An older male adult who had a gastric resection states that he wants to ambulate but the osteoarthritis (OA) in his knees causes too much pain. Which intervention should the nurse implement to increase the amount of walking this man performs?

Question

a. Encourage pain medication around-the-clock.
b. Instruct him to rest until the pain disappears.
c. Suggest taking pain medication before walking.
d. Collaborate with health care provider to provide a walker.

Answer 1

C

Feedback
A Incorrect. Around-the-clock medication can be necessary; however, if the patient can sleep uninterrupted by pain, awakening to take pain medication is un-necessary. Long-acting pain medication or twice-daily administration of selected analgesics can offer an effective pain management strategy.
B Incorrect. Inactivity tends to exacerbate the pain of OA; instead, the nurse re-commends a balance of rest and exercise.
C Correct. The nurse suggests taking the pain medication before walking to pro-vide relief during the time when the pain occurs. In addition, if the patient pre-medicates, the analgesic effect is likely to last long enough to benefit the patient for any pain after walking.
D Incorrect. A walker is not indicated and will not alleviate any pain in the knees because it is intended to provide stability for ambulation.