A nurse admits a patient and selects the priority nursing diagnosis of acute pain. The nurse plans to administer pain medication as needed. When the patient complains of pain, the nurse medicates the patient. Next, the nurse should
A) Assess the patient's laboratory values.
B) Create a new nursing diagnosis.
C) Administer an additional dose of medication.
D) Evaluate the effects of the medication.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

After administering pain medication, the nurse should evaluate the effects of the medication on the patient's pain level. This will help determine if the medication was effective or if an additional dose is needed. Assessing laboratory values may be necessary for other nursing diagnoses but is not directly related to acute pain. Creating a new nursing diagnosis is not necessary unless a new problem arises. Administering an additional dose of medication without evaluating the effects of the first dose could potentially lead to medication overuse or an adverse reaction.

A Nurse Admits a Patient and Selects the Priority Nursing