet application time to prevent ischemic injury?
- 15 minutes
- 30 minutes
- 90–120 minutes (Correct answer)
- 240 minutes
Correct answer: 90–120 minutes
Tourniquet application should generally not exceed 90–120 minutes continuously to prevent ischemic damage to nerves and muscles.
Question 2: Which instrument is used to retract and hold open the edges of a surgical incision to improve visualization of deeper structures?
- Gelpi retractor (Correct answer)
- Mayo scissors
- Metzenbaum scissors
- Thumb forceps
Correct answer: Gelpi retractor
The Gelpi retractor is a self-retaining instrument with sharp prongs that hold wound edges apart, providing hands-free exposure of deeper tissues.
Question 3: When monitoring a patient under general anesthesia, which parameter BEST reflects the adequacy of ventilation?
- Pulse oximetry (SpO2)
- End-tidal CO2 (EtCO2) (Correct answer)
- Heart rate
- Blood pressure
Correct answer: End-tidal CO2 (EtCO2)
End-tidal CO2 directly reflects the patient's ventilatory status by measuring CO2 elimination at the end of each breath.
Question 4: Which of the following is a characteristic of absorbable suture material?
- It must be removed 10–14 days post-operatively
- It loses tensile strength through enzymatic degradation or hydrolysis (Correct answer)
- It is always monofilament
- It is never used for internal tissues
Correct answer: It loses tensile strength through enzymatic degradation or hydrolysis
Absorbable sutures lose tensile strength through hydrolysis or enzymatic degradation and do not require manual removal.
Question 5: A veterinary technician is setting up for a feline ovariohysterectomy (OHE). Which instrument is used to tent and elevate the uterine horn for ligature placement?
- Senn retractor
- Snook hook (spay hook) (Correct answer)
- Backhaus clamp
- Allis forceps
Correct answer: Snook hook (spay hook)
The Snook hook (spay hook) is specifically designed to locate and elevate the uterine horn through a small abdominal incision during an OHE.
Question 6: Which phase of wound healing is characterized by fibroblast proliferation and collagen deposition?
- Inflammatory phase
- Proliferative (repair) phase (Correct answer)
- Remodeling phase
- Hemostatic phase
Correct answer: Proliferative (repair) phase
The proliferative phase involves fibroblast migration and collagen synthesis, building the structural framework of the healing wound.
Question 7: What does the term 'aseptic technique' mean in the context of veterinary surgery?
- Using only chemical disinfectants rather than steam sterilization
- Practices that prevent the introduction of microorganisms into a sterile field (Correct answer)
- Sterilizing all instruments before each use
- Using gloves and mask only during wound closure
Correct answer: Practices that prevent the introduction of microorganisms into a sterile field
Aseptic technique encompasses all practices designed to prevent microbial contamination of the surgical site and sterile field.
VTNE Surgical Nursing Procedures 4
A dog undergoing orthopedic surgery has a tourniquet applied to the limb.
What is the maximum recommended continuous tourniquet application time to prevent ischemic injury?