The nurse is preparing to assess a patient's pain level. Which definition of pain should the nurse use to guide practice?
a. Pain is whatever the experiencing person says it is.
b. Pain is an unpleasant sensation caused by physical injury.
c. Pain is a sensation that causes the patient to avoid its source.
d. Pain is discomfort manifested by elevated vital signs and grimacing.
ANS: A
All the definitions can be true, but however pain is whatever the experiencing person says it is because pain is subjective, and nurses must trust the patient's report of pain as true in order to treat it appropriately.
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