A patient has recently had surgery. Which action is best for the nurse to take to assess this
patient's pain?
a. Assess the patient's body language.
b. Ask the patient to rate the level of pain.
c. Observe the cardiac monitor for increased heart rate.
d. Have the patient describe the effect of pain on the ability to cope. - ANS b. Ask the patient to
rate the level of pain.
A nurse is caring for a patient who recently had abdominal surgery and is experiencing severe
pain. The patient's blood pressure is 110/60 mm Hg, and heart rate is 60 beats/min. Additionally,
the patient does not appear to be in any physical distress. Which response by the nurse is most
therapeutic?
a. ―Your vitals do not show that you are having pain; can you describe your pain?‖
b. ―OK, I will go get you some narcotic pain relievers immediately.‖
c. ―What would you like to try to alleviate your pain?‖
d. ―Y ou do not look like you are in pain.‖ - ANS c. ―What would you like to try to alleviate
your pain?‖
A nurse teaches the patient about the gate control theory. Which statement made by a patient
reflects a correct understanding about the relationship between the gate control theory of pain
and the use of meditation to relieve pain?
a. ―Meditation controls pain by blocking pain impulses from coming through the
gate.‖
b. ―Meditation alters the chemical composition of pain neuroregulators, which closes
the gate.‖
c. ―Meditation will help me sleep through the pain because it opens the gate.‖
d. ―Meditation stops the occurrence of pain stimuli.‖ - ANS a. ―Meditation controls pain by
blocking pain impulses from coming through the
gate.‖
A nurse is planning care for an older-adult patient who is experiencing pain. Which statement
made by the nurse indicates the supervising nurse needs to follow up?
a. ―As adults age, their ability to perceive pain decreases.‖
b. ―Older patients may have low serum albumin in their blood, causing toxic effects
of analgesic drugs.‖
c. ―Patients who have dementia probably experience pain, and their pain is not
always well controlled.‖
d. ―It is safe to administer opioids to older adults as long as you start with small doses
,and frequently assess the patient's response to the medication.‖ - ANS a. ―As adults age, their
ability to perceive pain decreases.‖
The nurse is caring for two patients; both are having a hysterectomy. The first patient is having
the hysterectomy after a complicated birth. The second patient has uterine cancer. What will
most likely influence the experience of pain for these two patients?
a. Meaning of pain
b. Neurological factors
c. Competency of the surgeon
d. Postoperative support personnel - ANS a. Meaning of pain
The nurse is preparing pain medications. To which patient does the nurse anticipate
administering an opioid fentanyl patch?
a. A 15-year-old adolescent with a fractured femur
b. A 30-year-old adult with cellulitis
c. A 50-year-old patient with prostate cancer
d. An 80-year-old patient with a broken hip - ANS c. A 50-year-old patient with prostate cancer
A patient is receiving opioid medication through an epidural infusion. Which action will the nurse
take to protect the patient's safety?
a. Restrict fluid intake.
b. Label the tubing that leads to the epidural catheter.
c. Apply a gauze dressing to the epidural catheter insertion site.
d. Ask the nursing assistive personnel to check on the patient at least once every 2
hours. - ANS b. Label the tubing that leads to the epidural catheter.
A woman is in labor and refuses to receive any sort of anesthesia medication. Which alternative
treatment is best for this patient?
a. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)
b. Herbal supplements with analgesic effects
c. Pudendal block (regional anesthesia)
d. Relaxation and guided imagery - ANS d. Relaxation and guided imagery
A nurse is teaching a patient about patient-controlled analgesia (PCA). Which statement made
by the patient indicates to the nurse that teaching is effective?a. a. ―I will only need to be on
this pain medication.‖
b. ―I feel less anxiety about the possibility of overdosing.‖
c. ―I can receive the pain medication as frequently as I need to.‖
d. ―I need the nurse to notify me when it is time for another dose.‖ - ANS b. ―I feel less
anxiety about the possibility of overdosing.‖
A nurse is caring for a patient who is experiencing pain following abdominal surgery. Which
information is important for the nurse to share with the patient when providing patient education
about effective pain management?
, a. ―To prevent overdose, you need to wait to ask for pain medication until you begin
to experience pain.‖
b. ―You should take your medication after you walk to make sure you do not fall
while you are walking.‖
c. ―We should work together to create a schedule to provide regular dosing of
medication.‖
d. ―When you experience severe pain, you will need to take oral pain medications.‖ - ANS c.
―We should work together to create a schedule to provide regular dosing of
medication.‖
A nurse is caring for a patient who recently had spinal surgery. The nurse knows that patients
usually experience acute pain following this type of surgery. The patient refuses to get up and
walk and is not moving around in the bed. However, the patient is stoic and denies experiencing
pain at this time. What most likely explains this patient's behavior?
a. The surgery successfully cured the patient's pain.
b. The patient's culture is possibly influencing the patient's experience of pain.
c. The primary health care provider did not prescribe the correct amount of
medication.
d. The nurse is allowing personal beliefs about pain to influence pain management at
this time. - ANS b. The patient's culture is possibly influencing the patient's experience of pain.
A nurse is providing discharge teaching for a patient with a fractured humerus. The patient is
going home with a prescription for hydrocodone. Which important patient education should the
nurse provide?
a. ―You need to drink plenty of fluids and eat a diet high in fiber.‖
b. ―Narcotics can be addictive, so do not take them unless you are in severe pain.‖
c. ―Be sure to eat a meal high in fat before taking the medication, to avoid a stomach
ulcer.‖
d. ―As your pain severity lessens, you will begin to give yourself once-daily
intramuscular injections.‖ - ANS a. ―You need to drink plenty of fluids and eat a diet high in
fiber.‖
A patient arrives at the emergency department experiencing a headache and rates the pain as 7
on a 0 to 10 pain scale. Which non-pharmacological intervention does the nurse implement for
this patient while awaiting orders for pain medication from the health care provider?
a. Reassures the patient that the provider will come to the emergency department
soon.
b. Softly plays music that the patient finds relaxing.
c. Frequently reassesses the patient's pain scores.
d. Teaches the patient how to do yoga. - ANS b. Softly plays music that the patient finds
relaxing.
A patient diagnosed with type 2 diabetes 26 years ago is beginning to experience peripheral
neuropathy in the feet and lower leg. The nurse is providing education to the patient to prevent
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller LEWIS12. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $10.99. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
