A patient admitted with the diagnosis of possible myocardial infarction complains of pain and tingling in his left arm and says,"How in the world could I be having a heart attack when it's just my arm that is giving me trouble?" The nurse explains that the patient is experiencing:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Pain is what the patient says it is and should be communicated as such.However,pain in specific areas may be referred pain,and left arm discomfort is typically referred from the heart.The nurse administers the analgesic as ordered and frequently checks to determine whether the pain is relieved.

A Patient Admitted with the Diagnosis of Possible Myocardial Infarction