Which action will the nurse take first when a patient is seen in the outpatient clinic with neck pain?
a. Provide information about therapeutic neck exercises.
b. Ask about numbness or tingling of the hands and arms.
c. Suggest that the patient alternate the use of heat and cold to the neck to treat the pain.
d. Teach about the use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen (Advil).
ANS: B
The nurse's initial action should be further assessment of the pain because cervical nerve root compression will require different treatment than musculoskeletal neck pain. The other actions may also be appropriate, depending on the assessment findings.
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