The nurse is providing care to a client who returns to the medical-surgical unit after herniated disk surgery

Question

The client's HR is 100, RR 22, BP 130/86 mmHg, temperature 98.8 degrees F, and a pain rating of 7 on a scale of 1 to 10. Which nursing diagnosis is the priority for this client based on the assessment data?
A) Impaired Physical Mobility
B) Acute Pain
C) Activity Intolerance
D) Chronic Pain

Answer 1

Answer: B

The client is experiencing acute pain evidenced by a pain rating of 7 on a 1 to 10 scale and elevate vital signs. The priority nursing diagnosis is acute pain. Impaired physical mobility and activity intolerance are appropriate diagnosis for the client's surgical procedure, but are not the current priority. The client was most likely experiencing chronic pain when lead to the need for surgery.