A 45-year-old woman has breast cancer that has spread to her liver and spine.She has been taking oxycodone (Percodan)and amitriptyline (Elavil)for pain control at home,but she now has constant severe pain and is hospitalized for pain control and development of a pain management program.During assessment of the patient,what information related to her pain is most important for the nurse to obtain initially?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Obtaining information about the pattern, area, intensity, and nature of the patient's pain is most important initially to guide the development of an effective pain management plan. This information will help the healthcare team to tailor treatment to the patient's specific needs and to adjust the plan as needed based on the patient's response. Trigger points and drug schedules are also important information, but they should be obtained after the initial assessment of the patient's pain. The presence of sympathetic responses may indicate uncontrolled pain, but this information should also be obtained after the initial assessment of the patient's pain.

A 45-Year-Old Woman Has Breast Cancer That Has Spread to Her