Certified Nurses Operating Room (CNOR) Practice Exam

Which ASA classification represents a patient who is brain dead?

1. PS-5

2. PS-6

3. PS-4

4. PS-1

The correct answer is: PS-6

The correct classification for a patient who is brain dead is represented by PS-6. This classification is part of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status classification system, which is used to assess the fitness of patients prior to undergoing anesthesia and surgery. In this system, PS-6 specifically denotes a declared brain-dead patient whose organs are being removed for donor purposes. This classification acknowledges the clinical reality that while the individual is technically deceased, they might still exhibit certain physiological functions while being maintained on artificial life support for the purpose of donation. Other classifications in the ASA system represent varying levels of physical status and health conditions, but none equate to an individual who is brain dead in the same context. Therefore, PS-6 accurately reflects the unique situation of organ donation from a patient who has been pronounced brain dead.