Exam 10: Nursing Care of Patients in Pain

The mother of an adolescent recovering from surgery for a fractured leg asks if all pain medication can be non-narcotic,because she does not want her child to become addicted.What should the nurse respond to the mother?

A patient with a gastrostomy tube is prescribed a sustained-released opioid medication.What should the nurse do when preparing to provide this medication to the patient?

A patient has been requesting hydrocodone/acetaminophen (Vicodin)for pain every 4 hours for several days.Now the patient calls the nurse after only 3 hours and says,"I need more Vicodin.The pain is worse." On which initial assumption should the nurse base a decision about what to do next?

The nurse notes that a patient experiencing a pain level of 9 on a scale from 0 to 10 has a change in vital signs.What type of pain should the nurse realize this patient is experiencing?

A patient is prescribed acetaminophen to help with pain control.How many grams of acetaminophen can the nurse safely administer to the patient each day?

The nurse is reviewing medications prescribed for a patient experiencing pain.Which medications should the nurse realize are being used as adjuvant agents for this patient's pain? (Select all that apply.)

A patient taking hydromorphone for cancer pain is experiencing constipation.What should the nurse teach to help this patient?

The nurse enters a room just as a patient's daughter pushes the button of his intravenous (IV)patient-controlled analgesia (PCA)pump.Which response by the nurse is appropriate?

The nurse answers a patient's call for pain medication,only to find the patient laughing and joking with visitors.Which response by the nurse is appropriate?

A patient receiving morphine sulfate 5 mg IV every 4 hours around the clock and acetaminophen PO every 4 hours reports intense itching.Assuming all are ordered,which prn medication should the nurse administer?

The nurse is preparing to assess a patient's pain level.Which definition of pain should the nurse use to guide practice?

A patient has abdominal pain after gallbladder surgery.For which type of pain should the nurse provide care?

A patient is determined to be physically dependent on prescribed pain medication.How should the nurse interpret this patient's dependency?

A nursing home resident complains of joint pain.Which medication should the nurse choose first to relieve the patient's pain?

A patient with terminal cancer describes a pain rating of 7 on a 0-to-10 scale.The nurse notes that the patient's vital signs are unchanged and recalls that vital signs may be elevated with pain.What is the best explanation for this?

A nurse provides an opioid antidote to a patient experiencing opioid toxicity.Which outcome should the nurse expect after providing this medication?

The nurse is determining the effective of pain medication provided to a patient.What is the best way for the nurse to measure effectiveness of pain medication?

A patient who has just returned from abdominal surgery states,"I learned relaxation exercises,so I won't need any drugs." Which statement about relaxation therapy should the nurse use to guide care for this patient?

A patient recovering from surgery for a ruptured appendix yesterday has an order for morphine 4 mg q 6 hours prn.Every 5 hours and 55 minutes,the patient puts on the call light and asks for the morphine.A staff member comments that the patient is drug-seeking.Which action by the nurse is most appropriate first?

A nursing assistant,observing the licensed practical nurse (LPN)prepare medication for a patient asks why so much morphine is being provided since patients have quit breathing after receiving such a high dose.The patient has been receiving the same dose of medication for several days without respiratory compromise.Which response by the LPN is best?