SELF/Perioperative Nursing/Orthopedic Equipment/Cumulative Assessment

▼This page is a part of the Perioperative Nursing Curriculum by ECSACONM and SELFPlease see the Intuitive Foundation Terms of Use and do not edit without permission.

Use the quiz below to check your understanding of the material.

Instructions

Work through each question carefully to choose the best answer, and submit the quiz to view your results. After completing the quiz, read through the answer explanations to review the reasoning behind both correct and incorrect options.

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During setup for a distal femur fixation, the scrub nurse discovers that the locking screws belong to a different manufacturer than the prepared locking plate. What is the most appropriate action?

	Use the screws if the thread diameter appears to match
	Ask the surgeon to determine compatibility after the plate has been implanted
	Remove the incompatible implants from use, obtain the correct implant system, and verify compatibility before surgery proceeds
	Replace only the screwdrivers because the implants themselves are compatible

A scrub nurse prepares an orthopedic drill for surgery. Which combination of actions best demonstrates safe equipment preparation?

	Verify the battery is secure, confirm the drill bit is correctly attached, perform a functional test, and prepare a backup power source if available
	Attach the drill bit after the patient has been draped to reduce contamination
	Test the drill only if the surgeon requests it during surgery
	Place the drill on the sterile field without testing because it has completed sterilization

During fracture fixation, the surgeon has just drilled the pilot hole for a cortical screw. Which sequence of instrument passing best supports efficient workflow?

	Screwdriver → Screw → Depth gauge
	Depth gauge → Screwdriver → Screw
	Drill guide → Screw → Depth gauge
	Depth gauge → Correctly sized screw → Screwdriver

While preparing the sterile field, the scrub nurse notices that two implant trays from different manufacturers contain plates of similar size and appearance. Which action best reduces the risk of selecting the wrong implant during surgery?

	Place all similar plates together so they can be compared more easily
	Arrange the plates by size only and separate the screws by diameter
	Keep each manufacturer-specific implant system physically separated and organize implants within each system by type and size
	Open only one implant tray and request additional trays only after fixation has begun

During patient handover following open reduction and internal fixation of a tibial fracture, which information is most important to communicate in addition to the routine postoperative report?

	The order in which orthopedic instruments were used during surgery
	The implant system used, implant location, laterality, immobilization applied, and any significant equipment issues encountered during surgery
	The number of orthopedic trays opened during the procedure
	The names of the scrub nurse and circulating nurse

During setup for a hip fracture repair, the scrub nurse notices that the C-arm has been positioned in a way that blocks access to the orthopedic implant table. What is the best action before the patient enters the operating room?

	Leave the equipment in place and reposition it only if the surgeon requests it
	Reposition the C-arm and implant table so imaging equipment, the sterile field, and implant access can all be used without interfering with one another
	Move the implant table closer to the anesthesia workstation to create more space
	Delay opening the implant trays until after the first fluoroscopic image has been obtained

A scrub nurse is preparing orthopedic implants before surgery. Which practice best supports implant traceability?

	Recording the implant label or barcode as each implant is opened and confirming the information in the patient's record according to local policy
	Waiting until skin closure to record all implant information together
	Recording only the implant type because the lot number remains on the packaging
	Keeping implant packaging until discharge without documenting the implant details

While transporting orthopedic instruments after surgery, which practice best protects both the instruments and personnel?

	Place all instruments together in one transport tray to simplify handling
	Carry powered handpieces separately by their electrical cords
	Stack heavy instruments over delicate instruments to prevent movement during transport
	Segregate instruments by type and transport them in secure, rigid containers according to local policy

During preparation for an orthopedic procedure, the scrub nurse verifies that the required implant sizes are available but notices that no backup battery is present for the powered drill. The drill passes its functional test. What is the best course of action?

	Proceed with surgery because the drill is functioning normally
	Open an additional implant system so surgery can continue if the drill fails
	Inform the circulating nurse and obtain a backup battery or alternative power source, if available, before the procedure begins
	Wait until the battery fails before requesting a replacement

During preparation for an orthopedic procedure, the scrub nurse confirms that the required implant system is complete, but notices that the implant labels have not been placed with the documentation materials. What is the most appropriate action?

	Wait until the end of the procedure to collect implant labels from the discarded packaging
	Gather the implant labels with the documentation materials before surgery begins so they can be recorded immediately as implants are opened
	Record only the implant sizes because the lot numbers remain with the manufacturer
	Ask the circulating nurse to document implant information only after the patient has left the operating room

During breakdown of the sterile field, the scrub nurse notices that a cannulated drill guide still contains visible bone debris. What is the most appropriate immediate action?

	Place the instrument directly into the transport tray because it will be cleaned in sterile services
	Scrub the instrument until it is sterile before transport
	Remove gross debris, manage the instrument according to local policy and the manufacturer's instructions, and prepare it for appropriate transport to decontamination
	Set the instrument aside until the end of the operating list

During an orthopedic procedure, the surgeon requests a cancellous screw, but only cortical screws are available on the Mayo stand. What should the scrub nurse do?

	Verify the requested implant with the organized implant system and provide the correct screw rather than substituting a different type
	Pass the cortical screw because both screws perform the same function
	Select the longest cortical screw available to improve fixation
	Ask the circulating nurse to choose the most appropriate screw

During plate fixation, the scrub nurse notices that several unused screws of different lengths have become mixed together on the Mayo stand. What is the best action before passing the next screw?

	Select the screw that appears closest in length to the previous one used
	Ask the surgeon to identify the correct screw while continuing with the procedure
	Re-establish the organized implant layout, verify the required screw size, and then pass the correct implant
	Open a new screw tray and discard the mixed screws

During surgery, the surgeon unexpectedly requests a drill guide that is not on the Mayo stand. The instrument is available on the sterile back table. What is the scrub nurse's best response?

	Retrieve the drill guide from the organized sterile back table and present it in the correct orientation for immediate use
	Ask the circulating nurse to obtain another drill guide before continuing
	Substitute a different guide that appears to fit the drill bit
	Hand the surgeon the drill bit first and retrieve the drill guide afterward

A scrub nurse has completed preparation for an orthopedic procedure. Which final action best demonstrates readiness immediately before incision?

	Review the planned procedure by memory without checking the sterile field
	Confirm that instruments are complete, implants are compatible and documented for use, powered equipment has been tested, backup equipment is available where possible, and the sterile field remains organized
	Begin opening additional implant systems in anticipation of unexpected findings
	Rearrange the sterile field after the surgeon enters the operating room

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Page data
Part of	Orthopedic Surgery - ECSACONM
Keywords	surgery, health
SDG	SDG03 Good health and well-being
Authors	Ian-laurel
License	CC-BY-SA-4.0
Organizations	ECSACONM, SELF
Language	English (en)
Related	0 subpages, 1 pages link here
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Created	July 30, 2026 by Ian-laurel-1
Last edit	July 30, 2026 by StandardWikitext bot
Cite as	Ian-laurel-1 (2026). "SELF/Perioperative Nursing/Orthopedic Equipment/Cumulative Assessment". Appropedia. Retrieved July 30, 2026.
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