A patient is scheduled for a thyroidectomy and the surgeon has requested a superficial cervical plexus block for postoperative pain management. The perianesthesia nurse should monitor for which potential complication?
Cpan Anesthesia
Question · Medium
The ROME trick for blood gases
Short
FREE CPAN Exam Guide 2026: Pass ABPANC Post-Anesthesia Cert
Free ABPANC CPAN exam guide for 2026 with 5-domain blueprint, 1,200-hour eligibility, fees, CPAN vs CAPA distinction, and an 8-12 week Phase I PACU study plan.
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Phase I PACU vs Phase II
PACU Phase I
Flashcard
A patient received a supraclavicular brachial plexus block for upper extremity surgery. Upon arrival to the PACU, the patient reports chest pain that increases with deep inspiration. What is the nurse's priority action?
Question · Hard
Abbreviated anesthesia service performed by a qualified provider that bundles preprocedure optimization, intraprocedure sedation support, and readiness to convert to general anesthesia.
Anesthesia and Reversal
Guess the Term
CPAN Exam Orientation and Blueprint
Official CPAN Exam Facts
Study guide
Cheat sheet
The safest time to remove a laryngeal mask airway (LMA) is when the patient is:
Read the clue and guess the term in 6 tries.
Game
First priority on PACU arrival
Which anesthetic agent is most likely to cause emergence delirium in pediatric patients?
Abbreviated general anesthetic technique delivered solely by vein using infused agents such as propofol and remifentanil without inhaled volatile gases.
A patient with a history of malignant hyperthermia (MH) is scheduled for surgery. Which anesthetic agent is contraindicated?
Question · Easy
Two exes, two antidotes
Why pulse oximetry can lag in early PACU
Airway & Respiratory
Nitrous oxide is contraindicated in which patient population?
Sedation level on the ASA continuum where a patient is not easily aroused but responds purposefully after repeated or painful stimulation and may need airway assistance.
CPAN vs CAPA Eligibility and Scope
Elderly patients have an increased risk of aspiration during general anesthesia primarily because of:
Swap tiles to line up three of the same term.
Term Match
Airway obstruction after general anesthesia — first responses
A 2-year-old child is admitted to Phase I PACU following cleft palate repair. Which positioning is most appropriate in the immediate postoperative phase?
Abbreviated four-stimulus neuromuscular monitoring ratio that the 2025 ASA practice guideline recommends reaching at least 0.9 at the adductor pollicis before extubation.
A pregnant patient is admitted to the PACU following a cholecystectomy. The patient's systolic BP drops from 160 to 90, circumoral cyanosis is noted, and a new heart murmur is auscultated. What position should the nurse immediately place the patient in?
Laryngospasm — recognition and action
Complications & Emergencies
A patient with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is at greatest risk for which postoperative complication?
Fat emulsion vehicle that carries injectable propofol and must be immediately available as rescue medication wherever regional anesthesia is performed.
Scoring, Pass Rate, and Test Window Strategy
Following an interscalene brachial plexus block, the patient develops ptosis, miosis, and nasal congestion on the ipsilateral side. This represents:
Flip two cards at a time to find matching terms.
Term Pairs
Negative pressure pulmonary edema
Which neuromuscular blocking agent has the fastest onset time?
Evoked skeletal muscle contraction elicited by a peripheral nerve stimulator to guide the timing and weight-based dosing of neostigmine or sugammadex.
A positive Chvostek's sign is characterized by:
Cpan Physiology
Capnography vs pulse oximetry
An 89-year-old patient arrives in the PACU following a small bowel resection with significant blood loss. The patient is awake and shivering, BP = 180/98, HR = 110, T = 35.6°C (96°F). After initial assessment, what is the priority nursing intervention?
Stiff and unyielding state of respiratory skeletal muscles caused by rapid high-dose intravenous fentanyl administration or an acute malignant hyperthermia crisis.
Official Blueprint Domain Map
A postoperative adolescent patient with recent history of fatigue, headache, and weight loss experiences delayed awakening and bladder distention. The patient was given general anesthesia with minimal IV fluids. The patient is catheterized for 1400 mL of colorless urine. What condition should the nurse suspect?
Find five hidden terms in a grid of letters.
Term Search
Residual neuromuscular blockade — clinical clues
Anesthesia Agents & Reversal
A patient who is cognitively impaired is admitted to the PACU and becomes frightened and combative, attempting to get out of bed. What is the nurse's best response?
Subarachnoid neuraxial block in which using smaller-gauge pencil-point needles lowers the incidence of postural headache from dural puncture fluid leakage.
A patient underwent open reduction and internal fixation of a fractured right tibia. The patient now has dyspnea, tachycardia, and fever. The perianesthesia nurse should suspect:
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