Certified Foundational Perioperative Nurse (CFPN) Exam practice questions and answers 2026. Tap an option to test yourself — you'll see the correct answer and a plain-English explanation for every question. Free, no login.
Q11A patient with severe allergies is scheduled for a minor surgery. As part of the individualized plan of care, what should the perioperative nurse prioritize to ensure the patient's safety?
✓ Correct answer: B. Ensure the operating room is thoroughly cleaned and allergen-free.
For a patient with severe allergies, especially those that are environmental or airborne, the emphasis should be on ensuring that the operating room is free of allergens. While masks and limiting exposure to people may help in other contexts, they are not directly relevant to minimizing environmental allergens. Latex gloves might provoke allergies if the patient has a latex allergy, so alternative materials should be used.
Q12Which of the following patient outcomes would be appropriate in the nursing plan of care for a patient undergoing their first hip replacement surgery?
✓ Correct answer: C. The patient demonstrates understanding of the surgical procedure, the postoperative recovery plan, and can independently perform prescribed physical therapy exercises.
The patient undergoing their first hip replacement surgery should focus on understanding the surgical process and the necessary postoperative recovery steps to ensure a smooth transition and optimal outcome. The most appropriate outcome would be that the patient is knowledgeable about their surgery, can follow the recovery plan, and practice indicated physical therapy exercises to promote mobility and recovery.
Q13During an appendectomy, what actions should the perioperative nurse take to manage the appendiceal specimen while ensuring patient sensitivity?
✓ Correct answer: B. correctly labeling the specimen, respecting patient requests, and ensuring discreet transport to pathology.
In an appendectomy, the perioperative nurse must ensure the appendiceal specimen is correctly handled by labeling it accurately, noting any patient requests regarding its handling, and facilitating its confidential transport to pathology without involving the patient. This prevents unnecessary distress or anxiety for the patient and ensures proper specimen tracking and processing.
Q14A patient undergoing cataract surgery with conscious sedation suddenly begins to exhibit abnormal vital signs. Which of the following changes should alert the perioperative nurse to the possibility of an adverse reaction to the sedative?
✓ Correct answer: C. heart rate increases from 68 to 122 beats per minute.
During procedures with conscious sedation, patients are sedated but not fully anesthetized, requiring careful monitoring of vital signs to identify potential adverse reactions to medication. A sudden increase in heart rate could indicate a hypersensitivity or toxic reaction to the sedative. The other changes are within normal limits and not typically indicative of an adverse reaction.
Q15A perioperative nurse is assessing surgical instruments for reuse in upcoming procedures at the hospital. The nurse must ensure certain contaminants have not compromised the instruments. Which of the following contaminants would require special disposal due to potential risk? Contaminant Type Description Requires Special Disposal Biological Derived from body fluids or tissues Yes Chemical From disinfectants or cleaning agents No Physical Caused by mechanical defects or corrosion No
✓ Correct answer: B. Biological contaminants derived from body fluids or tissues.
Biological contaminants require special disposal due to the risk of infection or cross-contamination with body fluids or tissues. Chemical and physical contaminants generally do not require the same level of special disposal, as they do not typically pose biological hazards.
Q16Before surgery, the patient's laboratory results show a fasting blood glucose level of 120 mg/dL. Which of the following is a possible explanation for this elevated level?
✓ Correct answer: D. stress response from surgery.
Answer: stress response from surgery. Elevated blood glucose levels can result from a stress response due to surgery or other stressors, leading to the release of stress hormones like cortisol. Increased water intake does not elevate glucose levels, and neither does recent dental procedures unless they involve stress or trauma significant enough to trigger a response. Physical activity can lower blood glucose levels, especially if done consistently or to excess before testing.
Q17What is the recommended emergency medication to treat malignant hyperthermia during an intraoperative crisis?
✓ Correct answer: B. Dantrolene.
Answer: Dantrolene. Dantrolene is the only medication specifically known to effectively treat and reverse a malignant hyperthermia crisis by directly acting on skeletal muscle to reduce excessive calcium release.
Q18Which of the following factors does not increase a patient's risk of developing hypothermia during surgery?
✓ Correct answer: D. Surgery lasting less than 30 minutes
Hypothermia during surgery is influenced by various factors, such as room temperature, the type of anesthesia used, and patient characteristics like BMI. A short surgery duration (less than 30 minutes) typically does not significantly impact core body temperature, making it the exception among the listed factors. General anesthesia and a cold room environment contribute to hypothermia by reducing the body's ability to regulate temperature, and low BMI reduces insulation, increasing heat loss.
Q19A patient undergoing thoracic surgery is placed in the lateral decubitus position. To prevent neurovascular compression, the axillary roll should be positioned:
✓ Correct answer: B. just distal to the patient's axilla.
The axillary roll is placed just distal to the patient's axilla in the lateral decubitus position to avoid direct pressure on the axillary neurovascular bundle, which could lead to nerve damage or compromised blood flow. It should not be placed directly in the axilla, as this can cause compression.
Q20Which type of benign breast lump rarely develops into a cancerous condition? Type of Breast Lump Characteristics Likelihood of Becoming Cancerous Fibroadenoma Benign; solid; typically round and mobile Rarely Cyst Fluid-filled; can be tender Rarely Fat Necrosis Damaged fatty breast tissue due to injury Rarely Hyperplasia Overgrowth of cells; may be atypical Can become cancerous
✓ Correct answer: C. Fibroadenoma
Fibroadenomas are benign breast lumps, common in younger women and are solid, round, and mobile upon examination. They seldom develop into cancer. Cysts and fat necrosis are also benign with low cancer potential, but unlike these, hyperplasia, especially if atypical, may lead to cancerous changes over time.
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