Which of the following preoperative assessment findings would most lik

Which of the following preoperative assessment findings would most likely delay a planned pro-cedure requiring general anesthetic?

1. A cough and low-grade fever
2. The pulse oximetry reading of 97% on room air
3. A blood pressure that is 10 systolic points higher than baseline
4. The client’s report of “being so nervous about this procedure”

ANSWER

ANS: 1
Preoperative assessment occasionally reveals an abnormality that delays or cancels surgery. A client who presents with a cough and low-grade fever on admission would require the nurse to notify the surgeon immediately. The other options do not necessarily warrant delay or cancella-tion of a procedure.