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...
test bank questions from fundamentals
book
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. -✔✔✔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.‖ -✔✔✔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.‖ -✔✔✔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.‖ -✔✔✔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 -✔✔✔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 -✔✔✔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. -✔✔✔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 -✔✔✔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.‖ -✔✔✔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.‖ -✔✔✔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. -✔✔✔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.‖
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