The patient reports intense pain and rates it 10/10. He is talking and laughing on the telephone but interrupts his conversion to request pain medication. The nurse would make a decision about the administration of medication based on which indicator of pain?
A) The patient's body language and emotional state
B) The patient's level of activity and interaction with others
C) The patient's subjective statements about the pain
D) The nurse's objective data regarding the physical characteristics of the pain

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The choice of the patient's subjective statements about the pain is correct. With pain, regardless of how the patient behaves, the patient's comments and rating of his pain assist the nurse in making the decision to administer pain medication. Del Bueno remarks that the beginning RN must meet a minimum set of competencies to be safe in the new role. These competencies include the ability to recognize problems from presenting signs and symptoms, awareness of the urgency of a situation and acting appropriately, capacity to design a care plan that safely meets the needs of the patient, and understanding the nature of the care plan in relation to the patient's medical and nursing problems.

The Patient Reports Intense Pain and Rates It 10/10