What is a priority assessment question to ask a postsurgical patient prior to administration of an opioid analgesic?
1. "Have you ever been addicted to prescription pain medications?"
2. "Why do you want to receive this pain medication?"
3. "Would you like me to help you change your position for comfort?"
4. "Would you please rate your pain on a scale of 1 to 10?"
4
Rationale 1: Administration of pain medication postsurgery is a priority; this is not the time to assess if the patient has an addiction.
Rationale 2: Asking a postsurgical patient why a pain medication is requested does not make a lot of sense.
Rationale 3: Offering to help a postsurgical patient change positions is appropriate but should be done after the patient receives the pain medication.
Rationale 4: The nurse should always assess the patient's level of pain prior to the administration of an analgesic.
Global Rationale: The nurse should always assess the patient's level of pain prior to the administration of an analgesic. Asking a postsurgical patient why a pain medication is requested does not make a lot of sense. Administration of pain medication postsurgery is a priority; this is not the time to assess if the patient has an addiction. Offering to help a postsurgical patient change positions is appropriate but should be done after the patient receives the pain medication.
You might also like to view...
An older adult female has a bone density test that reveals severe osteoporosis. What does the nurse understand can be a problem for this client due to the decrease in bone mass and density?
A) Diabetes B) Hypertension C) Compression fractures D) Cardiac disease
For which of the following clients should the nurse question the use of heat therapy?
a. A client with edema around the wound b. A client with impaired mobility c. A client whose injury is more than 24 hours old d. A client whose wound is still bleeding
The standard error is calculated by dividing the sample standard deviation by the square root of the sample mean
A) True B) False
If a patient complains of feeling faint, you should
A) elevate the patient's head and shoulders. B) seat the patient in a chair and elevate the feet. C) apply a cool washcloth to the forehead and neck. D) seat the patient and position the head between the knees.