A patient with chronic pain tells the nurse "I just want to give up all together. I am in so much pain every day, all the time. I don't want to do this anymore." Which is the priority nursing diagnosis for this patient?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

1. The priority nursing diagnosis for this patient is hopelessness, a state in which an individual feels restrained (without choices or alternatives) and immobilized. The nurse must recognize that the patient may be expressing thoughts of suicide, and the nurse must immediately assess for suicidal ideations. Though the patient is in chronic pain, it is the patient's hopelessness that takes priority. Powerlessness and spiritual distress may be aspects of the patient's current state; however, the patient's expression of hopelessness takes priority.

A Patient with Chronic Pain Tells the Nurse "I Just