A patient reports "right shoulder pain that comes and goes" as the chief complaint. During the physical examination, the patient asks why the upper right abdomen is being examined for shoulder pain. What is the appropriate response from the nurse?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Referred pain is pain felt at a site different from that of an injured or diseased organ. It commonly occurs during visceral pain because many organs have no pain receptors; thus, when afferent nerves enter the spinal cord, they stimulate sensory nerves from unaffected organs in the same spinal cord segment as those neurons in areas where injury or disease is located. A focused examination is indicated at this time, not a comprehensive examination. This patient's pain is due to referred pain, not to associated problems that have not produced any symptoms of pain. Option C reflects concern for the patient's pain, but does not address the patient's questions about examining the abdomen.

A Patient Reports "Right Shoulder Pain That Comes and Goes