A patient who has chronic musculoskeletal pain tells the nurse, "I feel depressed because I ache too much to play golf." The patient says the pain is usually at a level 7 (0 to 10 scale). Which patient goal has the highest priority when the nurse is developing the treatment plan?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

For chronic pain, patients are encouraged to set functional goals such as being able to perform daily activities and hobbies. The patient has identified playing golf as the desired activity, so a pain level of 2 of 10 or a decrease in aching would be less useful in evaluating successful treatment. The nurse also should assess for depression, but the patient has identified the depression as being due to the inability to play golf, so the goal of being able to play 1 or 2 rounds of golf is the most appropriate.

A Patient Who Has Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain Tells the Nurse