Deck 18: Pain Management, Comfort, Rest, and Sleep

Question 1

A patient has pain in the left arm secondary to coronary insufficiency. This is an example of what type of pain?

A) Acute pain
B) Chronic pain
C) Referred pain
D) Subacute pain

Answer 1

Referred pain

Question 2

The nurse obtains information from a patient about the site, severity, and duration of the pain. What type of data is this considered?

A) Patient data
B) Objective data
C) Focused data
D) Subjective data

Answer 2

Subjective data

Question 3

A patient is receiving an opioid narcotic. What common side effect should the nurse be aware of when assessing this patient?

A) Addiction
B) Vomiting
C) Constipation
D) Diarrhea

Answer 3

Constipation

Question 4

Why should a nurse promptly administer a prescribed analgesic after a pain assessment?

A) The physician has ordered it
B) It is an efficient use of time
C) Unrelieved pain can cause setbacks
D) It meets the goals of the nursing care plan

Question 5

What is the defining term for continuous or intermittent pain that does not serve as a warning of tissue damage?

A) Acute
B) Unrelieved
C) Chronic
D) Subacute

Question 6

The nurse is planning interventions for a patient experiencing pain. For what type of synergistic relationship should the nurse assess?

A) Inflammatory process
B) Circulatory disorder
C) Food allergy
D) Fatigue

Question 7

To share assessment findings and pain relief interventions, which documentation sample is the most helpful?

A) 1600: Patient reports chest pain. Medicated with morphine sulfate.
B) 1600: Patient reports sharp chest pain. Morphine sulfate given IM.
C) 1600: Patient reports sharp pain in left chest radiating to neck. Morphine sulfate 5 mg administered IM in right deltoid.
D) 1600: Patient requested medication for pain in left chest. Morphine sulfate 10 mg PO given.

Question 8

A patient reports to the nurse that he is experiencing a moderate amount of back pain rated 6 out of 10 on the pain scale. What should the nurse recognize about this assessment?

A) Pain is objective for the nurse.
B) Pain is easy to recognize.
C) Pain is subjective for the patient.
D) Pain is easily relieved if found early.

Question 9

The nurse explains that transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) provides a continuous mild electrical current to the skin. How does the TENS unit act to reduce pain?

A) Distracts the patient
B) Blocks endorphin production
C) Warms the skin
D) Blocks pain impulses

Question 10

Where does the nurse recognize that many institutions are now including pain assessment in implementing patient care?

A) The initial assessment
B) Discharge planning
C) Assessing vital signs
D) Care planning

Question 11

The nurse is trying to reassure a patient who is concerned about receiving addictive drugs. What percentage of patients become addicted to analgesics?

A) Less than 0.1%
B) Less than 1%
C) Less than 5%
D) Less than 6%

Question 12

The nurse is giving a backrub to a patient to relieve pain. What pain theory is the nurse using?

A) Synergism
B) Gate control
C) Distraction
D) Guided imagery

Question 13

A young athlete asks the nurse why he felt little pain when he broke his leg during a game. What does the nurse describe as having an effect on this patient's perception of pain?

A) Hormones
B) Enzymes
C) Adrenaline
D) Endorphins

Question 14

The nurse reassures a patient that most acute pain is intense and of short duration. How long does can acute pain usually last?

A) 1 week
B) Less than 6 months
C) At least 9 months
D) More than 1 year

Question 15

The nurse is caring for a patient using patient-controlled analgesia (PCA). What is a major advantage to this method?

A) Less expensive
B) More effective
C) Less addictive
D) Quicker

Question 16

The nurse teaches noninvasive pain relief techniques, such as guided imagery, biofeedback, and relaxation. What is the primary advantage of these techniques?

A) Can be done any time
B) Does not require a nurse
C) Gives the patient some control
D) Is most effective

Question 17

The home health nurse is caring for a patient with an implanted pacemaker. What type of pain management would be contraindicated?

A) Peripheral analgesics
B) A TENS unit
C) Opioid analgesics
D) Adjuvant analgesics

Question 18

An American Indian patient requests that an egg yolk be placed in a saucer and put under his bed to absorb the pain. What should the nurse do?

A) Explain that medication will relieve the pain better
B) Place the egg in a saucer under the bed
C) Ask the physician for permission
D) Warn that housekeeping staff will remove the egg

Question 19

The nurse is assessing pain reported by a Latino male patient. What is important for the nurse take into consideration when observing objective data?

A) Latino men are suspicious of female caregivers.
B) Latino men have a cultural bias against use of narcotics.
C) Latino men believe pain is necessary for cure.
D) Latino men feel it is unmanly to admit to pain.

Question 20

A patient tearfully declares the use of relaxation techniques does not work for her. What is the best action for the nurse to implement?

A) Give up on the idea
B) Encourage the patient to try again
C) Assure the patient that not everyone is successful
D) Give the patient a sedative

Question 21

What action should the nurse take when evaluating the effectiveness of new or revised therapies for pain relief?

A) Observe the patient performing activities of daily living
B) Observe the patient's facial expressions
C) Frequently assess subjective data
D) Perform evaluation of outcome goals

Question 22

Although denying pain, a patient is irritable, responds slowly, and exhibits periods of tachycardia. What should the nurse assess for in this patient?

A) Electrolyte imbalance
B) Allergic response
C) Sleep deprivation
D) Constipation

Question 23

What action should the nurse implement when assisting a postoperative patient with pain control and comfort?

A) Pull the patient up in bed
B) Lift the patient up in bed
C) Tighten constricting bandages
D) Restrict fluid and dietary intake

Question 24

A patient tells the nurse he is reluctant to report his pain because he does not want to be a bother. What problems is the nurse aware that unrelieved pain can cause? (Select all that apply.)

A) Decreased oxygen demand
B) Depression
C) Respiratory dysfunction
D) Decreased GI motility
E) Irritability

Question 25

A patient is receiving epidural analgesics. What should the nurse monitor closely in this patient?

A) Temperature elevation to 99.2° F from 98° F
B) Increase in pulse rate from 88 to 99
C) Decrease in respirations from 16 to 14
D) Decrease in blood pressure from 120/80 to 110/68

Question 26

When should a nurse administer prescribed analgesic medication when treating a postoperative patient?

A) Before activity
B) Only when requested by the physician
C) Only when requested by the family
D) Only when requested by the patient

Question 27

When preparing a patient for sleep, diming the lights and decreasing the noise levels are examples of nursing interventions. What are these interventions designed to do?

A) Mimic usual sleep patterns
B) Decrease environmental stimuli
C) Prepare the patient for sleep
D) Provide for more rest

Question 28

The nurse is aware that the state at which a person is mentally relaxed, free from worry, and is physically calm is __________.

Question 29

The nurse clarifies that the term peripheral analgesics describes the group of drugs also referred to as ___________.

Question 30

The nurse should administer an analgesic to an unconscious patient after observing which signs? (Select all that apply.)

A) Increased heart rate from 82 to 94
B) Decreased systolic blood pressure
C) Increased muscle tension
D) Perspiration on upper lip
E) Facial grimacing

Question 31

The nurse is using a pain scale of 0 to 10 to assess pain in a postoperative patient. What is considered the maximum pain level at which a patient can usually function effectively?

A) 2
B) 3
C) 4
D) 5

Question 32

What is the best approach for a nurse to use when planning pain relief measures?

A) Use a variety of pain relief methods
B) Use only nonopioid analgesics
C) Use at least three alternating methods
D) Use only one method at a time

Question 33

The home health nurse is instructing the family of an older adult patient with arthritis about sleep promotion. What intervention can best promote sleep for the older adult patient?

A) Giving nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in the mornings
B) Administering diuretics in the mornings
C) Encouraging daytime sleeping
D) Avoiding the stimulation of backrubs or warm drinks before bedtime

Question 34

A nurse is caring for a patient who requires long-term management for severe pain. What should be the drug of choice for this patient?

A) Aspirin
B) Morphine
C) Oxycodone
D) Acetaminophen

Question 35

The nurse is trying to establish an effective relationship with a patient in pain. What is the best statement for the nurse to make when beginning the assessment?

A) "I'll check to see if you can have anything."
B) "Let me give you a backrub and see if it helps."
C) "I believe you are in pain."
D) "When was your last medication for pain?"

Question 36

The pain relief intervention that stimulates large cutaneous nerve fibers to "close the gate" is the _________ unit.

Question 37

A male patient reports to the home health nurse that he does not feel rested although he has slept 8 hours. For what should the nurse assess?

A) Having vivid dreams
B) Eating a heavy meal before going to bed
C) Consuming an excessive amount of alcohol
D) Taking an anxiolytic medication