A nurse is assessing the characteristics of a patient's pain. Which question is not included in the pain assessment?
How can it hurt? I just gave you pain medication an hour ago.
Could you rate your pain on a scale of 0 to 10?
How often does it recur?
What does the pain feel like?
The Correct Answer is A
Choice A reason: This question is inappropriate for pain assessment as it dismisses the patient’s subjective experience. Pain assessment requires objective, empathetic inquiries about intensity, frequency, and quality. Questioning pain validity based on recent medication fails to gather clinical data, undermines trust, and may hinder effective pain management strategies by not addressing the patient’s actual pain experience.
Choice B reason: Rating pain on a 0 to 10 scale is a standard pain assessment tool. This numerical scale quantifies pain intensity, enabling clinicians to evaluate severity, monitor changes, and adjust interventions. It’s a validated method ensuring consistent documentation and tailored pain management across clinical settings, crucial for effective treatment planning.
Choice C reason: Asking about pain recurrence frequency is vital in pain assessment. It identifies patterns or triggers, informing the underlying cause. This data guides intervention timing, such as medication schedules or nonpharmacological methods, to effectively manage recurrent pain and improve patient outcomes by addressing the pain’s temporal characteristics.
Choice D reason: Inquiring about pain quality (e.g., sharp, burning) is critical in pain assessment. The description reveals the pain’s etiology, distinguishing neuropathic from nociceptive pain. This informs targeted treatments, like anticonvulsants for nerve pain or anti-inflammatories for tissue damage, optimizing pain relief by addressing the specific pain mechanism.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice A reason: Diuretics, particularly thiazides, can reduce urinary calcium excretion, potentially decreasing kidney stone risk. However, some diuretics may increase stone formation indirectly, but they are not a primary risk factor compared to genetic predisposition.
Choice B reason: Family history is a well-established risk factor for urolithiasis, as genetic predispositions influence urinary chemistry (e.g., hypercalciuria, hyperoxaluria). Inherited metabolic traits increase stone formation likelihood, making this a significant risk factor for the condition.
Choice C reason: BMI less than 25 (normal weight) is not a risk factor for urolithiasis. Higher BMI (>30) is associated with increased stone risk due to metabolic changes like insulin resistance, making this choice incorrect.
Choice D reason: Hypocalcemia is not typically linked to urolithiasis. Hypercalcemia or hypercalciuria (often genetic) increases calcium stone formation, but low calcium levels do not contribute significantly to stone risk, making this incorrect.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A reason: Incontinence is a common UTI symptom but not specific to older adults. It results from bladder irritation or detrusor muscle spasms, affecting all ages. Older adults may have baseline incontinence, making it less diagnostic for UTI compared to acute cognitive changes.
Choice B reason: Low back pain may occur in UTIs, particularly with kidney involvement (pyelonephritis), but it’s not specific to older adults. It reflects inflammation or infection spread, common across age groups, and is less distinctive than cognitive changes in elderly UTI presentations.
Choice C reason: Confusion is a hallmark UTI symptom in older adults due to their increased susceptibility to delirium triggered by infection. The inflammatory response and systemic effects disrupt cerebral function, causing acute cognitive changes, making it a specific and critical finding in this population.
Choice D reason: Urinary retention can occur in UTIs due to bladder inflammation but is not specific to older adults. It’s more common in men with prostate issues or patients with neurogenic bladder, making it less distinctive than confusion for elderly UTI presentations.
Whether you are a student looking to ace your exams or a practicing nurse seeking to enhance your expertise , our nursing education contents will empower you with the confidence and competence to make a difference in the lives of patients and become a respected leader in the healthcare field.
Visit Naxlex, invest in your future and unlock endless possibilities with our unparalleled nursing education contents today
Report Wrong Answer on the Current Question
Do you disagree with the answer? If yes, what is your expected answer? Explain.
Kindly be descriptive with the issue you are facing.