A 16-year-old boy injured in a motorcycle accident is unconscious and cannot sign the emergency surgical consent form; no family members can be located. The nurse anticipates that:

A. Ask his wife to speak to him to reassure him.
This option is not ideal because the nurse should address the patient's concerns directly. It is important to ensure the patient is making an informed decision and is emotionally supported, but the spouse should not be the first point of contact for reassurance in this case.

B. Assure him that everything will go well.
While it is important to reassure the patient, the nurse should not make promises about the outcome. Assuring the patient everything will go well could lead to unrealistic expectations and may not address the underlying concern.

C. Tear up the surgical consent he signed.
Tearing up the consent is not an appropriate action. The nurse should not act on the patient's uncertainty before consulting the surgeon. The patient has the right to withdraw consent, and this should be addressed properly through communication with the surgeon.

D. Notify the surgeon right away of the situation.
The nurse should immediately notify the surgeon about the patient's change of mind. The surgeon is responsible for providing further clarification and addressing any concerns before proceeding with surgery. The patient must be fully informed and comfortable with their decision.

A. To achieve fast-acting pain relief, administer analgesics PO. Oral (PO) medications may not provide rapid pain relief, particularly postoperatively. IV or other forms of analgesia are preferred for fast-acting relief.

B. Consider the client's individual expression of pain. Pain is subjective, and the nurse should consider each patient’s unique expression of pain to provide appropriate pain management.

C. Expect the client to express his pain both verbally and nonverbally. Patients may express pain verbally or nonverbally, such as through facial expressions or body movements. The nurse must be attentive to both forms of expression.

D. Use a scale from 0 to 10 to monitor the severity of the client's pain. The 0 to 10 pain scale is a common and effective tool for assessing the severity of a patient's pain, allowing for appropriate intervention.

E. Administer opioids with caution because they will eventually lead to addiction. While opioids should be used cautiously, the focus should be on appropriate and safe pain management. Addiction is not an immediate concern for postoperative patients who require short-term use.