A nurse is caring for a client who is recovering from an above-the-knee amputation. The client reports pain in the limb that was removed. How should the nurse respond?
a. "The pain you are feeling does not actually exist."
b. "This type of pain is common and will eventually go away."
c. "Would you like to learn how to use imagery to minimize your pain?"
d. "How would you describe the pain that you are feeling?"
ANS: D
The nurse should ask the client to rate the pain on a scale of 0 to 10 and describe how the pain feels. Although phantom limb pain is common, the nurse should not minimize the pain that the client is experiencing by stating that it does not exist or will eventually go away. Antiepileptic drugs and antispasmodics are used to treat neurologic pain and muscle spasms after amputation. Although imagery may assist the client, the nurse must assess the client's pain before determining the best action.
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