A patient has just returned to the surgical unit after varicose vein stripping and ligation. What is the best technique for a nurse to evaluate pain relief?
a. Check the patient's record for the last dose of pain medication administered.
b. Ask the patient to rate the severity of the pain on a scale of 1 to 10.
c. Ask the family if they think that the pa-tient is having pain.
d. Tell the patient to ask for pain medicine when it is needed.
B
Having the patient rate the pain provides a system for evaluating response to the pain medication. Pain is controlled better if treated before it becomes severe, and the patient may not ask for pain medicine soon enough.
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