Anesthesia
20%of exam
Physiology
16%of exam
Monitoring + Intervention
30%of exam
Care Considerations
25%of exam
Professional Practice
9%of exam
Quick Facts
- Exam
- CAPA
- Credential
- Ambulatory Perianesthesia Nurse
- Questions
- 185 MCQ
- Scored
- 140 scored + 45 pretest
- Time
- 3 hours
- Pass
- 450/800 scaled
- Eligibility
- RN + 1,200 hours
- Windows
- Mar-May; Sep-Nov
MAC vs General
MAC
- Anesthesia service
- Depth can vary
- Assess patient
General
- Unconscious patient
- Airway often supported
- Reflexes impaired
Label never guarantees depth
Techniques
- General
- Unconscious; airway risk
- Regional
- Block region
- Local
- Site anesthesia
- Moderate
- Purposeful response
- Deep
- Airway help possible
- MAC
- Provider-managed sedation
- TIVA
- IV maintenance
- Spinal
- Sympathetic block
Agents + Reversal
- Propofol
- Fast; no analgesia
- Midazolam
- Amnesia; sedation
- Fentanyl
- Analgesia; hypoventilation
- Ketamine
- Analgesic dissociation
- Dexmedetomidine
- Bradycardia; sedation
- Naloxone
- Opioid reversal
- Flumazenil
- Benzo reversal
- Dantrolene
- MH treatment
- Sugammadex
- Rocuronium reversal
Systems
- Respiratory
- Oxygenation first
- Cardiac
- Perfusion + rhythm
- Neuro
- Awake; baseline
- Endocrine
- Glucose swings
- Renal
- Retention; clearance
- GI
- PONV; aspiration
- Integumentary
- Wounds; pressure
- Hematologic
- Bleeding risk
Comorbidities
- OSA
- Opioid sensitivity
- Obesity
- Rapid desaturation
- Diabetes
- Glucose; wounds
- CKD
- Drug clearance
- Pregnancy
- Aspiration; positioning
- Geriatric
- Delayed clearance
- Pediatrics
- Airway reserve
- Anticoagulants
- Bleeding risk
Priority Ladder
Airway, breathing, circulation before discharge decisions.
AirwayBreathingCirculationDischarge
MH vs LAST
MH
- Volatile trigger
- Rising CO2
- Dantrolene
LAST
- Local anesthetic
- Neuro symptoms
- Lipid emulsion
Trigger identifies treatment
Intervention Picker
- Snoring respirations→Open airway(Position first)
- Apnea or RR6→Assist ventilation(Call anesthesia)
- Opioid oversedation→Naloxone(Monitor rebound)
- Benzo oversedation→Flumazenil(Seizure risk)
- Rigidity + hypercarbia→MH protocol(Dantrolene)
- Metallic taste→LAST protocol(Lipid ready)
- Hives + hypotension→Epinephrine(Airway priority)
- Wheezing recovery→Oxygen + bronchodilator(Escalate)
- Saturated dressing→Assess bleeding(Notify surgeon)
Airway
- Obstruction
- Position; open airway
- Hypoventilation
- Assist ventilation
- Laryngospasm
- No air movement
- Bronchospasm
- Wheeze; beta agonist
- Aspiration
- Protect airway
- OSA
- Room-air stability
- Opioids
- Monitor sedation
- CPAP
- Use if prescribed
Emergencies
- MH
- Dantrolene; cooling
- LAST
- Lipid emulsion
- Anaphylaxis
- Epinephrine; airway
- Bleeding
- Quantify; escalate
- Shock
- Perfusion support
- Fire
- Stop gases
- Stroke
- Neuro change
- Chest pain
- ABC; notify
Pain + PONV
- Pain score
- Trend + function
- IV opioid
- Recheck 15-30 min
- Oral meds
- Recheck 45-60 min
- Multimodal
- Opioid sparing
- Regional block
- Protect numb limb
- PONV
- Aspiration delay
- Hydration
- Nausea support
- Shivering
- Oxygen demand
Home Teaching
Meds, wound, warning signs, escort, resources.
MedsWoundWarningsEscortResources
CAPA vs CPAN
CAPA
- Preanesthesia focus
- Phase II recovery
- Discharge central
CPAN
- Phase I focus
- Immediate emergence
- Stabilization central
Match practice phase
Discharge Picker
- Unstable airway→Continue monitoring(No discharge)
- OSA desaturates→Room-air trial(Escalate)
- Motor block persists→Fall precautions(Delay ambulation)
- PONV uncontrolled→Treat nausea(Delay discharge)
- No escort→Hold discharge(Responsible adult)
- Teaching unclear→Teach-back(Use interpreter)
- New chest pain→Emergency response(No discharge)
- Home equipment missing→Case management(Resource gap)
Continuum
- Preadmission
- Screen risks
- Day-of
- Verify readiness
- Phase II
- Functional recovery
- Extended care
- Ongoing observation
- Transport
- Stable transfer
- Escort
- Responsible adult
- Teaching
- Patient + caregiver
- Home resources
- Equipment; support
Stable vs Ready
Stable
- Vitals acceptable
- Moment assessment
- May still risk
Ready
- Criteria met
- Escort prepared
- Instructions understood
Discharge needs function
Professional Filter
Scope, standards, consent, privacy, documentation.
ScopeStandardsConsentPrivacyDocument
Consent vs Witness
Consent
- Provider explains
- Patient decides
- Questions answered
Witness
- Signature observed
- Identity verified
- Concerns escalated
Nurse verifies process
Exam Facts
- Owner
- ABPANC
- Delivery
- PSI computer exam
- Total
- 185 questions
- Scored
- 140 questions
- Pretest
- 45 unscored
- Limit
- 3 hours
- Passing
- 450 scaled
- Scale
- 200-800
Blueprint Weights
- Monitoring
- 30%
- Care
- 25%
- Anesthesia
- 20%
- Physiology
- 16%
- Practice
- 9%
- Big two
- 55% combined
Standards
- ASPAN
- Specialty standards
- ASA
- Anesthesia guidance
- ACLS
- Adult resuscitation
- PALS
- Pediatric resuscitation
- MHAUS
- MH readiness
- HIPAA
- Privacy rule
- Consent
- Verify; clarify
- Scope
- Competency limits
Common Traps
MAC
Not fixed sedation ≠ Assess current depth
Pretest Items
Not labeled ≠ Treat all scored
Scaled Score
Not raw percent ≠ 450 always passes
Room Air
Oxygen masks risk ≠ Stability proves readiness
Nerve Block
Comfort not readiness ≠ Motor function matters
Consent
Nurse does not obtain ≠ Nurse verifies process
Last Minute
- 1.CAPA focus: ambulatory phases
- 2.Monitoring plus care equals 55%
- 3.185 questions in 3 hours
- 4.450 scaled score passes
- 5.Airway first, discharge later
- 6.MAC depth can change
- 7.LAST needs lipid readiness
- 8.MH needs dantrolene
- 9.No escort means no discharge
- 10.Verify consent before procedure
Buy on Amazon
Study guide on MometrixSame family resources
Explore More ABPANC Perianesthesia Nursing Certifications
Continue into nearby exams from the same family. Each card keeps practice questions, study guides, flashcards, videos, and articles in one place.
More From This Family
Videos and articles for deeper review.