Deck 11: Pain Management

Question 1

The nurse is providing care to a patient who had an abdominal nevus removed who is reporting intense pain.Which action by the nurse is appropriate?

A) Administer the stronger analgesic ordered by the primary care provider.
B) Administer a nonnarcotic analgesic because the patient had minor surgery.
C) Notify the health-care provider that the patient's pain is excessive for the minor surgery performed.
D) Attempt to divert the patient without administering an analgesic because the surgery was so minor.

Answer 1

Administer the stronger analgesic ordered by the primary care provider.

Question 2

The nurse is teaching a class on the perception of pain.What will the nurse teach as being the second step in processing pain stimuli?

A) Thalamus
B) Limbic system
C) Cerebral cortex
D) Reticular system

Answer 2

Cerebral cortex

Question 3

The nurse is caring for a patient who is experiencing acute chest pain that is rated as a 9 on a 0 to 10 pain scale.Based on this data,which medication does the nurse plan to administer?

A) Morphine
B) Ibuprofen
C) Naproxen
D) Acetaminophen

Answer 3

Morphine

Question 4

The nurse is obtaining a pain history.The patient reports pain in the right ear.Which response by the nurse is the most appropriate?

A) "Is the pain minor?"
B) "Do you have anything else that hurts?"
C) "I will note that in the record.Is there anything else I should know?"
D) "Tell me more about the pain and what you do for it when it hurts."

Question 5

Which term should the nurse use to document the maximum amount of pain is able to tolerate?

A) Allodynia
B) Hyperalgesia
C) Pain tolerance
D) Pain threshold

Question 6

The nurse is providing care to a postoperative patient who is getting out of bed for the first time since surgery.When conducting the pain assessment,the patient states,"It hurts,but I do not want to take any more drugs.I do not want to end up addicted." Which response by the nurse is most appropriate?

A) "Don't worry about getting addicted.I will make sure you don't get addicted."
B) "If you don't take the pain medication on a regular schedule,you won't get addicted."
C) "People who have real pain are unlikely to become addicted to analgesics provided to treat the pain."
D) "You are wise to be concerned;it is probably time to stop taking narcotics if you can manage the pain in other ways."

Question 7

The nurse finds a postoperative patient perspiring with fist clenched upon entering the room.The nurse administers routine medication and provides care.The patient is pleasant and cooperative.Which action by the nurse is appropriate?

A) Asking the patient if pain is being experienced
B) Instructing the patient to use the call bell if he experiences pain
C) Informing the patient that he looks uncomfortable and asking him to describe his pain
D) Documenting "no complaints of pain offered" and assessing that the patient is comfortable

Question 8

A nurse overhears another nurse say,"That patient is asking for pain medication again.He is constantly on the call bell,always reporting how severe his pain is,and I think he is just drug-seeking.I am going to make him wait the full 4 hours before I give this medication again." Which action by the nurse is the most appropriate in this situation?

A) Informing the charge nurse of what was overheard
B) Reprimanding the nurse and completing an incident or variance report
C) Ignoring the situation because the patient is not this nurse's responsibility
D) Reminding the nurse,in private,that the sensation of pain is whatever the patient says it is

Question 9

The nurse is caring for a patient who is experiencing acute pain.Which action by the patient,noted by the nurse during the assessment,is considered an associated symptom of pain?

A) Crying
B) Vomiting
C) Grimacing
D) Changing position

Question 10

The hospice nurse is making a home visit to a patient with terminal cancer.The patient reports poor pain control when the spouse says,"I am giving such big doses of medication,I am afraid she is going to overdose if I give her more." Which response by the nurse is the most appropriate?

A) "You are not giving adequate pain relief,and she is in severe pain as a result."
B) "You are wise to be concerned.These are very strong medications you're administering."
C) "Let's talk about the medication you're giving and warning signs to be concerned about."
D) "You are not giving enough pain medication,so she is in severe pain.You need to give more."

Question 11

The patient with a sprained ankle is complaining of pain in the injured area.Which term will the nurse use when documenting this patient's pain?

A) Somatic pain
B) Visceral pain
C) Neuropathic pain
D) Physiological pain

Question 12

Which data collected by the nurse is nonessential when conducting a patient pain history?

A) Intensity,quality,and patterns
B) Significant other's assessment of the pain
C) Precipitating factors,alleviating factors,and associated symptoms
D) Effects on activities of daily living,coping resources,and affective responses

Question 13

Which type of pain syndrome should the nurse assess when providing care to a female patient?

A) Back pain
B) Interstitial cystitis
C) Cluster headaches
D) Visceral pain from the heart

Question 14

The nurse is using a nonpharmacologic method to manage a patient's pain,and applies a unit that applies low-voltage electrical stimulation directly over the pain area.When documenting this intervention,which term is the most appropriate for the nurse to use?

A) TENS unit
B) Nerve block
C) Functional restoration
D) Cutaneous stimulation

Question 15

The patient has pain in the lower back that radiates down the leg as the result of a herniated disk compressing the sciatic nerve that began 4 months ago.When documenting this patient's pain,which term will the nurse use?

A) Acute somatic pain
B) Acute visceral pain
C) Acute neuropathic pain
D) Chronic neuropathic pain

Question 16

When caring for an older adult patient who does not speak English,which assessment tool is the most appropriate for the nurse to use to assess this patient's pain?

A) An interpreter.
B) The patient's affect.
C) The patient's vital signs.
D) The FACES rating scale.

Question 17

The pain management team individualizes the analgesic regimen by guiding the adjustment of medication,dose,time intervals,and route of administration.When discussing this method of treating pain,which term is the most appropriate for the nurse to use?

A) Analgesia
B) Equianalgesia
C) Polypharmacy
D) Dose-reduction pharmacology

Question 18

Which action by the nurse is the most appropriate when initiating guided imagery with a patient as a method to control pain?

A) Suggesting a place where the patient will find peace
B) Guiding the patient toward a most beautiful or peaceful place
C) Asking the patient to use progressive muscle relaxation exercises
D) Asking the patient to take slow,full diaphragmatic/abdominal breaths

Question 19

Which nursing action will provide the patient with the most pain relief after abdominal surgery?

A) Offer pain relief before the patient complains of pain.
B) Assess the pain level every 4 hours around the clock.
C) Wait until the patient can describe the pain specifically.
D) Allow the patient to "sleep off" the anesthesia,and then offer pain medication.

Question 20

A patient,who rates abdominal pain as a 10 on a 1 to 10 numeric scale is experiencing nausea,vomiting,and restlessness.Which conclusion is appropriate by the nurse based on the current data?

A) Acute pain
B) Chronic pain
C) End-of-life pain
D) Fibromyalgia pain

Question 21

The nurse administered an oral analgesic to a patient complaining of a mild-to-moderate headache.Which activity would the nurse consider to help relieve the patient's discomfort until the analgesic takes effect?

A) Crossword puzzles
B) Slow rhythmic breathing
C) Reading or watching TV
D) Video or computer games

Question 22

The patient reports difficulty sleeping related to anxiety.Which nonpharmacologic pain management intervention might the nurse consider performing in order to relax the patient?

A) Massage
B) Distraction
C) Acupressure
D) Acupuncture

Question 23

Which is the reason for the nurse to administer ibuprofen,over acetaminophen,when providing patient pain management?

A) Analgesic effects
B) Antipyretic effects
C) Anti-inflammatory effects
D) Antipyretic and anti-inflammatory effects