A nurse in a postoperative unit educates peers to overcome myths about pain in older adults. Which of the following statements by a peer most clearly warrants further teaching?
A) "We have to be more conservative in the treatment of the older adults' pain than the younger clients."
B) "Older adults have more health problems than younger people and this puts them at risk of experiencing pain."
C) "The acute can turn into persistent pain if not treated thoroughly."
D) "Older adults', even those with dementia, sense of pain is as strong as a younger person."
Ans: A
The statement that warrants more teaching is that their pain should be treated more conservatively than younger clients. Studies have found no age-related difference in appropriate doses of postoperative morphine. Multimorbidities and chronic health problems are associated with pain. Recent studies focused on the development of persistent postoperative pain, finding that its incidence can be reduced with the use of aggressive and early analgesic therapy. It is true that older adults have no age-related change in the sensation of pain.
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