A young adult male client of Arab descent is admitted to the medical-surgical unit for a ruptured appendix

Question

The client's parents are at the bedside for most of the day. The nurse who is providing care notes that the client denies pain while on day shift, but request medication every four hours during the night. Which explanation for this client behavior is the most probable?
1. The night nurse had more time to spend with the client.
2. The client must be afraid or lonely at night and is trying to get attention.
3. The client may not report pain in the presence of parents based on their influence or cultural beliefs.
4. The client was asking for medication at night to facilitate sleep.

Answer 1

Correct Answer: 3

A client may have ethnic or cultural beliefs that influence the response to pain. Some clients may be verbal and open, while some clients may choose to be quiet and suffer with the pain. The presence of family members, especially adult family members in this situation, may influence the reporting of pain. The client may have not wanted to contradict the perceived parental expectations of how an adult Arab male was to respond to pain. There is no information provided to indicate the night nurse spent more time with the client than the day/evening shifts. There is no indication the client is afraid or lonely. Many healthcare providers routinely order hypnotic medications. There is no indication the client is experiencing difficulty sleeping.