Certified Nurses Operating Room (CNOR) Practice Exam

Checking a patient’s chart before surgery is a critical step in ensuring their safety and the success of the procedure. The correct answer emphasizes the importance of identifying allergies, medications, and relevant medical history.

Understanding a patient's allergies is vital to prevent an adverse reaction to anesthesia, medications, or materials used during surgery. Additionally, knowing the patient’s current medications allows the surgical team to avoid potentially harmful drug interactions and manage any necessary adjustments to the medication regimen before and after surgery. Relevant medical history, including past surgeries, chronic conditions, and any previous anesthetic complications, provides crucial information for the surgical team to make informed decisions about the anesthetic plan and overall surgical approach.

In contrast, details such as the patient's favorite food and hobbies, while they may provide insight into the patient's lifestyle, do not have a direct impact on the surgical process or patient safety. Insurance details and payment methods, although important for administrative purposes, do not influence the clinical care or perioperative management. Time of the last meal and fluid intake is also significant but is typically assessed with specific protocols regarding fasting guidelines rather than a broad check in the patient's chart.

Thus, the correct answer highlights the core clinical essentials that directly affect surgical planning and patient care.