A nurse is giving an intramuscular injection to a newborn who was delivered at 38 weeks of gestation. Which of the following pain scales should the nurse use to assess the newborn's pain?
Natal Infant Pa Scale PS
FACES pain rating scale
Premature infant Pain Profile (PIPP)
visual analog scale (VAS)
The Correct Answer is A
Choice A reason:
A. Natal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS): The NIPS is a behavioral assessment tool designed for both preterm and full-term neonates. It evaluates six behavioral indicators in response to painful procedures. These indicators include changes in facial expression (such as grimacing, brow bulge, and eye squeeze), body movements (such as fisting, tremulousness, and limb withdrawal), and other signs of distressChoice B reason:
FACES pain rating scale The FACES pain rating scale should not be used because it is a visual scale that uses facial expressions to assess pain in children who can communicate using pictures of faces displaying different emotions. It is generally used for older children and not appropriate for newborns.
Choice C reason
Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP): The PIPP is another pain assessment tool specifically developed for preterm infants. It considers physiological and behavioral parameters, including facial expressions, heart rate, oxygen saturation, and gestational age. While useful for preterm infants, it may not be the best choice for full-term newborns.Since the newborn in this scenario was delivered at 38 weeks of gestation, the PIPP would be an appropriate pain assessment tool to use. It considers specific physiological and behavioural indicators of pain in newborns and helps healthcare providers evaluate and manage pain in this vulnerable population.
Choice D reason:
Visual analog scale (VAS) should not be used because the visual analog scale is a pain assessment tool typically used for older children, adolescents, and adults who can understand and provide a subjective rating of their pain intensity along a linear scale. It involves marking a point on the line corresponding to the level of pain experienced. Since newborns cannot communicate in this way, the VAS is not suitable for their pain assessment.
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Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. Heart rate 136/min is a normal finding for a newborn. The normal range of heart rate for a newborn is 100 to 160/min.
B. Nasal flaring is an abnormal finding for a newborn. Nasal flaring indicates respiratory distress and may be caused by conditions such as pneumonia, meconium aspiration, or congenital heart defects.
C. Transient strabismus is a normal finding for a newborn. Transient strabismus is a temporary misalignment of the eyes that occurs due to weak eye muscles and poor coordination. It usually resolves by 3 to 6 months of age.
D. Overlapping of sutures is a normal finding for a newborn. Overlapping of sutures is caused by molding of the skull during delivery and allows the head to fit through the birth canal. It usually resolves within a few days after birth.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
a. Administer the medication and alert the charge nurse: This choice suggests proceeding with medication administration but also informing the charge nurse. While it's important to communicate with the charge nurse regarding medication administration, in this scenario, there is no indication to hold the medication as the infant's heart rate is within the normal range. Therefore, alerting the charge nurse may not be necessary at this point.
b. Hold the medication and document cardiac assessment: This choice suggests holding the medication and documenting the cardiac assessment. However, since the infant's heart rate is within the normal range for their age, there is no clinical indication to hold the medication. Holding the medication unnecessarily could delay treatment and potentially lead to adverse outcomes if the medication is needed.
c. Administer the medication and document the heart rate.
Since the infant's heart rate of 120 beats per minute falls within the normal range for a 2-month-old, there is no indication to hold the medication. Administering the digoxin as prescribed and documenting the heart rate before administration are appropriate actions. It's important to ensure accurate documentation to track the infant's response to the medication and monitor for any changes in heart rate.
d. Hold the medication and recheck the heart rate in 1 hour: This choice suggests holding the medication and rechecking the heart rate in 1 hour. Again, since the infant's heart rate is within the normal range, there is no clinical indication to hold the medication or delay treatment. Rechecking the heart rate in 1 hour would be unnecessary and could potentially delay necessary medication administration.
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