What do you suspect?
An elderly woman with a history of coronary bypass comes in with severe, diffuse, abdominal pain. Strangely, during your examination, the pain is not made worse by pressing on the abdomen.
A) Malingering
B) Neuropathy
C) Ischemia
D) Physical abuse
C) Ischemia
Ischemic pain can be severe but is not made worse with palpation. The history of bypass could be a clue that there is vascular narrowing elsewhere. Malingering is less likely, and neuropathic pain, as seen in herpes zoster, would worsen with touch. You are to be commended if you considered elder abuse, because this is frequently missed. Ordinarily, this pain would be worse with examination because of the preceding trauma.
You might also like to view...
The nurse is caring for a client who is prone to falls. Which nursing diagnosis would be most appropriate for this client?
A) Risk for Injury B) Risk for Suffocation C) Deficient Knowledge D) Risk for Disuse Syndrome
The nurse assesses an area of skin on the patient's upper thigh that is different in appearance than the surrounding skin. What documentation would be the most informative?
a. Red area on upper right thigh. Patient denies discomfort b. Erythematous scaly patch 2 ? 2 cm on lateral aspect of right thigh. Patient denies pain c. Painless red patch on right thigh 2 ? 2 cm d. Medium-size red scaly patch on right thigh. 0 drainage. 0 pain
The nurse is assessing a terminal patient who is in the process of dying. Which cardiovascular changes will the nurse monitor for during the physical assessment early in the dying process? Select all that apply
1) Increased blood pressure 2) Decreased blood pressure 3) Increased heart rate 4) Decreased heart rate 5) Decreased peripheral pulses
At what anatomic location would you assess the apical impulse?
a) left midclavicular, fifth intercostal space b) left substernal, sixth intercostal space c) righ midaxillary, second intercostal space d) right nipple line, any intercostal space