Certified Post Anesthesia Nurse (CPAN) Practice Exam

What should the perianesthesia nurse do when a patient with an ICD arrives in the PACU with a magnet over the generator?

1. Remove the magnet so the ICD is activated

2. Remove the magnet so the ICD is deactivated

3. Educate the patient on the care of the magnet

4. Adjust the placement of the magnet

The correct answer is: Remove the magnet so the ICD is activated

When a patient with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) arrives in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) with a magnet over the generator, the correct action is to remove the magnet to reactivate the ICD. The reason the magnet is placed over the ICD is typically to temporarily disable it, allowing healthcare providers to avoid unnecessary shocks during surgery or other procedures. Once the patient is in the PACU and stabilized, the ICD needs to be reactivated to ensure it can perform its vital function of detecting and treating life-threatening arrhythmias. If the magnet remains in place, it will keep the ICD in a disabled state, preventing it from delivering appropriate therapy should the patient experience a cardiac event. The emphasis is on the critical role of the ICD in monitoring and responding to the patient's heart condition, making it essential to remove the magnet to ensure the device is functioning as intended. Recognizing the need for timely reactivation of the ICD reflects the nurse's understanding of the device’s operation and the urgency of maintaining effective cardiac monitoring and intervention. The other options do not align with the required protocol for managing an ICD in a PACU setting. For example, leaving the magnet in place would be detrimental to the patient's