A nurse is supervising a student who is caring for a patient with chronic pain. Which statement by the student indicates an understanding of pain management?
a. "This patient says her pain is a 5, but she is not acting like it. I am not going to give her any pain medication."
b. "The patient is sleeping, so I pushed her PCA button for her."
c. "I need to reassess the patient's pain 1 hour after administering oral pain medication."
d. "It wasn't time for the patient's medication, so when she requested it, I gave her a placebo."
ANS: C
Because oral medications usually peak in about an hour, you need to reassess the patient's pain within an hour of administration. Nurses must believe any patient report of pain, even if nonverbal communication is not consistent with pain ratings. The patient is the only person who should push the PCA button. Pushing the PCA when a patient is sleeping is dangerous and may lead to narcotic overdose or respiratory depression. Giving the patient a placebo and telling her it is her medication is unethical.
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