The nurse frequently must assess a patient who is experiencing pain. When assessing the intensity of the pain, the nurse should:
a. ask whether there are any precipitating factors.
b. question the patient about the location of the pain.
c. offer the patient a pain scale to objectify the information.
d. use open-ended questions to find out about the sensation.
C
Descriptive scales are an objective means of measuring pain intensity. Use a pain intensity scale appropriate to the patient's age, developmental level, and comprehension, and ask the patient to rate the pain. An appropriate pain rating scale is reliable, easily understood, and easy to use, and it reflects changes in pain intensity. Asking the patient what precipitates the pain does not assess intensity, but rather assesses the pain pattern. Asking the patient about the location of pain does not assess the intensity of the patient's pain. To determine the quality of the patient's pain, the nurse may ask open-ended questions to find out about the sensation experienced (e.g., "Tell me what your pain feels like"). This approach assists in identifying the underlying pain mechanism (e.g., somatic or neuropathic pain), but it may not reveal intensity or changes in intensity.
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