The nurse is assessing a client admitted with severe back pain. Which are essential components of the pain assessment? Select all that apply.
Impact on ADL's.
Family medical history.
Pain intensity rating
Characteristics of the pain.
Aggravating factors.
Correct Answer : A,C,D,E
A) Impact on ADLs: Understanding how pain affects a client's activities of daily living (ADLs) is crucial for assessing the overall impact of the pain on their life. It provides insight into the functional limitations caused by the pain and helps guide treatment planning.
B) Family medical history: While family medical history can provide context for certain conditions, it is not an essential component of a focused pain assessment. The immediate concerns are more directly related to the client's current pain experience rather than their family's medical background.
C) Pain intensity rating: Assessing the intensity of pain is a fundamental aspect of pain assessment. Using scales (e.g., 0-10) allows the nurse to quantify the pain, monitor changes over time, and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions.
D) Characteristics of the pain: Understanding the characteristics of the pain—such as its quality (sharp, dull, throbbing) and location—is essential for determining its cause and guiding appropriate treatment strategies.
E) Aggravating factors: Identifying what exacerbates the pain is critical for understanding its nature and developing effective management strategies. Knowing which activities or positions worsen the pain can help in creating a comprehensive care plan tailored to the client's needs.
Free Nursing Test Bank
- Free Pharmacology Quiz 1
- Free Medical-Surgical Quiz 2
- Free Fundamentals Quiz 3
- Free Maternal-Newborn Quiz 4
- Free Anatomy and Physiology Quiz 5
- Free Obstetrics and Pediatrics Quiz 6
- Free Fluid and Electrolytes Quiz 7
- Free Community Health Quiz 8
- Free Promoting Health across the Lifespan Quiz 9
- Free Multidimensional Care Quiz 10
View Related questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
A) Listen for another minute just to be sure: While it is important to confirm findings, simply listening for another minute may not provide enough time to accurately assess bowel sounds, as they can be infrequent or absent in certain conditions.
B) Contact the physician as this is a surgical emergency: Not hearing bowel sounds for a minute is not immediately indicative of a surgical emergency. It’s essential to gather more information before escalating the situation.
C) Auscultate for another 4 minutes: This is the appropriate action, as the nurse should auscultate for a total of 5 minutes (1 minute initially and then 4 more minutes) to adequately assess bowel sounds. This duration allows for the detection of normal, hypoactive, or absent bowel sounds, which can provide critical information about the client’s gastrointestinal function.
D) Listen posteriorly for enhanced bowel sounds: While listening from different positions may sometimes help, the standard practice is to listen for an appropriate duration before changing techniques. Auscultating for a longer period is more clinically relevant in this scenario.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
A) VII: The facial nerve (cranial nerve VII) is responsible for controlling the muscles of facial expression. By assessing facial symmetry and movement, the nurse evaluates the integrity and function of this nerve, which is crucial for activities such as smiling, frowning, and raising eyebrows.
B) V: The trigeminal nerve (cranial nerve V) is primarily responsible for sensation in the face and motor functions such as chewing. While it plays a role in facial movement, it does not specifically assess facial expressions.
C) III: The oculomotor nerve (cranial nerve III) controls eye movement and pupil constriction. It does not directly influence facial expressions, so it is not the nerve being assessed in this context.
D) VI: The abducens nerve (cranial nerve VI) is responsible for lateral eye movement. It is unrelated to facial expression or symmetry and is not the focus of this assessment.