CFPN Practice Questions (2026) — Free Sample Questions with Answers

Answer: B

Ask whether she has had any recent dental work: Dental work does not relate to the cross-reactive food allergy she describes.

Ask about any reactions to rubber gloves, balloons or other latex products: Correct. Allergies to banana, avocado, kiwi and chestnut are linked to latex sensitivity (latex-fruit syndrome); a positive history calls for a latex-safe environment and notifying the team.

Ask whether she has eaten any fruit since midnight: NPO status matters, but it does not address the allergy risk her history raises.

Ask whether she prefers a local or general anesthetic: Anesthesia choice is made by the anesthesia provider and does not address the potential latex allergy.

Latex-fruit syndrome: banana, avocado, kiwi, chestnut (and others) cross-react with latex. Screen and provide a latex-safe environment.

Answer: B

The nurse will pad all bony prominences before positioning: This is a nursing intervention, not a patient outcome.

The patient will be free from positioning-related skin or nerve injury at discharge from the OR: Correct. A good outcome statement is patient-centered, observable and time-bound, and can be measured with a post-procedure skin and neurovascular assessment.

The patient will understand the importance of the prone position: 'Understand' is vague and not measurable, and the patient is anesthetized during positioning.

The surgical team will maintain a safe environment throughout the procedure: This describes team behavior in general terms, not a measurable patient outcome.

Expected outcomes describe the patient's measurable status (e.g., skin intact, no nerve injury) at a defined time; interventions describe what the nurse does.

Answer: A

Over the well-muscled upper thigh, clean and dry, close to the surgical site: Correct. A large, well-vascularized muscle mass close to the site, with full, uniform skin contact, spreads current and lowers the risk of burns.

Over the hip with a metal prosthesis, because it is close to the surgical site: Metal implants can concentrate current and should be avoided under the pad.

Over the bony sacrum, where the pad stays in place when the patient lies supine: Bony prominences have poor perfusion and uneven contact, raising the risk of burns.

Over a hairy area that was not clipped, since hair removal increases infection risk: Hair prevents uniform contact; the area should be clipped if needed to ensure adhesion.

Dispersive pad: well-vascularized muscle, close to the site, clean, dry, hairless skin; avoid bony prominences, scar tissue, metal implants and fluid pooling.

Answer: A

Use a standardized handoff tool covering procedure, events, lines, drains and concerns: Correct. A structured, interactive handoff (e.g., SBAR or I-PASS) with time for questions reduces omissions and communication errors.

Give a brief verbal summary while walking out to start the next case: A rushed, unstructured handoff with no chance for questions raises the risk of missed information.

Leave a printed copy of the intraoperative record and skip the verbal report: Written records alone miss key context and do not allow clarifying questions.

Let the anesthesia provider give the full report so the nurse can leave the room: The perioperative nurse has nursing information (skin, counts, positioning, specimens) that needs to be handed off directly.

Safe handoffs are standardized, face-to-face, interactive and protected from interruption; include procedure, anesthesia, intraoperative events, lines and drains, medications, skin, specimens and concerns.

Answer: B

Apply the rub over lightly soiled hands to save time between cases: Visibly soiled hands must be washed with soap and water before using an alcohol-based rub.

Follow the manufacturer's instructions for amount and time, and let hands dry fully before gloving: Correct. Using the labeled amount and application time and letting the product dry fully before donning gown and gloves makes the antisepsis effective.

Keep artificial nails on if they are short and covered by sterile gloves: Artificial nails and extenders harbor microorganisms and are not allowed for scrubbed personnel.

Wipe the hands on a sterile towel after applying the rub to speed drying: Toweling off removes product before it has worked; alcohol rubs are allowed to air-dry.

Surgical hand antisepsis: short natural nails, no artificial nails or jewelry; wash if visibly soiled; follow manufacturer's amount and time; air-dry before gowning and gloving.

Answer: B

Succinylcholine: Succinylcholine is a triggering agent for MH and must be avoided.

Dantrolene: Correct. Dantrolene blocks calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum and is the specific treatment for MH; the nurse gets the MH cart and helps reconstitute and give it while triggering agents are stopped.

Naloxone: Naloxone reverses opioids; it has no role in MH.

Neostigmine: Neostigmine reverses non-depolarizing neuromuscular blockade and does not treat MH.

MH: early sign is rising EtCO2 with tachycardia and rigidity; stop triggers, hyperventilate with 100% O2, give dantrolene, cool, treat hyperkalemia and acidosis, call the MH hotline.