CAPA

CAPA® Question of the Week

Each Wednesday at 6am ET, ABPANC will post a CPAN® and a CAPA® study question. Use these questions to test your knowledge, display in your unit and discuss with your colleagues. The answer, along with the next week’s question, will be posted the following Wednesday at 6am.

For each question, we will post the reference from ABPANC’s Study References List, as well as the domain and content area information from the Test Blueprint. For more questions and answers, you can purchase up to 4 Practice Exams.

View all CPAN questions below, or view all CPAN questions.

Question of the Week

July 9, 2025

The primary goal in postoperative pain management is to establish a pain level that is:

  1. manageable without the use of narcotics.
  2. acceptable to the patient.
  3. 2 or less on a 0-10 scale.
  4. 4 or less on a 0-10 scale.

CPAN/CAPA Test Blueprint

Domain:

Content Area: Major: 3 - Perianesthesia Monitoring and Intervention Minor: J - Acute and chronic pain management

Reference: Perianesthesia Nursing Core Curriculum 2021 p.859

Question of the Week

June 25, 2025

The perianesthesia nurse is aware that a child treated for post extubation croup with nebulized racemic epinephrine will need to be observed in the Phase I recovery unit longer, due to:

  1. the associated rebound effect.
  2. possible acute hyperkalemia.
  3. delayed onset tachycardia.
  4. delayed onset excitability.

CPAN/CAPA Test Blueprint

Domain:

Content Area: Major: 3 - Perianesthesia Monitoring and Intervention Minor: L - Pharmacology, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacokinetics

Reference: Drain's Perianesthesia Nursing: A Critical Care Approach 2023 e324

Question of the Week

June 11, 2025

The perianesthesia nurse is aware that a late symptom of post extubation laryngeal edema in a pediatric patient is:

  1. tachypnea.
  2. biphasic stridor.
  3. inspiratory stridor.
  4. tachycardia.

CPAN/CAPA Test Blueprint

Domain:

Content Area: Major: 3 - Perianesthesia Monitoring and Intervention Minor: O - Perianesthesia-specific emergencies

Reference: Perianesthesia Nursing Core Curriculum 2021 p. 378, table 18.6

Question of the Week

May 28, 2025

In Phase I PACU following strabismus repair, the oculocardiac reflex:

  1. is treated with metoprolol.
  2. corrects the deviation.
  3. may cause tachycardia.
  4. may cause bradycardia.

CPAN/CAPA Test Blueprint

Domain:

Content Area: Major: 2 - Physiology Minor: C - Physical responses to procedures and anesthesia

Reference: Drain's Perianesthesia Nursing: A Critical Care Approach p.478

Question of the Week

May 14, 2025

What is the minimum age that children develop a reasonably established ability to discriminate degrees of pain in facial expressions?

  1. 2 years
  2. 3 years
  3. 6 years
  4. 8 years

CPAN/CAPA Test Blueprint

Domain:

Content Area: Major: 1 - Anesthesia Minor: D - Anesthesia considerations for special populations

Reference: Wong's Nursing Care of Infants and Children 2023 e p.140, Table 5.5

Question of the Week

April 30, 2025

Following maxillomandibular fixation, which of the following should be readily available at the patient's bedside?

  1. Wire cutters
  2. Nasal airway
  3. Laryngeal mask airway
  4. Tracheostomy kit

CPAN/CAPA Test Blueprint

Domain:

Content Area: Major: 3 - Perianesthesia Monitoring and Intervention Minor: O - Perianesthesia-specific emergencies

Reference: Perianesthesia Nursing Core Curriculum 2021 p. 679

Question of the Week

April 16, 2025

Which of the following is a method to test for malignant hyperthermia?

  1. Lumbar puncture
  2. Bone biopsy
  3. Blood test
  4. Muscle biopsy

CPAN/CAPA Test Blueprint

Domain:

Content Area: Major: 2 - Physiology Minor: C - Physical responses to procedures and anesthesia

Reference: Perianesthesia Nursing Core Curriculum 2021 p.298

Question of the Week

April 2, 2025

Naloxone acts as:

  1. a benzodiazepine agonist.
  2. an opioid antagonist.
  3. an opioid agonist.
  4. a benzodiazepine antagonist.

CPAN/CAPA Test Blueprint

Domain:

Content Area: Major: 3 - Perianesthesia Monitoring and Intervention Minor: L - Pharmacology, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacokinetics

Reference: Wong's Nursing Care of Infants and Children 2023 p. e 140, table 5.5

Question of the Week

March 19, 2025

A patient arrives in the PACU awake and oriented but with difficulty breathing. The patient received a single dose of succinylcholine in the OR. What is the minimum timeframe for complete muscle recover to occur?

  1. 15 minutes
  2. 20 minutes
  3. 35 minutes
  4. 40 minutes

CPAN/CAPA Test Blueprint

Domain:

Content Area: Major: 3 - Perianesthesia Monitoring and Intervention Minor: L - Pharmacology, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacokinetics

Reference: Perianesthesia Nursing Core Curriculum 2021 p. 280

Question of the Week

March 5, 2025

What intervention is best indicated for a patient with a potassium of 6.2?

  1. Infuse lactated Ringer's solution.
  2. Administer insulin and glucose.
  3. Provide a diuretic.
  4. Perform an EKG and notify the provider.

CPAN/CAPA Test Blueprint

Domain:

Content Area: Major: 3 - Perianesthesia Monitoring and Intervention Minor: A - Normal and abnormal diagnostic results

Reference: Critical Care Nursing Diagnosis and Management 2021 p. 276

Question of the Week

February 19, 2025

The drug of choice for a patient with ventricular dysrhythmias during a malignant hyperthermia crisis is:

  1. procainamide.
  2. nifedipine.
  3. diltiazem.
  4. physostigmine.

CPAN/CAPA Test Blueprint

Domain:

Content Area: Major: 5 - Professional Nursing Practice and Guidelines Minor: F - Malignant Hyperthermia Association of the United States (MHAUS) guidelines/protocol

Reference: Perianesthesia Nursing Core Curriculum 2021, p.298

Question of the Week

February 5, 2025

When provision of medical treatment is justified without informed consent in the preoperative area, which type of consent would apply?

  1. Express
  2. Emergency
  3. Proposed
  4. Samaritan

CPAN/CAPA Test Blueprint

Domain:

Content Area: Major: 5 Minor: I

Reference: Perianesthesia Nursing Core Curriculum 2021 p. 21

Question of the Week

January 22, 2025

A scopolamine patch can trigger:

  1. a decrease in tissue perfusion.
  2. postoperative cognitive dysfunction.
  3. cerebral atrophy.
  4. a loss of neurons in the neocortex.

CPAN/CAPA Test Blueprint

Domain:

Content Area: Anesthesi: Anesthesia considerations for special populations: Patients with pre-existing conditions Major: 1 Minor: D Subtopic: 4

Reference: Perianesthesia Nursing Core Curriculum, p. 306

Question of the Week

January 8, 2025

A patient has become unresponsive and has a perfusing rhythm on the EKG. While waiting for anesthesia to arrive, the perianesthesia nurse starts to ventilate the patient with the bag valve mask every:

  1. 3-4 seconds.
  2. 5-6 seconds.
  3. 7-8 seconds.
  4. 9-10 seconds.

CPAN/CAPA Test Blueprint

Domain:

Content Area: Professional Nursing Practice and Guidelines: ACLS guidelines Major: 5 Minor: C

Reference: ACLS Provider Manual, 2020. Science Summary Table

Question of the Week

December 18, 2024

On admission to the PACU, the anesthesiologist states that the 3-year-old patient had a laryngospasm upon extubation. What medication should be immediately available if needed?

  1. Propofol
  2. Succinylcholine
  3. Dexamethasone
  4. Atropine

CPAN/CAPA Test Blueprint

Domain:

Content Area: Anesthesia: Anesthesia considerations for special populations: Pediatric Major: 1 Minor: D Subtopic: 1

Reference: Perianesthesia Nursing Core Curriculum p.376

Question of the Week

December 4, 2024

When admitting a sedated 2-year-old patient from the OR, which finding requires immediate follow up?

  1. Thrashing upon emergence
  2. Heart rate of 70 beats per minute
  3. Respiratory rate of 24
  4. Systolic blood pressure of 95 mm Hg

CPAN/CAPA Test Blueprint

Domain:

Content Area: Anesthesia: Anesthesia considerations for special populations: Pediatric Major: 1 Minor: D Subtopic: 1

Reference: Drain's Perianesthesia Nursing: A Critical Care Approach p. 723

Question of the Week

November 20, 2024

A patient who received an interscalene block is now experiencing tinnitus, muscle twitching, and confusion. The perianesthesia nurse anticipates treatment with:

  1. lipid infusion
  2. fluid bolus
  3. lidocaine
  4. propofol

CPAN/CAPA Test Blueprint

Domain:

Content Area: Anesthesia: Anesthesia techniques: Regional Major: 1 Minor: A Subtopic: 2

Reference: Drain's Perianesthesia Nursing: A Critical Care Approach p. 327

Question of the Week

October 23, 2024

Following an episode of laryngeal edema in the PACU, the perianesthesia nurse's discharge teaching includes instructing the patient to:

  1. request a sedative from the provider.
  2. use home O2 at 2 L.
  3. encourage intake of warm, soft foods.
  4. use humidified air at home.

CPAN/CAPA Test Blueprint

Domain:

Content Area: Perianesthesia Care Considerations: Patient and family planning and education: Discharge instructions Major: 4 Minor: C Subtopic: 3

Reference: Drain's Perianesthesia Nursing: A Critical Care Approach p. 400-401

Question of the Week

October 9, 2024

When caring for a crying 18-month-old patient, the perianesthesia nurse's first nursing action is to:

  1. assess for antiemetic needs.
  2. reunite the child with a parent.
  3. assess analgesic needs.
  4. distract the child with a toy.

CPAN/CAPA Test Blueprint

Domain:

Content Area: Perianesthesia Care Considerations: Individualized patient care: Psychosocial factors Major: 4 Minor: B Subtopic: 2

Reference: Drain's Perianesthesia Nursing: A Critical Care Approach p.399-400

Question of the Week

September 25, 2024

Discharge instructions to a patient following a shoulder arthroscopy with a preoperative interscalene block should include that the:

  1. surgeon should be notified of any changes in voice quality.
  2. contralateral pupil will be constricted for 24 hours.
  3. operative side will have decreased motor function.
  4. range-of-motion exercises may begin on the operative extremity.

CPAN/CAPA Test Blueprint

Domain:

Content Area: Perianesthesia Care Considerations: Patient and family planning and education: Discharge instructions Major: 4 Minor: C Subtopic: 3

Reference: Drain's Perianesthesia Nursing: A Critical Care Approach pg. 340

Question of the Week

September 11, 2024

When questioning a 15-year-old patient regarding NPO status, the perianesthesia nurse is aware that adolescents may be at particular risk for non-compliance because of their:

  1. distortion of reality.
  2. ritualistic behavior.
  3. acceptance of responsibility.
  4. sense of immortality.

CPAN/CAPA Test Blueprint

Domain:

Content Area: Perianesthesia Care Considerations: Individualized patient care: Psychosocial factors Major: 4 Minor: B Subtopic: 2

Reference: Drain's Perianesthesia Nursing: A Critical Care Approach, p. 710

The CPAN® and CAPA® Practice Exams and Question of the Week Program are study tools only. ABPANC’s practice examinations should be regarded as a tool to assess strengths and weaknesses. They are not intended to serve as a study guide nor should they be used as a substitute for studying. While content may be representative of the type of knowledge and skills tested on the CPAN® and CAPA® certification examinations, these materials are not identical to the content of the examinations. A passing score on a practice examination does not in any way guarantee a passing score on any ABPANC certification examination. Use of a practice examination or Question of the Week is not a requirement for eligibility or for success in passing any ABPANC certification examination.

The Practice Exams and Questions of the Week are copyrighted materials owned by ABPANC. Requests to reproduce or otherwise use these materials should be directed to: abpanc@cpancapa.org
© 2019 American Board of Perianesthesia Nursing Certification, Inc. All rights reserved.