The nurse is assessing a client who is having pain in the right upper abdominal area. To assess the quality of the client’s abdominal pain, which approach should the nurse use?
Identify effective pain relief measures.
Ask the client to describe the pain.
Provide a numeric pain scale.
Observe body language and movement.
The Correct Answer is B
Choice A rationale
Identifying effective pain relief measures is important, but it does not directly assess the quality of the pain. This approach focuses on management rather than understanding the pain’s characteristics.
Choice B rationale
Asking the client to describe the pain is the most direct way to assess its quality. This allows the nurse to gather detailed information about the pain’s nature, intensity, and characteristics, which is crucial for accurate diagnosis and treatment.
Choice C rationale
Providing a numeric pain scale helps quantify the pain’s intensity but does not provide qualitative details about the pain’s nature. It is useful for monitoring pain levels over time but not for initial assessment.
Choice D rationale
Observing body language and movement can give clues about pain but is subjective and less reliable than directly asking the client. It should be used as a supplementary method rather than the primary approach.
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View Related questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A rationale
Tilting the pelvis forwards and backwards exercises the pelvic joints, not the hinge joints.
Choice B rationale
Turning the head to the right and left exercises the neck joints, not the hinge joints.
Choice C rationale
Bending the arm by flexing the ulnar to the humerus exercises the hinge joints, such as the elbow, which is a hinge joint.
Choice D rationale
Extending the arm at the side and rotating in circles exercises the shoulder joint, which is a ball-and-socket joint, not a hinge joint.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A rationale
Administering PRN oral pain medication without further assessment may not be appropriate, as the client’s pain needs must be fully evaluated before intervening with medication. Pain medication should be administered based on an accurate assessment rather than solely on nonverbal cues.
Choice B rationale
Reviewing the pain medications prescribed is important, particularly if the client is exhibiting signs of uncontrolled pain. However, this intervention should be secondary to further assessment of the client’s current pain status.
Choice C rationale
Administering PRN oral pain medication without further assessment may not be appropriate, as the client’s pain needs must be fully evaluated before intervening with medication. Pain medication should be administered based on an accurate assessment rather than solely on nonverbal cues.
Choice D rationale
Asking the client what is causing the grimacing is the correct intervention to implement first. Nonverbal cues, such as grimacing, can indicate the presence of pain, even if the client denies it verbally. By closely monitoring the client’s nonverbal behavior, the nurse can gather additional information about the client’s pain experience and make appropriate interventions based on a comprehensive assessment.