Question 1

Which of the following objective assessment data will the nurse obtain before administering a prescribed opioid medication to a client?

Accepted Answer

Objective assessment data that should be obtained before administering an opioid medication include respiratory rate, as opioids can cause respiratory depression. Pain level, nausea, and skin color are important assessment data, but they are subjective in nature and may not accurately reflect the severity of the client's condition.

Question 2

The client is taking meperidine (Demerol)and experiencing pruritus.Which medication should the nurse expect the physician to order?

Accepted Answer

Pruritus (itching) is a common side effect of meperidine (Demerol). Diphenhydramine hydrochloride (Benadryl) is an antihistamine medication commonly used to treat pruritus. Naloxone hydrochloride (Narcan) is an opioid antagonist used to reverse respiratory depression caused by opioid overdose. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is an analgesic medication that does not treat pruritus. Normal saline is a solution used for hydration and electrolyte replacement, and does not treat pruritus.

Question 3

The client scheduled to undergo minor surgery states,"The physician will not give me pain medication after surgery because my surgery is only minor." What is the best response by the nurse?

Accepted Answer

The best response by the nurse is to educate the client that pain can be experienced after any type of surgery, thus they should be allowed to have pain medication. Educating the client on the potential side effects and dose of medication is important, but withholding pain medication is not a recommended practice.

Question 4

A client experiencing pain has been prescribed aspirin.The nurse realizes that this medication will affect which pain process?

Accepted Answer

Aspirin affects the transduction process by inhibiting the production of prostaglandins, which are involved in the initiation of pain signals.

Question 5

The nurse is caring for a postpartum client receiving pain medication through an epidural catheter.Which assessment finding should the nurse report immediately to the physician?

Accepted Answer

A respiratory rate of 8 is significantly low and may indicate respiratory depression, which is a serious adverse effect of epidural pain medication. The physician should be notified immediately for further evaluation and possible intervention. The other assessment findings are within normal limits and do not require immediate reporting.

Question 6

The nurse is providing discharge instructions to a client prescribed an opioid medication.What should the nurse suggest to decrease the risk of constipation with this medication?

Accepted Answer

Opioid medications commonly cause constipation by slowing bowel motility. Increasing water intake can help soften stools and prevent constipation. Taking an antihistamine or assessing respiratory or heart rate are not effective measures to prevent constipation.

Question 7

The nurse is to administer acetaminophen (Tylenol)prn to a client for a headache;however,the client has been vomiting all day.Which route should the nurse use to administer the medication?

Accepted Answer

Since the client has been vomiting all day, administering medication orally may not be effective as there is a possibility that the medication will be vomited out. Therefore, the best option for the nurse is to administer the medication rectally. This route ensures that the medication is absorbed into the bloodstream even in cases where oral ingestion might not be possible. Intravenous administration is not necessary for a headache, and vaginal administration is not appropriate for acetaminophen.

Question 8

The nurse is preparing to discharge a client home with a prescription for ibuprofen (Motrin).What should the nurse instruct as a common side effect of this medication?

Accepted Answer

Gastrointestinal (GI) distress is a common side effect of ibuprofen, including symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain. Shakiness, tremors, and rash are not commonly associated with ibuprofen.

Question 9

The nurse is caring for a client who is using morphine through patient-controlled analgesia (PCA).What medication should the nurse have readily available?

Accepted Answer

Naloxone hydrochloride (Narcan) should be readily available when caring for a client using morphine through patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) as it is an antidote to opioid overdose.

Question 10

A client recovering from a left below-the-knee amputation is experiencing left foot pain.The nurse realizes the client is experiencing which type of pain?

Accepted Answer

Phantom limb pain is a type of pain experienced after an amputation, where the individual feels pain in the limb that is no longer there. The client's left foot pain suggests that they are experiencing phantom limb pain.

Question 11

A client is complaining of having the same type of pain that he experienced prior to being diagnosed with cancer.The nurse realizes that which process will influence this client's perception of pain?

Accepted Answer

Perception refers to the interpretation of pain by the brain, and is influenced by past experiences, expectations, and emotions. In this case, the client's past experience with cancer may be influencing his perception of pain, causing him to feel pain similar to what he felt before being diagnosed. Transmission refers to the sending of pain signals from the site of injury to the brain, modulation refers to the process of altering pain signals in the spinal cord, and transduction refers to the conversion of a physical stimulus into an electrical signal. While all of these processes are involved in the experience of pain, perception is the best answer in this scenario.

Question 12

The nurse provides an oral opiate to a client with pain.In how many hours should the nurse expect the client to need another dose of the medication?

Accepted Answer

The nurse should expect the client to need another dose of the medication in 4 hours since oral opiates usually provide pain relief for 4-6 hours. It is important to assess the client's pain level before administering another dose to ensure that the client is not receiving too much medication.

Question 13

A client states that a cramping pain started 2 hours ago and is not accompanied by any nausea or vomiting.Which type of pain is this client most likely experiencing?

Accepted Answer

The client is most likely experiencing acute pain, which is characterized by sudden onset and short duration. The absence of nausea or vomiting suggests that the pain is not related to a visceral organ. Chronic pain lasts longer than six months, and phantom pain occurs after the loss of a body part.

Question 14

The nurse is performing discharge teaching for a client taking an NSAID.The client states he has heard that taking an antacid with this medication will help decrease the incidence of upset stomach.What is the nurse's best response?

Accepted Answer

Antacids can decrease the absorption of NSAIDs, which can reduce their effectiveness. Therefore, it is generally not recommended to take antacids with NSAIDs unless instructed by a healthcare provider.

Question 15

A client recovering from hip surgery is reluctant to ambulate because of the amount of pain that occurred with walking prior to the surgery.What can the nurse do to help this client with pain control?

Accepted Answer

The answer of A client recovering from hip surgery is...

Question 16

The nurse is caring for an 8-month-old infant.What is the best tool the nurse should use for evaluating pain in this infant?

Accepted Answer

The FLACC scale (Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability) is the best tool for evaluating pain in infants and young children up to age 3 who are nonverbal or have limited verbal ability. It assesses five indicators of pain (facial expression, leg movement, activity, cry, and consolability) and assigns a score from 0-10, with higher scores indicating more severe pain. This tool is appropriate for use with infants as young as 2 months old. The other tools listed are more appropriate for use with older children or adults.

Question 17

A client is experiencing pain after spraining an ankle.The nurse realizes that the client is most likely experiencing which type of pain?

Accepted Answer

Spraining an ankle typically results in somatic pain, which is caused by the stimulation of pain receptors in the skin, muscles, and connective tissues. Mild to moderate pain is common after an ankle sprain, but severe pain would be unexpected unless there was a more significant injury such as a fracture. Visceral pain refers to pain originating in the organs and is not typically associated with an ankle sprain.

Question 18

The nurse is preparing to conduct a pain assessment.What should the nurse include in this assessment?
Standard Text: Select all that apply.

Accepted Answer

The nurse should assess the duration, location, intensity, and etiology of the pain to understand the patient's condition comprehensively. Neurology is not typically part of a standard pain assessment.

Question 19

A client tells the nurse that an ice pack works well to reduce the intensity of back pain.The nurse realizes that the client is implementing

Accepted Answer

The gate control theory of pain suggests that non-painful stimuli (such as an ice pack) can block pain signals from reaching the brain. Using an ice pack is a physical intervention that has been shown to help manage pain, rather than psychological interventions such as distraction, guided imagery, or the placebo effect.

Question 20

A client is surprised to learn of the diagnosis of a heart attack when there was no chest pain experienced but only some left shoulder pain.The nurse should explain that the client experienced which type of pain?

Accepted Answer

Referred pain is when pain is felt in an area of the body other than where the problem is actually occurring. In the case described, the heart attack caused pain in the left shoulder, rather than in the chest where it was actually occurring.

Quiz 46: Pain Management