The nurse working in an obstetrician's office receives a call from a 13-year-old girl who is 28 weeks pregnant reporting severe back pain that is constant and rated as a 7 on a 1-10 scale. The nurse will:

Question

1. Tell the client to come to the obstetrician's office immediately.
2. Instruct the client to lie down after taking two acetaminophen (Tylenol).
3. Make an appointment for the client to be seen later this afternoon.
4. Tell the client to take a laxative and call back if pain not relieved.

Answer 1

1
Rationale: Because the young adolescent is at increased risk for pregnancy complications, the client should be told to come to the office for evaluation. The pain might be benign, resulting from shifts in the center of gravity secondary to the growing abdomen, or it could be serious, indicating preterm labor or a urinary tract infection. The client must be seen and evaluated to determine cause.