Certified Nurses Operating Room (CNOR) Practice Exam

The selection of fast-acting anesthetic agents is critical in achieving prompt onset of anesthesia. Brevital (methohexital) is a barbiturate that acts rapidly, usually within seconds of administration, making it effective for short procedures or for inducing anesthesia quickly. Nitrous oxide is another agent recognized for its rapid onset and offset; it is often used in conjunction with other agents for its analgesic and anesthetic properties. Halothane, while not as fast-acting as the others mentioned, is still considered relatively quick compared to some inhalational agents.

Sevoflurane and desflurane, on the other hand, while they do have relatively fast induction times compared to older volatile anesthetics, their onset is not as immediate as Brevital and nitrous oxide. Isoflurane is known for a slower onset compared to these faster-acting agents as well and tends to accumulate in the body, which can delay recovery. Propofol and fentanyl, while they act quickly in their own right, pertain more to induction and analgesia rather than being classified as traditional anesthetic agents.

Thus, the combination of Brevital and nitrous oxide accurately represents agents known specifically for their fast-acting properties, enabling