A 17-year-old postoperative patient is laughing with friends. Soon after they leave, he tells the nurse he is experiencing pain and asks for something for pain. What does the nurse understand about this situation?
a. Teenagers will try to obtain narcotics by faking pain.
b. Distraction reduces pain awareness.
c. Postoperative pain comes on suddenly.
d. Patients who are able to laugh are not really experiencing pain.
B
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A It is a myth that teenagers will try to obtain narcotics by faking pain. Pain is subjective. Also, when distraction is removed, awareness of pain returns.
B Distraction directs attention to something else, thus reducing pain awareness and increasing tolerance. People who are bored or in isolation tend to focus on their pain and thus perceive it more acutely.
C Postoperative pain is not usually sudden, but rather gradual.
D Pain is a subjective experience. It is the single most reliable indicator that pain exists. Distraction reduces pain awareness. It works best for short, intense pain lasting a few minutes, such as an invasive procedure or waiting for analgesic to work.
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