Properative Essentials
This legal document must be verified by the nurse and completed before sedative medications are given.
What is informed consent?
This OR team member acts as the patient advocate and performs the surgical pause.
Who is the circulating nurse?
This complication involves unintended awareness during general anesthesia.
What is anesthesia awareness?
This is the first system assessed upon arrival to the PACU.
What is the respiratory system?
This GI complication is defined as failure to pass stool within 48 hours after resuming a solid diet.
What is constipation?
This type of pain management allows the patient to self‑administer controlled doses of analgesia.
What is PCA (patient‑controlled analgesia)?
This bracelet must be checked along with allergies before the patient goes to the OR.
What is the identification bracelet?
This team member maintains the sterile field and performs instrument counts.
Who is the scrub nurse/tech?
This life‑threatening complication can occur during or shortly after anesthesia. It presents with muscle rigidity, tachycardia, and a rapidly rising temperature, and requires immediate treatment to prevent rhabdomyolysis, hyperkalemia, and organ failure.
What is malignant hyperthermia?
Restlessness, dyspnea, and low pulse ox may indicate this postoperative respiratory complication.
What is hypoxemia?
This condition involves absent bowel sounds and distention due to impaired forward movement of bowel contents.
What is paralytic ileus?
This multimodal approach includes relaxation, distraction, and guided imagery.
What are cognitive coping strategies?
These exercises — including coughing, deep breathing, and incentive spirometry — are taught preoperatively to prevent respiratory complications.
What are pulmonary hygiene exercises?
This safety zone extends one foot around the sterile field and must remain untouched.
What is the sterile field boundary?
This medication is the immediate treatment for malignant hyperthermia.
What is dantrolene?
Collapsed alveoli 1–2 days post‑op often result from inadequate deep breathing.
What is atelectasis?
This assessment must be done before giving oral fluids post‑anesthesia.
What is checking for return of the gag reflex?
Patients must have this arranged before being discharged after outpatient surgery.
What is a responsible caregiver/driver?
This preoperative intervention ensures antibiotics reach peak levels before incision.
What is administering pre‑anesthetic antibiotics?
This condition requires verifying the correct patient, procedure, and site before incision.
What is the surgical time‑out?
Turning the patient to the side and having suction available helps manage this common intraoperative issue.
What is nausea and vomiting?
This cardiovascular complication involves inflammation of a vein with clot formation.
What is thrombophlebitis?
Older age, hypovolemia, and corticosteroid use all increase the risk of this postoperative issue.
What is poor wound healing?
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This must be assessed 30–60 minutes after analgesic administration.
What is pain relief effectiveness?
This is the first step in discharge planning and begins before the patient even enters the OR.
What is preoperative patient education?
This type of equipment prevents electrical injury during surgery.
What is grounding equipment?
This complication can result from cold OR temperatures, wet drapes, or unwarmed fluids.
What is unintentional hypothermia?
This major complication involves excessive blood loss and may lead to shock.
What is hemorrhage?
This renal assessment includes monitoring for bladder distention and ensuring adequate urine output.
What is postoperative urinary evaluation?
These instructions include when to call the provider, incision care, and medication side effects.
What are discharge instructions?