A new nurse asks, "My elderly patient's CT scan of the head shows many Lewy bodies are present. What should I do about assessing for pain?" Select the best response from the nurse manager.

Question

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Lewy bodies associated with dementia [Faculty note: Lewy bodies are defined and addressed in Chapter 23]. There are special scales to assess the presence and severity of pain in patients with dementia. The Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia Scale evaluates breathing, negative vocalizations, body language, and consolability. A patient with dementia would be unable to use a visual analog scale. The family may be able to help the nurse gain perspective about the pain, but this strategy alone is inadequate. The other distracters are myths.

A New Nurse Asks, "My Elderly Patient's CT Scan of the Head