Exam 6: Pain Assessment

In the labor and delivery department, the nurse notices that two women who are in labor are responding differently to their contractions. The first woman, who is having her first baby, has rated her pain as a "7," seems agitated, and has asked for pain medication. The second woman, who is having her third baby, has also rated her pain as a "7," but is calmer and says she does not need anything for pain at this time. What explains the differences in the outward responses to pain between these women?

A patient with gout is complaining of severe, throbbing pain in the great toe. What type of pain is this patient experiencing?

Which patient has pain caused by abnormal processing of sensory input from the peripheral nervous system?

The nurse is performing a symptom analysis of a patient with pain. Which questions below are appropriate for a symptom analysis? (Select all that apply.)

How do nurses assess pain of neonates or of adults with dementia or decreased level of consciousness? (Select all that apply.)

A nurse is assessing a patient who complains of awful abdominal pain and rates it as a 9 on a scale of 0 to 10. Which of the following physiologic signs may accompany acute pain? (Select all that apply.)

A patient reports "right shoulder pain that comes and goes" as the chief complaint. During the physical examination, the patient asks why the upper right abdomen is being examined for shoulder pain. What is the appropriate response from the nurse?

Which patient would be expected to experience acute pain?

A patient admitted to the emergency department with "excruciating chest pain, above the rating of 10," has a heart rate of 55, rapid, irregular respirations, complains of nausea, and is too weak to move to the stretcher without aid. Which component of the nervous system is the cause of this patient's response to pain?

The nurse notes in the patient's history that the patient has persistent, malignant pain. What is the meaning of this type of pain?

How do nurses assess a patient's pain?

A patient who had an amputation of his lower leg comes to the clinic with a complaint of pain. He asks, "How I can be feeling pain in my foot-my foot is gone?" What is the appropriate response from the nurse?

A patient has had chronic back pain for several years. On assessment, the nurse notes that the patient sits quietly in a chair, reads a book, talks with a companion, and does not appear to be in pain. When questioned, the patient rates the pain as a 6 on a scale of 0 to 10. How does the nurse interpret these data?

A patient with a partial small bowel obstruction describes the pain as "cramping, off-and-on pain that spreads over my stomach." What type of pain is this patient experiencing?

A patient who had extensive surgery asks the nurse for pain medication for a pain of 9 on a scale of 0 to 10. The nurse completes an assessment of this patient's pain and agrees to give pain medication. When the nurse returns to the patient with the ordered intravenous pain medication, she notices the patient's eyes are closed and he appears to be sleeping. What is the nurse's appropriate action at this time?