What is the best way for the nurse to determine a patient's need for pain medication on the second day after an abdominal laparotomy?
a. Check when the patient last received medication for pain.
b. Assess the patient's facial expression and vital signs.
c. Consider the patient's age and ethnicity.
d. Ask the patient to rate his or her pain.
D
Pain experience and pain tolerance are very personal. True assessment of a patient's discomfort cannot be determined by and should not be based on the patient's behaviors or changes in vital signs. Nor can it be based on how recently the patient received a drug for pain. The only way to know is to ask the patient to rate the pain.
You might also like to view...
A public health nurse is assessing the nutritional awareness of a group of women who are participating in a prenatal health class. What outcome would most clearly demonstrate that the women possess nutritional awareness?
A) The women demonstrate an understanding of the importance of a healthy diet. B) The women are able to describe the importance of vitamin supplements during pregnancy. C) The women can list the minerals nutrients that should be consumed daily. D) The women can interpret the nutrition facts listed on food packaging.
Which comment most clearly shows a speaker views mental illness with stigma?
a. "Some mental illnesses are inherited." b. "Most people with mental illness are unmotivated." c. "Severe environmental stress sometimes causes mental illness." d. "Some mental illnesses are brain disorders resulting from changes in how impulses are transmitted."
A new patient has come to the clinic. While the nurse is taking the patient's history, the patient tells the nurse she is trying to get pregnant and she is very fearful she will have another miscarriage
She states she has lost two pregnancies and she shares with the nurse that she does not know why she lost the babies. Based on this patient's history, what recommendation should the nurse make at the present time? A) Instruct her to continue to try to get pregnant. B) Let the patient know that her loss may not occur again. C) Instruct her on chromosome testing studies. D) Tell her to have an amniocentesis with the next pregnancy.
A patient diagnosed with cancer tells the nurse that he does not want to experience anymore pain. What should the nurse do to help this patient?
1. Discuss pain control options. 2. Explain that every patient with cancer has pain. 3. Review ways to reduce pain without the use of medication. 4. Instruct on why pain will continue throughout treatment.