A nurse is conducting a pain assessment for a client who reports discomfort. Which of the following actions is the most appropriate for the nurse to take to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the client's pain?

Observe the patient's facial expressions and body language for signs of discomfort.

Measure the patient's vital signs and note any changes.

Review the patient's medical history for past pain management interventions and their outcomes.

Ask the patient to describe the pain using a pain scale and provide details about its location, duration, and intensity.

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is D

A. Observe the patient's facial expressions and body language for signs of discomfort: While observation is important, it doesn't provide a complete picture of the client's pain experience and may not capture all aspects, such as intensity or location.

B. Measure the patient's vital signs and note any changes: Vital signs are important but can be nonspecific indicators of pain and are not as reliable for assessing pain intensity or quality.

C. Review the patient's medical history for past pain management interventions and their outcomes: While this is useful, it does not directly address the client's current pain experience.

D. Ask the patient to describe the pain using a pain scale and provide details about its location, duration, and intensity. A comprehensive pain assessment requires the client's self-report to fully understand the pain's characteristics. A pain scale (e.g., 0-10) helps quantify the intensity, and asking about its location, duration, and type allows for a thorough understanding of the pain's impact.

Nursing Test Bank

Test Bank #1: RN Pharmacology Exams Test Bank #2: RN Medical-Surgical Exams Test Bank #3: RN Fundamentals Exams Test Bank #4: RN Maternal-Newborn Exams Test Bank #5: RN Anatomy and Physiology Exams Test Bank #6: RN Obstetrics and Pediatrics Exams Test Bank #7: RN Fluid and Electrolytes Exams Test Bank #9: RN Adult Health Test Bank #10: RN Dosage Calculation Test Bank #11: RN Community Health Exams Test Bank #12: RN Psychology Exams Test Bank #13: RN Nursing Care Of Children Test Bank #14: RN Foundations of Nursing Exams

Get 100+ Naxlex Exit Exams for $79 Try Naxlex NCLEX-RN (14 Day Free-Trial)

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

Exam #1: RN Comprehensive predictor 2023 proctored exam Exam #2: Ati rn vati comprehensive predictor proctored exam Exam #3: Ati Rn Comprehensive Predictor Proctored Exam 2023 Exam #4: Rn Comprehensive Predictor 2023 Proctored Exam - St. Joseph Exam #5: RN Comprehensive Predictor Proctored Exam (National U CA San Diego) Exam #6: Ati rn comprehensive predictor 2023 retake proctored exam Exam #7: RN Hesi Exit Proctored Exam Exam #8: Hesi RN Exit proctored exam Exam #9: Hesi rn exit proctored exam Exam #10: Hesi Rn compass exit B proctored exam

Free Nursing Study Resources

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

A. Instruct the family about anticipatory grieving: While anticipatory grieving is important, it is better addressed after the family has had time to express initial feelings.

B. Explore effective ways of family coping: This is important but should come after encouraging the family to process their immediate feelings.

C. Encourage the family’s expression of their feelings. The first priority is to allow the family to express their emotions and begin the grieving process. Encouraging emotional expression helps the family cope with the overwhelming news and facilitates their emotional support needs.

D. Discuss the disease and its manifestations with family members: While understanding the disease is essential, focusing on the family's emotional response is more critical at this initial stage of shock and grief.

A. Assess the client's ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) and their impact on the client's overall health. B. Review the client's current medication list and check for any missed doses. C. Focus on the client's most recent laboratory results and compare them to past results. D. Conduct a detailed family history to identify any genetic predispositions to the chronic illness.

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

A. Assess the client's ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) and their impact on the client's overall health. ADL assessment provides crucial information about how well the client is managing their chronic illness and maintaining functional independence.

B. Review the client's current medication list and check for any missed doses. While this is important, it is a secondary concern compared to assessing functional status, which has a broader impact on health outcomes.

C. Focus on the client's most recent laboratory results and compare them to past results. Lab results are valuable but do not provide a comprehensive view of how the illness affects the client's daily life.

D. Conduct a detailed family history to identify any genetic predispositions to the chronic illness. Genetic predispositions are relevant for diagnosis and prevention but do not evaluate current management of the condition.

View Question and Answer

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

A nurse is conducting a pain assessment for a client who reports discomfort. Which of the following actions is the most appropriate for the nurse to take to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the client's pain?

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

The nurse is caring for a child who has a diagnosis of metastatic brain cancer. The father states "I can't believe this is happening to us, I feel numb." Which of the following nursing interventions by the nurse is the first priority?

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

A community health nurse is conducting a home visit to assess an adult client with a chronic illness. Which of the following actions should the nurse prioritize to effectively evaluate the client's management of their chronic condition?

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

A nurse is educating a group of clients about complementary and integrative therapies. Which of the following statements about these therapies are accurate? Select all that apply

A nurse is caring for a client who is to start therapy with ibuprofen for hip pain. Which of the following information should the nurse provide about ibuprofen?

The nurse is reviewing strategies to address health disparities in a community setting in alignment with Healthy People 2030 objectives. Which of the following actions by the nurse best demonstrates the application of Healthy People 2030 goals to reduce health disparities?

A nurse is providing preoperative teaching to a client about pain management using a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) system. Which of the following three statements should the nurse include in the teaching? (Select all that apply.)

A nurse is educating a client about the wellness-illness continuum. Which of the following statements by the client indicates an understanding of the concept?

A nurse is caring for a client who requests prescription pain medication. Which of the following actions should the nurse perform first?

A nurse is assessing a client 15 min after administering morphine sulfate 2 mg via IV push. The nurse should identify which of the following findings as an adverse effect of the medication?

A nurse is preparing to administer morphine IV to a client. Which of the following medications should the nurse plan to have available?