During the nurse's initial assessment of a school-age child, the child reports a pain level of 6 out of 10. The child is lying quietly in bed watching television. The nurse should:

Question

1. Administer the prescribed analgesic.
2. Ask the child's parents if they think the child is hurting.
3. Reassess the child in 15 minutes to see if the pain rating has changed.
4. Do nothing, since the child appears to be resting.

Answer 1

1
Rationale:
1. School-age children are old enough to report their pain level accurately. A pain score of 6 is an indication for prompt administration of pain medication. The child might be trying to be brave, or might be lying still because movement is painful.
2. The school-age child can answer for herself, and does not need the parents to answer for her.
3. There is no need to reassess, as the child needs pain medication now.
4. The child might be lying quietly because movement increases the pain.