A nurse is assessing the pain level of a 10-year-old child who is able to understand and communicate effectively.
Which pain assessment tool would be most suitable for this child?

FLACC Scale.

B. Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale.

Choice A rationale:

The FLACC Scale, which stands for Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, and Consolability, is a suitable pain assessment tool for a 6-year-old child.

It uses observable behaviors to assess pain, making it appropriate for young children who may not be able to express their pain verbally.

The scale assigns scores to each of these categories, and the total score indicates the level of pain.

Choice B rationale:

The Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale is another appropriate tool for assessing pain in a 6-year-old child.

It uses a series of faces with different expressions, ranging from a happy face to a crying face, to help the child express their pain level.

This visual scale is effective for young children who can point to the face that best represents their pain.

Choice C rationale:

The Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) and

Choice D rationale:

the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) are typically not suitable for a 6-year-old child.

These scales require a level of cognitive and numerical understanding that may be beyond the capabilities of most 6-year-olds.

NRS involves rating pain on a scale from 0 to 10, and VAS involves marking a point on a line to indicate pain severity, which may be too abstract for a child of this age.

Choice E rationale:

The McGill Pain Questionnaire is a more complex and detailed tool designed for older children and adults.

It involves a list of descriptive words and phrases to assess various aspects of pain, making it unsuitable for a 6-year-old child.

Choice A rationale:

The nurse should not state that the FLACC Scale is the best pain assessment tool for all children because pain assessment tools should be age-appropriate.

The FLACC Scale is typically used for infants and young children who cannot effectively communicate their pain verbally.

It assesses facial expression, leg movement, activity, cry, and consolability.

However, it may not be suitable for older children who can use self-reporting pain scales.

Choice B rationale:

This is the correct answer.

The Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale is designed for children aged 3 years and older.

It uses a series of faces to represent different levels of pain intensity, making it a useful tool for children who may not be able to describe their pain in words.

The scale is widely recognized and accepted for this age group.

Choice C rationale:

The Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) is typically used for older children and adults.

It requires the child to assign a numerical value to their pain, usually on a scale from 0 to 10, with 0 representing no pain and 10 being the worst pain possible.

It may not be the best choice for younger children, especially those under the age of 5, as they may have difficulty using numbers to describe their pain.

Choice D rationale:

The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) is a pain assessment tool that requires a child to mark their pain level on a line, with one end indicating no pain and the other end indicating the worst pain imaginable.

It is often used for older children and adults.

Children aged 8 years and older may be able to use the VAS effectively, but it may not be the best choice for younger children, as it requires the ability to understand and use a visual representation of pain.