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Perioperative Care MCQs for Nursing Exams

821 questions with explanations · 26 free to practise now.

Perioperative Care questions for NORCET, RRB, ESIC, CHO and state nursing officer exams, split into 20 topics. Open a topic to read sample questions with answers, or start free practice. Every question comes with a simple-English explanation.

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Perioperative Care topics

General 454Anesthesia 91The Client With A Sex Or Growth Hormone 35The Nursing Care Of Adults With Medical-Surgical Disorders 35Perioperative Care 22Postoperative Care 20Postoperative Nursing Management 20The Client With Pain 20Preoperative Nursing Management 18Nursing Care In Specialized Settings 17Perioperative Nursing 15Thyroidectomy 15Informed Consent 10Hypertension 9Urinary Catheter 9Nasogastric Tube 7Deep Vein Thrombosis 6Malignant Hyperthermia 6Physiological Integrity 6Pulmonary Embolism 6

Sample Perioperative Care questions

Q1. A group of nurses are reviewing surgical asepsis. What statement by one of the nurses needs further teaching on the topic?

  1. "The edges of a sterile field are considered unsterile."
  2. "Airborne microorganisms can contaminate sterile objects and make them unsterile."
  3. "Full-strength chlorhexidine will sterilize the skin."
  4. "If a sterile object touches an unsterile object, the sterile object is considered contaminated."
  5. "Sterile objects that are out of view or below waist level are considered unsterile."
Show answer and explanation

Answer: C. "Full-strength chlorhexidine will sterilize the skin."

The skin cannot be sterilized, according to the principles of surgical asepsis. The edges of a sterile field are considered unsterile. If a sterile object touches an unsterile object, the sterile object is considered contaminated. Sterile objects that are out of view or below waist level are considered unsterile. Sterile objects can become contaminated by airborne microorganisms.

Q2. Which technique would be most appropriate for the nurse to implement when assessing a four (4)-year-old patient in acute pain?

  1. Use words a four (4)-year-old child can remember
  2. Explain the 0-to-10 pain scale to the child's parent
  3. Have the child point to the face which describes the pain
  4. Administer the medication every four (4) hours. CONCEPTS
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Answer: C. Have the child point to the face which describes the pain

A. The nurse should use words a four (D)-yearold child understands and remembers, but this is not the best way to assess pain. B. A four (D)-year-old child cannot be expected to use the numeric pain scale because of lack of cognitive abilities, and explaining it to the parents does not address the child's pain. C. The Faces Scale is the best way to assess pain in a four (D)-year-old child. D. This does not assess the child's pain, and administering the pain medication every four (D) hours may compromise the child's safety.

Q3. Priority Decision: A patient in the PACU has emergence delirium manifested by agitation and thrashing. What should the nurse assess the patient for first?

  1. Neurologic injury
  2. Cardiac dysrhythmias
  3. Distended bladder
  4. Hypoxemia
Show answer and explanation

Answer: D. Hypoxemia

The most common cause of emergence delirium is hypoxemia, and initial assessment should evaluate respiratory function. When hypoxemia is ruled out, other causes, such as a distended bladder, pain, and fluid and electrolyte disturbances, should be considered. Delayed awakening may result from neurologic injury. Cardiac dysrhythmias most often result from specific respiratory, electrolyte, or cardiac problems.

Q4. A nurse in the postanesthesia care unit is caring for a patient who just had a thyroidectomy. For which patient response is it most important for the nurse to monitor?

  1. Signs of restlessness
  2. Urinary retention
  3. Decreased blood pressure
  4. Signs of respiratory obstruction
Show answer and explanation

Answer: D. Signs of respiratory obstruction

The first and most important observation should be for respiratory obstruction. If this occurs, treatment must be instituted immediately. 1 This is a later concern; urinary retention will not occur in the immediate postoperative period. 2 This may result from the anesthesia; however, it is not life-threatening and usually passes. 3 The blood pressure is not significantly affected by this type of surgery; however, surgery itself can influence blood pressure. If the blood pressure significantly increases, other symptoms of thyroid crisis (storm) will be present.

Q5. Which of these parameters indicates infection in a postoperative patient?

  1. Red, warm and tender incision site
  2. White blood count of 6,000 cells/cu.mm
  3. Presence of an indwelling urinary catheter
  4. Rectal temperature of 37.8 C
Show answer and explanation

Answer: A. Red, warm and tender incision site

Redness, warmth and tenderness at the incision are local signs of wound infection.

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More subjects

Fundamentals & AssessmentPharmacologyFluids, Labs & EmergencyMaternity & NewbornChild Health (Paediatrics)Mental HealthCommunity & Geriatric CareLeadership, Law & EthicsNutritionNORCET Previous YearsMixed Review

Frequently asked questions

Are the Perioperative Care questions free?

A set of 26 questions is free to practise after you enter your name and mobile number (no OTP). The full set of 821 questions is in NurseRank Premium.

Is Perioperative Care asked in NORCET and other nursing officer exams?

Nursing exams test the core nursing subjects, so this subject is useful for NORCET, RRB, ESIC, CHO and state exams. Check your exam's official syllabus for exact weightage.

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