(^554) Medical-Surgical Nursing Demystified
- The most appropriate assessment of the efficacy of administered pain med-
ication would be:
(a) The nurses visual assessment.
(b) Changes in blood pressure, pulse, and respiratory rate.
(c) The nurse’s verbal assessment.
(d) The patient’s perception measured on a pain scale. - Prior to giving a requested pain medication, you would:
(a) wait longer; the patient did not appear to be uncomfortable.
(b) administer after the family left.
(c) assess the vital signs.
(d) call the doctor. - An elderly patient has a two-year history of back pain from arthritis. You
would encourage:
(a) lifestyle modification and NSAIDs.
(b) use of narcotics for pain management.
(c) diagnostic tests.
(d) vigorous physical therapy. - It would not be unusual for a patient with chronic pain to be taking:
(a) tricyclic antidepressants.
(b) antibiotics.
(c) antidiabetic medications.
(d) hypertensive medications. - A two-day postoperative right-below-the-knee amputation patient complains
of severe right foot pain. Your appropriate nursing response would be to:
(a) refer the patient to psychiatry.
(b) explain to the patient the pain is not real because the foot is not there.
(c) medicate the patient for pain.
(d) encourage guided imagery or another diversion technique.