Deck 16: Pain and Comfort

Question 1

The older adult is at higher risk for acute psychological pain compared to a younger adult because of which of the following statements about older adults?

A) Older adults have less tolerance for pain.
B) Older adults possess fewer assets.
C) Older adults experience more loss.
D) Older adults live with impairments.

Answer 1

Older adults experience more loss.

Question 2

Compared with acute pain, which of the following statements is true of persistent pain?

A) It leads to markedly altered vital signs.
B) It is usually described as a burning pain.
C) It is generally gone within four months.
D) It can bring about changes in lifestyle.

Answer 2

It can bring about changes in lifestyle.

Question 3

The nurse uses comfort measures to enhance an older adult's pharmacological pain management. Which should the nurse use to identify relationships between comfort measures, pharmacotherapy, and the older adult's pain level?

A) Older adult's self-report
B) Older adult's pain diary
C) Visual Analogue Scale
D) Pain medication frequency

Answer 3

Older adult's pain diary

Question 4

The nurse admits an older male patient who had abdominal surgery. Admission vital signs are P 73, R 20, BP 136/84 mm Hg. He is receiving intravenous (IV) fluids but has not requested pain medication since surgery. Seven hours later, his vital signs are P 98, R 26, BP 164/90 mm Hg, and he denies pain. Which intervention should the nurse implement?

A) Administer an opioid medication by IV route.
B) Check the surgical dressing for bleeding.
C) Report the vital signs to the health care provider.
D) Ask him about discomfort at the surgical site.

Question 5

Which statement is true about analgesic medications for older adults?

A) Opioids are less effective in older patients than in younger patients.
B) Stool softeners and laxatives should be used with opioids.
C) Over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are generally harmless.
D) The dose limit for acetaminophen is difficult to reach for older adults.

Question 6

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 he can perform?

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 the health care provider to get him a walker.

Question 7

The nurse administers an opioid analgesic to an older male adult postoperative patient on a surgical unit. Which is the most important intervention for the nurse to implement before leaving the patient's room?

A) Place the call bell within reach.
B) Position the patient comfortably.
C) Offer toileting and a sip of water.
D) Instruct him to ask for help before getting up.

Question 8

Which one of the following interventions would provide comfort, reduce anxiety and distress, and alleviate pain?

A) Acupuncture treatments
B) Adjuvant therapy
C) Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation
D) Touch

Question 9

An older adult admitted for back surgery asks for opioid pain medication. The nurse knows the patient asks for pain medication 15 minutes before it is due. Which recommendation should the nurse implement?

A) Validate the pain with other assessment data.
B) Administer the pain medication as prescribed.
C) Tell the patient it is too soon for pain medication.
D) Talk the patient into alternative comfort measures.

Question 10

An older male adult who does not understand or speak English very well denies having pain, but he had knee replacement surgery two days before. Which is the best pain assessment tool for the nurse to apply when assessing the older adult's pain?

A) Numeric Rating Scale
B) Verbal Descriptor Scale
C) PAINAD assessment tool
D) Visual Analogue Scale

Question 11

An older female adult had surgery one day ago, and the nurse thinks that the woman also has dementia. While assessing the patient, what indication would the nurse use to determine that the older adult is experiencing pain?

A) The patient holds her abdomen tightly.
B) The patient has stable vital signs.
C) The patient is not verbalizing.
D) The patient moves during sleep.