ABPANC Anesthesia Recovery & Phase Management Flashcards
6 cards from real ABPANC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 ABPANC Anesthesia Recovery & Phase Management flashcards as text
What nursing intervention is most appropriate for a patient exhibiting post-operative shivering in the PACU?
Answer: Apply warm blankets and consider meperidine per protocol
Warm blankets address heat loss and meperidine (Demerol) is effective in reducing post-operative shivering via kappa-opioid receptor activity.
Which assessment finding in a PACU patient most warrants immediate notification of the anesthesia provider?
Answer: SpO2 88% unresponsive to supplemental oxygen
SpO2 88% unresponsive to supplemental oxygen indicates a serious respiratory compromise requiring immediate anesthesia provider intervention.
A patient recovering from spinal anesthesia has a sensory level at T6. What complication should the PACU nurse prioritize monitoring for?
Answer: Urinary retention and hypotension
High spinal levels can cause sympathetic blockade leading to hypotension and bladder dysfunction requiring urinary retention monitoring.
Which patient position is most appropriate for a patient suspected of having post-dural puncture headache after spinal anesthesia?
Answer: Supine position to reduce headache symptoms
Post-dural puncture headache classically worsens with upright positioning and improves when the patient lies supine due to CSF pressure changes.
When assessing a patient's emergence from general anesthesia, what is the significance of the train-of-four (TOF) ratio?
Answer: It indicates the degree of neuromuscular blockade reversal
A TOF ratio ≥0.9 indicates adequate reversal of neuromuscular blockade and acceptable neuromuscular function for extubation.
What is the priority nursing action when a PACU patient's blood pressure drops to 80/50 mmHg immediately post-operatively?
Answer: Assess for cause, notify provider, and initiate IV fluid bolus per protocol
Hypotension requires immediate assessment for cause, provider notification, and IV fluid administration to restore perfusion per standing protocol.