According to established standards, nurses must frequently assess patients experiencing pain. The most appropriate action for the nurse to take when assessing a patient's pain is which of the following?
a. Ask what precipitates pain.
b. Question the patient about the location of the pain.
c. Offer the patient a pain scale to objectify the patient's response.
d. Use closed-ended questions to find out about the patient's sensations.
C
One of the most subjective and therefore most useful characteristics for reporting pain is its severity or intensity. Nurses use a variety of pain scales to help patients communicate pain intensity. Asking what precipitates pain helps the nurse to plan interventions. Location of the pain is part of the PQRSTU. The use of the pain scale is subjective and will assist the nurse in implementing a plan of care. Closed-ended question does not encourage an open dialogue to discuss the patient's pain.
You might also like to view...
Mr. Y, who lives with his wife in their home of 50 years, has a diagnosis of osteoarthritis. Which of the following factors is most likely to have the largest impact on Mr. Y's ability to manage his illness?
A) The availability of new treatment options for his condition B) The financial resources available to Mr. Y and his wife C) The course and progression of his condition D) The openness of Mr Y to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)
When adding or subtracting decimals, if the decimals do not have the same number of places, add zeros
to the end so all the numbers have the same number of places. Indicate whether the statement is true or false
When assessing a female client for the possibility of vulvar cancer, which of the following would the nurse most likely expect the client to report? (Select all that apply.)
A) Abnormal vaginal bleeding B) Persistent vulvar itching C) History of herpes simplex D) Lesion on the cervix E) Abnormal Pap smear
A client is receiving an intravenous lidocaine infusion after being converted from ventricular tachycardia. The client begins to display signs of confusion, anxiety, agitation, and restlessness. What should the nurse do first?
1. Increase the rate of lidocaine infusion. 2. Turn off the lidocaine infusion. 3. Administer oxygen at 4 L per nasal cannula. 4. Notify the client's health care provider.