The nurse is preparing to assess an older adult and discovers that the older adult is in severe pain. Which statement about pain and the older adult is true?
a. Pain is inevitable with aging.
b. Older adults with cognitive impairments feel less pain.
c. Alleviating pain should be a priority over other aspects of the assessment.
d. The assessment should take priority so that care decisions can be made.
ANS: C
If the older adult is experiencing pain or discomfort, then the depth of knowledge gathered through the assessments will suffer. Alleviating pain should be a priority over other aspects of the assessment. Remembering that older adults with cognitive impairment do not feel less pain is paramount.
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