Which of the following statements are true regarding pain assessment and management? (Select all that apply.)

Question

a. The single most important assessment tool available to the nurse is the patient's self-report.
b. The only way to assess pain in patients unable to verbalize because of mechanical ventilation is through observation of behavioral indicators.
c. The concept of equianalgesia uses morphine as a basis for dosage comparison for other medications.
d. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and application of heat or cold therapy stimulate the nonpain sensory fibers.
e. Meperidine, a synthetic form of morphine, is much stronger and is given at lower doses at less frequent intervals.

Answer 1

A, C, D
Appropriate pain assessment is the foundation of effective pain treatment. Because pain is recognized as a subjective experience, the patient's self-report is considered the most valid measure for pain and should be obtained as often as possible. Unfortunately, in critical care, many factors, such as the administration of sedative agents, the use of mechanical ventilation, and altered levels of consciousness, may impact communication with patients. These obstacles make pain assessment more complex. Meperidine (Demerol) is a less potent opioid with agonist effects similar to those of morphine. It is considered the weakest of the opioids, and it must be administered in large doses to be equivalent in action to morphine. Because the duration of action is short, dosing is frequent. Equianalgesic means approximately the same pain relief. Dosages in the equianalgesic chart for moderate to severe pain are not necessarily starting doses. The doses suggest a ratio for comparing the analgesia of one medication with another.