A client repeatedly asks the nurse "How much longer until I can get more pain medication?" Once the medication is provided,the client stops asking for it.The nurse identifies the client's behavior as being

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The client's behavior is indicative of pseudoaddiction, which refers to the mistaken belief that a patient is addicted to pain medication when in reality they are experiencing uncontrolled pain that is not being adequately managed. Once the pain is adequately controlled, the requests for medication decrease or stop altogether. This is in contrast to addiction, which is a psychological and behavioral dependence on a substance regardless of whether pain is still present. Tolerance and physical dependence may also occur in patients receiving pain medication, but these do not fully explain the client's behavior in this scenario.

A Client Repeatedly Asks the Nurse "How Much Longer Until